Free Hunk and Thud by Jim Eldridge Page B

Milo on the steps of the caravan, with Robin next to them.
    It was all over. For the moment, at least, the danger had passed. The small boy was safe and well and had been taken home. The huge net had been fixed into place, holding the dam steady. The gushes of water had been reduced to a trickle.
    With the dam made safe, Princess Ava and Sam Dent had left for Weevil, and now there was just Milo and Jack and Robin, watching as Big Rock and Hunk – still with one arm in a sling – hammered home the last of the huge steel pegs to fix key logs in place.
    â€˜So Hunk really did injure his arm stopping a runaway horse,’ sighed Milo gloomily.
    â€˜Yes,’ nodded Robin. ‘I met the horse that did it. He was very ashamed. He’d got a thistle stuck under his saddle, that’s what made him bolt.’
    â€˜And Ug really did have stomach ache from something he’d eaten,’ said Jack with an equally heavy sigh. ‘Mushrooms. So it was nothing to do with Hunk.’
    Robin snorted. ‘Some people cause a lot of trouble by spreading wild and untrue stories,’ he announced.
    â€˜And some horses as well,’ said Milo pointedly.
    Robin shook his head. ‘I was just passing on information in good faith,’ he said.
    Milo and Jack again looked towards where Big Rock and Hunk had put down their tools.
    â€˜Big Rock won’t forgive us for what we said about Hunk,’ said Milo gloomily. ‘And nor will Hunk.’
    â€˜You didn’t actually
accuse
Hunk of lying,’ said Jack.
    â€˜No, but we thought it,’ said Milo, ‘and that’s just as bad.’ He let out a mournful sigh. ‘I guess Big Rock and Hunk will now go off on their own and become the troll tag team.’ He let out another sigh, even heavier than the last. ‘It’s the end of Waldo’s Wrestling Trolls.’
    â€˜Not necessarily,’ said Jack. ‘Maybe Hunk will join us.’
    â€˜After the way we treated him?’ said Milo scornfully.
    â€˜It’s worth asking,’ insisted Jack.
    Milo sighed again.
    â€˜I suppose so,’ he said.
    They looked up as Big Rock and Hunk joined them.
    â€˜Dam mended!’ announced Big Rock.
    â€˜Almost,’ added Hunk. ‘There’s still a lot of work to be done to rebuild it.’
    â€˜But it safe for now,’ said Big Rock.
    Hunk looked at Jack and grinned.
    â€˜I see what Big Rock meant about Thud being so great!’ he said. ‘The way you dived down from the dam, and saved that little boy’s life. Awesome!’
    â€˜Thud big hero,’ nodded Big Rock approvingly.
    Jack shook his head. ‘No,’ he said. ‘You guys are the heroes. You were fantastic up there, working on that dam, saving the lives of the whole town.’
    â€˜Three hero trolls!’ grinned Milo. ‘Big Rock, Thud and Hunk!’
    â€˜What a great tag team that would make!’ said Jack, grabbing the opportunity to bring the subject into the conversation. ‘The Troll Tag Trio!’
    â€˜A great idea,’ said Hunk. Then he gave a sigh. ‘But I don’t think it’s on.’
    â€˜No,’ admitted Milo. ‘I can see your point of view, Hunk, and why you wouldn’t want to join us. We were horrible to you. We doubted you and …’
    â€˜Oh no!’ said Hunk quickly. ‘Nothing like that! I don’t blame you at all! The fact is I’d love to join you and WWT. But, as I was just saying to Big Rock, I’ve decided to stay here and help the townspeople rebuild their dam. They need me. It’s going to take some time, but once it’s over …’
    â€˜Hunk says he join us later,’ nodded Big Rock happily. ‘Me and him be tag team together. Milo be our manager. We be part of Waldo’s Wrestling Trolls.’
    Milo beamed with a smile so wide that Jack thought it was going to split his face in half.
    â€˜That’s fantastic!’ he