‘There you are, Gramps!’ Gareth exclaimed. ‘What do you think of that?’
Gramps stared, open-mouthed, at the statue of his old schoolfriend. ‘Taffy Jones…’ he breathed. ‘I can hardly believe it.’
‘We said you’d be in for a big surprise,’ laughed Gareth. He exchanged grins with Adam, who had managed to slip away from his parents for a while to meet Gramps and show him what they had discovered.
Adam glanced towards the house to make sure no one was watching and then stamped on the stone discus. ‘Watch this!’ he cried.
Gareth enjoyed Gramps’ shocked reaction as the gap slowly appeared at the base of the statue.
‘It’s a secret passage,’ Gareth told him. ‘Just like in your stories about the school.’
‘Better than any of them, m’boy,’ said Gramps. ‘How on earth did you find it?’
‘Who?’
‘Taffy!’
‘You mean the old boy’s still here?’ Gramps gasped. ‘You’ve actually met him?’
‘Sure have,’ said Gareth. ‘He might even own the place, for all we know.’
Gramps shook his head, marvelling at such news. ‘Taffy Jones!’ he repeated in amazement. ‘Thought he were dead.’
Adam laughed. ‘So did we at first. Thought he might have been one of your ghosts when I saw him disappear through a wall.’
‘Through a wall?’
‘Yeah – turned out to be another secret passage.’
‘The old devil!’ Gramps murmured. ‘Don’t like to say this now, but you couldn’t really trust Taffy as a kid. You never knew if he were just telling tales.’
‘Don’t reckon he’s changed much, then,’ muttered Adam, thinking of Taffy’s denial over Jacko. ‘Only I call it lyin’.’
‘Best close this up before anyone comes,’ Gareth said, heaving the discus back into position to seal the hole once more.
‘Do you know where it leads?’ asked Gramps.
‘Sure do. A group of us explored it,’ said Gareth. ‘Goes right under the lake.’
‘Goodness!’
Before Gareth could say any more, he saw his mother heading their way across the lawn, carrying a bowl of strawberries.
‘I might have known you two would try to escape the crowds,’ she chuckled. ‘Come on, Gareth, introduce me to your new friend.’
‘This is Adam, Mum,’ he said and then pointed up at the statue. ‘We were just showing Gramps an old one – Gareth Taffy Jones, the great Olympic champion!’
Mum choked and dropped a strawberry off the spoon down the front of her new dress.
Tom and Eddie were finding it less easy to entertain their families. After a guided tour of the Camp’s training facilities, there weren’t exactly a lot of things to see and do – at least before the demonstration of some track and field events.
Tom was sitting with his parents at one of the tables in the courtyard, conveniently near to where the strawberries were being served. Two empty bowls bore witness to his appetite and he was planning to go back for a third. He let out a loud burp.
‘Manners, Thomas!’ said his mother, frowning at him and hoping that none of the nearby guests had heard the noise.
‘Sorry, Mum,’ he said automatically. ‘Do you want any more strawbs?’
Eddie was leading his parents from the running track when his father halted by the pool. ‘Been for a swim yet, son?’ he asked.
Eddie pulled a face, recalling his humiliation by Blackbeard. ‘Just once, Dad,’ he replied, moving him on quickly. ‘Water’s too cold.’
Eddie soon joined Tom in the queue for strawberries and cream. ‘Wonder why Blackbeard told everyone about the A.C.E. place?’ he said, referring to the speech of welcome, when the head coach announced that some boys might be invited to be coached at an advanced training centre. ‘Thought it was supposed to be a big secret.’
Tom burped again. ‘Not any more,’ he grinned. ‘Not since us lot stumbled on it. Probably worried we might go and spill the beans.’
‘Huh! Bet all the kids strutting their stuff on the track later will be from there,’ Eddie muttered. ‘And I hope YT’s among them.’
‘Why?’
‘Oh, nothing,’ he said with a shrug. ‘Just like to see him in action again, that’s all.’
‘Hello, Davy!’
Gramps whirled round. Nobody had called him by that name for years.
‘It is Davy, isn’t it? Must be.’
Gramps stared at the old man with long, white hair. He had joined the Davies family on a grassy bank overlooking the running track, where sprint races were in progress. It was only the Welsh accent that gave away his identity.
‘Taffy?’
‘The one and only,’ he replied, and then chuckled. ‘Well, maybe that’s not quite true no more.’
Gramps failed to appreciate the significance of the remark, and reached out to shake the offered hand. ‘Never thought that one day they’d be building statues of rogues like you,’ he said, grinning at his old school mate.
‘Oh, you’ve seen that thing, have you? Mind you, I had to pay somebody a small fortune to do it, didn’t I?’
‘And pay them to keep quiet about the tunnel underneath, no doubt.’
‘Young Gareth’s shown you that as well, has he?’ Taffy replied, slipping the boy a wink. ‘Thought he might.’
‘You got any grandkids, Taffy?’ Gramps asked him.
‘No, but there is someone who takes after me in a way,’ Taffy said and then grinned. ‘Chip off the old block, you might say, Davy. See if you can spot him in this next race.’
Gareth knew what that must mean. When the bang of a gun signalled the start of the 800-metre event, he went to stand next to Adam and they were not surprised to see who burst into an early lead.
‘YT’s settin’ a real hot pace,’ said Adam. ‘Even Jacko can’t keep up with him.’
‘Perhaps he’s gone off too fast,’ Gareth suggested.
‘Nah, reckon he knows what he’s doin’. None of ’em will catch him now.’
Gramps was not even aware of the other boys in the race. His mind had lurched back half a century and he could clearly see another young lad, in white, baggy shorts and vest, with the same upright running action.
Taffy Jones was more interested in watching Gramps’ reaction. ‘Remember when my hair was jet black like that, Davy?’ he said.
Gramps nodded, not looking away from the track. ‘Aye, and I remember how you ran, too. It’s uncanny. Almost identical style.’
‘It is identical,’ Taffy confirmed. ‘Coached him myself.’
Young Taffy ran past them to complete the first lap, well in the lead. Then suddenly he found another runner hard on his heels.
‘Wonder Boy!’ gasped Adam. ‘Has he gone mad?’
Eddie had been unable to resist the temptation to dash onto the track and chase after the leader, intent on revenge. Taken by surprise, Young Taffy slowed to glance back and check out his unexpected challenger. It gave Eddie the chance to close the gap and they rounded the bend shoulder to shoulder.
‘Now let’s see how you like it!’ cried Eddie.
The two boys pounded along the back straight, cheered on by the spectators, who assumed it was all part of the entertainment.
‘That idiot’s really askin’ for it!’ Adam muttered. ‘Blackbeard will go berserk later, when his folks have gone home.’
‘Don’t suppose Eddie even thought about that,’ said Gareth. ‘He just wants to get his own back.’
‘He might do as well – YT’s already run one lap.’
With about 200 metres to go, Eddie accelerated into the bend, hoping his fresher legs would drive him into the clear. He was running as fast as he could, hampered slightly by his tracksuit, but he wasn’t able to shake off his rival. Young Taffy was still only just behind him as they entered the home straight.
‘He’s gonna do it!’ screamed Gareth, dancing up and down.
Adam wasn’t so sure. ‘I wouldn’t bet on it…’ he began and then gasped in astonishment as Young Taffy suddenly seemed to find an extra gear to surge ahead, making it almost look as if Eddie were going backwards.
As the winner sprinted over the finishing line, arms aloft in triumph, Eddie sagged to his knees, crushed with disappointment.
Adam and Gareth ran across the track to pull him back onto his feet and lead him away.
‘What got into you?’ Adam demanded. ‘That was a crazy thing to do!’
‘More like what they’ve got into him!’ Eddie stormed. ‘You saw what he just did. That’s not normal. He must be on drugs!’
‘Cool it, Wonder Boy!’ Adam warned. ‘Here come your folks. Don’t go rantin’ on to them about drugs and stuff. They’ll take you home.’
Gareth and Adam moved off as Eddie’s family made a fuss of him.
‘What do you think he’ll tell them?’ said Gareth.
‘Not much,’ Adam grunted. ‘Not if he’s got any sense, he won’t.’
‘Well I’m going to tell Gramps about what’s going on here. We need somebody on our side – y’know, just in case.’
‘In case of what?’
‘I don’t know,’ Gareth said with a shrug. ‘That’s what bothers me.’