Free Wild Moose Chase by Siobhan Rowden Page B

didn’t die down, and for the rest of the day they sat back for the ride and watched as the pine forests of Siberia gave way to tracts of wilderness with remote villages nestled on the banks. Children dressed in bright colours ran out of their houses, pointing and waving as the castle whizzed by.
    â€œBouncy castles really are the only way to travel,” said Cam, leaning over the back wall. She almost toppled over and was hauled back by Bert.
    â€œCareful,” he said. “If you fall out, there’s no turning this thing around.”
    â€œI’m OK,” she said. But she still hung on to Bert as she peeped over the wall.
    â€œLook! What’s going on over there on the far bank?”
    A man with red hair was standing on top of a trailer attached to the back of a car. He was surveying the surrounding area with a pair of binoculars.
    â€œIt’s Gramps’ friend Lester,” shouted Bert. “Mr Lester, over here. Over here!”
    The man swivelled round and fixed them with his binoculars.
    â€œBert?” he yelled. “Cam? Is that you?”
    â€œYes. We’re on our way to Mongolia,” shouted Bert. “How about you?”
    â€œMoose stalking,” cried Lester. “Have you found one yet?”
    Bert proudly held up his bottle of milk.
    â€œHow did you get that?” shouted Lester in disbelief.
    â€œYou’ve got to have nous to get the moose juice!” called Bert.
    The twins grinned and waved goodbye to the astonished man as the castle whooshed by.
    â€œWell, at least we’re not last,” said Cam. “Has anyone got anything to eat? I’m starving.”
    Bert reached into his pocket and threw her a large brown lump.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œMoose biscuits,” said Bert. “I found them on the train. Thought they might come in handy. Do you want one, Mr Zola?”
    â€œI would rather starve than munch on a moose morsel,” he said, turning up his nose.
    â€œSuit yourself,” said Bert, bouncing up on to the back wall. “Hey! There’s someone following us down the river. It looks like a couple of speed skaters.”
    Mr Zola was too scared to bounce up and look but Cam stood on tiptoe and peeked over the wall. Sure enough, two figures were skating in single file, both bent low over the ice and taking huge strides. They flew along the frozen water.
    â€œThey’re catching us up!” cried Cam. “I think it’s a couple of bears!”
    Mr Zola looked up.
    â€œAre you telling me that we are being approached by two speed-skating bears?” he asked. “What’s in those moose biscuits?”
    The skaters were nearly level with the castle.
    â€œThey do look quite furry,” said Bert, “and they’re chanting something.”
    The two figures saluted Cam and Bert as they zoomed past the bouncy castle, their long embroidered ears waving in the wind.
    â€œMoose cheese! Moose cheese! Moose cheese!”
    â€œIt’s the Easy Cheesy Doggy Treats Society!” shouted Cam.
    â€œAnd they’re beating us!” yelled Bert. “We have to go faster.”
    â€œWe can’t. We’re reliant on the wind.”
    â€œTypical!” muttered Mr Zola, checking his Cheesemaker-Locator. “I’m supposed to be keeping abreast of the leaders in this competition, and instead I’m stuck in a bouncy castle with a couple of cheddar-urchins. According to my radar, Primula Mold is already in Mongolia. The Easy Cheesy men are just in front of us and the Specialist Cheesemakers Association are right behind, heading south. Everyone else is still in Siberia.”
    â€œGod Save the Queen” struck up in Mr Zola’s top pocket. He pulled out the red phone.
    â€œIt’s her again,” he said. “This time I’m prepared… Your Majesty… I am, as we speak, heading down the Yenisey River towards Mongolia. An icebreaker, ma’am? … No,