Sourmuddle thrillingly. "Sabotage, shinnanigans and hanky
panky. You know what, Witches? There's another Power at work, blocking ours. I've come
across this sort of thing before. Some cheeky upstart has got hold of our top secret Magic
code numbers. The ones we're never supposed to divulge on pain of being lowered into a
well and pelted with bad eggs. All right, you lot, who's been giving out inside information?
Come on, come on, it's obvious that one of you has been shooting her mouth off."
That was when Pongwiffy had a rather nasty coughing fit. It was so bad, she had to
go behind a tree for a moment.
"Oh well, there's only one thing to do," continued Sourmuddle. "I hereby declare an
Official State Of Emergency."
There was a loud cheer. Official State Of Emergency, eh? They didn't have one of
those very often. It sounded terribly exciting.
"Basically, girls, we're in a bit of a fix. No Magic. No transport. It's obvious
somebody's up to no good behind our backs! But who?"
"Booo! Just wait till we get our hands on ’em!"
"Grrrr!"
There was a lot of enthusiastic shouting. Pongwiffy got over her coughing fit,
stepped casually out from her tree, and shouted louder than anyone.
"Why did you go behind that tree just then, Pongwiffy?" asked Sharkadder, sidling
up.
"Mind your own business," said Pongwiffy. "Grrr! Boo! Down with cheeky upstarts!"
"Who? Who?" pondered Sourmuddle. "Who’s got the nerve to mess with Witches on
the run up to Hallowe'en?"
Everyone thought hard. It wasn't likely to be the Wizards, who were far too snooty.
Likewise the Skeletons. The Ghouls didn't have the nerve. The Goblins didn't have the
brains. Although there was the bobble hat, of course…..
"I'm fed up wi’ all this talk," announced Macabre, who was a Witch of action. "I'm
goin’ back tay the Broom Park tay look for more clues." And she mounted and rode off.
"Oh well, there's nothing else for it," decided Sourmuddle. "Where are you,
Pongwiffy?"
"Me? Why? What d'you want me for?" demanded Pongwiffy, terribly flustered to be
picked on.
"You'll just have to fly off and find out what's going on," explained Sourmuddle.
"You're the only one with transport, remember? So it's up to you to sort it out. Besides, if
you had proper control over your Broom none of this would have happened. So I hold you
personally responsible for getting our Brooms back. Off you go. And don't take all night
about it."
"What — all on my own?" complained Pongwiffy, glancing hopefully at Sharkadder.
Sharkadder tossed her hair, linked her arm in Sludgegooey's and purposely turned her back.
"Don't be such a baby, Pongwiffy," said Sourmuddle, impatient to get at the
sandwiches. "Off you go. One Witch is more than a match for Goblins. Even you."
"But my wand's not working and my Broom might not be well enough to fly and I
don't even know where to start looking and we haven't finished discussing the party ..."
"Stop making excuses," said Sourmuddle "We're in a State Of Emergency. It's hardly
the time to think about parties, is it? Hardly the time to think about enjoying ourselves. Hey,
Agglebag! Grab one of those spiderspread sandwiches for me, will you? Now, buzz off,
Pongwiffy, and don't come back without those Broomsticks. Right girls. After three. When
you're smi-ling, when you're smi-ling..."
And in seconds, the trestle tables were under attack and Pongwiffy, Hugo and the
disgraced Woody were left quite alone. Nobody offered to accompany them on their
mission. Sharkadder was tucking in without even glancing in Pongwiffy's direction.
Oh well. There was nothing else for it. Grimly, Pongwiffy grabbed Woody. It shied
nervously, then held steady as Pongwiffy clambered aboard.
"Vere ve go first, Mistress?" asked Hugo, scuttling up to the rim of her hat.
"Up," said Pongwiffy irritably. "Where else?"
Desperate to please. Woody went up.
CHAPTER TWELVE – Cleaning Up
How Ali Pali ever managed to do it in the time will always