‘We’ve got to help,’ said Ava.

‘But what can we do?’ asked Jas.

‘I’ll try and get some of the animals back, and you can help Mr Marshall with his Acorns class. Between us, we should be able to do something!’

‘Good luck!’ shouted Jas as she ran off in the direction of a red-headed boy who was trying to ride a goat.

Ava put the cash box down by the hedge behind her, nudging it underneath to keep it safe. She headed for the chickens first. They were flapping a lot, which seemed to be unsettling the reindeer and alpacas. She felt confident with chickens. She and Tom were always handling them back on Whistledown Farm, so she thought she’d start collecting those. Some of the people from the animal park were doing their bit to try and settle the alpacas and reindeer, while others were unsuccessfully trying to catch the runaway goats. Ava worked quickly, picking up a couple of chickens from the playground. She had one under each arm and carried them back to the pens.

‘Ah, thanks, love,’ said a tall lady in a blue Marchant Park T-shirt. ‘Just put them in the chicken run we’ve set up over there.’ She nodded behind her, and Ava saw where they needed to be.

Once all the chickens were safely enclosed in the run, Ava made her way back to the chaos of the playground. Jas was holding the hands of a couple of little girls who had started crying and was leading them back to the classroom. Ava saw an old-looking goat nibbling the hedge to her left, just next to the cash box.

‘Help me with the littl’uns first,’ shouted the tall animal handler.

Ava looked to where the woman was pointing to see the goat kids jumping on and off the picnic tables! Ava jogged towards them, but as she got close, both goat kids leaped off the tables. Ava could only watch as the two of them ran off, speeding towards the football pitch. They were fast! Ava charged after them, the tall woman trailing behind as they chased after the goat kids together. Just as the kids reached the far goal, they seemed to run out of steam and stopped in the goal nets for a rest.

Slowly and carefully, Ava and the animal handler approached them. Ava’s heart raced, expecting the goat kids to rush off at high speed again, but, thankfully, they seemed to have worn themselves out. Ava and the animal handler picked up one goat kid each and marched back towards the pens. Ava felt very out of breath as she held the goat kid tightly. She’d never handled a goat before. Of course, she’d held Hope loads of times, but they didn’t have any goats on Whistledown Farm.

Ava approached the pens, passing the back of the open goat trailer. The old goat she’d seen nibbling the hedge was back inside, sitting down on the deep layer of crisp yellow straw as if nothing had happened.

‘I bet it was her that broke out first,’ said the animal handler with a wry smile.

‘Who?’ said Ava. ‘That old goat?’

The lady laughed. ‘Don’t be fooled by appearances. She’s the sneakiest, naughtiest goat I’ve ever known. She’s always breaking out of places, finding her way into where she shouldn’t. She’s eaten half the veg patch numerous times, stolen the washing off the line and even found her way into the café at the Animal Park!’

‘Really?’ said Ava, unconvinced.

The old goat was quietly chewing on some hay, watching the world go by.

‘Really. It’s got to the point that when she gets out, we don’t worry too much these days. She always heads back to her bed when she’s had her little adventure – often with something tasty from the veg garden.’

Ava laughed as the woman took the goat kid from her.

‘Thanks for your help…?’

‘Ava. My name’s Ava, and I was happy to help.’

Suddenly Melody appeared, running out across the playground.

‘What’s happened? Is everything okay?’ she asked as she reached them.

‘Just a minor panic,’ said the woman with a half-smile. ‘Just enough people around to avert disaster though. It was lucky this one was here to help – a friend of yours, is she, Melody?’

Melody turned to look at Ava.

‘Not exactly,’ she said coolly. ‘Anyway, I’m here now to really sort this out. Bye, Ava.’

Melody turned her back on Ava and took a goat kid from the animal handler. The woman raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Ava looked across the now-empty playground. Jas had managed to help Mr Marshall get the overexcited reception children back inside until the animals were properly penned up and ready for them. The animals from the park were now calm and back where they were meant to be.

‘Okay, time to carry on with the rest of the day,’ Ava muttered to herself.

Jas came jogging towards her, looking a little bedraggled.

‘Who knew five-year-olds were harder to handle than a group of escaped animals!’

Ava laughed. ‘Yeah, I think I got the easier job!’

‘Let’s get the cash box,’ said Jas, ‘and head back to the safety of the classroom. I never thought I’d be so pleased to go back to a lesson.’

Ava laughed again as she agreed with Jas and paced back to the hedge where she’d left the raffle money. Ava’s stomach lurched.

The cash box was gone!