Ellie looked around desperately, but there was no sign of Moonbeam. She bent down and picked up the empty headcollar. “It’s still done up. She must have wriggled it over her ears.”
“Do you think she’s gone home?” asked Kate.
“I hope not,” groaned Ellie. “Everyone will laugh at us if she has.”
Suddenly, there was a noise from the bright pink tent. Ellie and Kate raced over and lifted the door flap. Just inside was a creamy coloured rump and a snow-white tail. Moonbeam’s head was deep inside the cornflakes packet as she happily munched its contents.
“That’s our breakfast!” shouted Kate.
“She’ll have our midnight feast as well if we don’t get her out soon,” said Ellie. She tried to squeeze into the tent past Moonbeam’s backside. But the pony whisked her tail and raised a hoof in warning.
“Watch out in case she kicks!” called Kate.
“Ponies never like being disturbed while they’re eating,” said Ellie, backing quickly out of the tent.
“But we can’t just leave her till she’s finished,” said Kate.
The obvious solution was to go in another way. But a quick search soon showed that there wasn’t one. Miss Stringle had thought of everything they might need, except a back door.
“Good girl,” called Ellie in a soothing voice, as she braced herself for a second attempt at rescuing their supplies. The palomino pony stopped munching and listened. As Ellie tried to squeeze past, she put a reassuring hand on Moonbeam’s rump and said, “It’s only me.” The pony flicked her ears and whisked her tail again, but she didn’t kick.
Ellie moved quickly along Moonbeam’s side and grabbed hold of her mane. Then she put the headcollar rope around the pony’s neck to stop her escaping while she tried to prise her head out of the cornflakes packet.
Moonbeam didn’t make that an easy task. She was determined to eat as much as possible while she still had the chance. She stepped sideways, trying to push Ellie away. In the process, her hoof landed on the milk carton, crushing it completely and spraying milk in all directions.
Ellie grabbed hold of the cornflakes packet with her free hand and pulled so hard that it tore open. Golden flakes spilled down to join the puddle of milk on the floor. Moonbeam pushed her head down to try to eat them, but Ellie was too quick for her. She slipped on the headcollar and buckled it into place.
“Now we just have to get her outside,” said Ellie.
Kate peered in through the entrance. “I don’t think there’s room to turn her around,” she groaned.
“Can we get her out backwards?” asked Ellie.
Kate looked doubtful. “Only if she goes absolutely straight.”
Ellie sighed. “We’ll have to try. There’s no other way.” She urged Moonbeam to walk backwards. The pony obeyed unwillingly. She was still trying to reach the last of the cornflakes.
“Careful,” called Kate. “She’s swinging too much to the left.”
Ellie tried again. One step. Two steps…
Suddenly, Moonbeam’s back foot landed on an automatic umbrella Miss Stringle had provided. It triggered the release button and the umbrella unfolded with a loud whoosh.
The sudden movement terrified Moonbeam. Before Ellie could stop her, the pony lurched forward, cannoned into the back wall of the tent and swung round.
Kate was right. There wasn’t room for Moonbeam to turn. Her hindquarters smashed into the rear tent pole, cracking it in two. The top half of the pole crashed down, hitting the pony as it fell. The shock sent Moonbeam into an even greater panic. As the roof of the tent collapsed around her, she hurtled for the entrance.
Luckily, she got through first time. Ellie tore after her, half running and half dragged, as she hung on desperately to the rope. She was determined not to let Moonbeam disappear again.
Moonbeam stopped by the edge of the clearing. Ellie and Kate stroked her face and spoke to her soothingly until she settled down and started to graze.
Then they looked at the tent in dismay. It was a total disaster. One end had collapsed completely, so the roof was lying on the ground. The other end was still vaguely upright, but it wouldn’t take much of a wind to bring it down. There was no way they could sleep in it like that.
