Free Silver Hill by Catherine Cooper

business. Something I need to get to the bottom of and these two youngsters seem to think you know something about it.’
    Jack tried not to laugh as Motley marched up and down in front of the two smaller rats. They both hung their heads so Jack presumed they’d done something wrong. Motley stopped in front of Fergus.
    ‘It wouldn’t go amiss if you spent a bit more time grooming, you don’t get sleek fur like mine in two minutes you know.’
    Fergus hung his head even lower. Jack felt sorry for the little rat. He knew what it was like to have unruly hair; no matter how long he spent at the mirror his hair never looked good. When Motley finished inspecting Fergus and Berry, he turned back to Jack, cleared his throat and thrust out his chest before continuing.
    ‘We, the rest of the Night Guard that is, are on a very important mission for Nora. I left these two youngsters in charge at the house, I gave them some important jobs to do, jobs I wanted doing. They now tell me they’ve been helping Camelin find a missing key. When questioned further, I find, not only have they not done the jobs I gave them, but they went and cleared up the mess in Camelin’s loft instead.’
    Motley stood to attention, narrowed his eyes and stared at Jack.
    ‘I know they were helping Camelin to look for a key, but I didn’t know anything about them helping him tidy the loft,’ said Jack.
    ‘Help! Help! They tell me they were left to do it all on their own and it was such a mess it’s taken them hours. They also tell me that Camelin promised you’d give them some biscuits, gingerbread ones to be precise, in exchange for all the work they’d done. Is that true? I came back to check on the jobs they should have done and found them on their way here. Have you got gingerbread for them? Have you been encouraging some of my junior Night Guard to neglect their duties?’
    Jack looked at Fergus and Berry. He felt very sorry for them.
    ‘I had no idea about the loft clearing or about the biscuits.’
    Motley turned to Fergus and Berry and started tapping his foot.
    ‘What have you got to say for yourselves now?’
    ‘Camelin promised Jack would have some biscuits for us, didn’t he Fergus?’ Berry said so quietly Jack could hardly make out what he was saying. Fergus nodded in agreement.
    ‘I don’t think you should be cross with Fergus and Berry,’ said Jack. ‘It’s all Camelin’s fault. If you wait here I’ll try and sort out the payment. I’ll go and ask Grandad if he’s got any biscuits.’
    Motley nodded his head and the two little rats looked very relieved. Jack went down to the kitchen and looked in the biscuit tin but it was empty. The kitchen door was open and Jack could see Grandad in the garden hoeing his potatoes. Jack went to join him.
    ‘Are there any biscuits Grandad?’
    ‘Got your appetite back have you?’
    ‘I wondered if there were any gingerbreads, only the tin’s empty.’
    Grandad stopped hoeing for a moment.
    ‘The new packets of biscuits are on the second shelf in the pantry. Be a good lad and put them in the tin, maybe you could make me a cup of tea and bring me out a couple of shortbreads too, this is thirsty work. Help yourself to what you want.’
    Jack thanked his Grandad and went back to the house. He was relieved he’d be able to sort out the payment for Fergus and Berry without too much trouble. He went back to the kitchen and found three packets of biscuits and tipped them into the tin. He shook the crumbs from the packets into a dish then picked out all the broken biscuits to add to the crumbs. The dish was quite full when he’d finished. Before he went back upstairs he put the kettle on.
    ‘Help yourselves,’ said Jack as he put the dish of broken biscuits on the bedside table. He smiled as he saw Orin bound across to the bed. She had a liking for biscuits too. ‘I won’t be long, I’ve just got to go and make Grandad a cup of tea.’

    Jack was longer than he’d planned to be.