Free Borribles Go For Broke, The by Michael de Larrabeiti Page B

until the Borribles had freed him. He’d never forgotten the great Adventure and he’d not forgotten the face or scent of any one of the Adventurers. He’d dreamed of them many a sad night over the months
and months since they’d been obliged to abandon him. Now he raised his head and his nostrils flared and quivered. He saw the uniforms and swung his neck away for he did not like uniforms; then he caught the smell of Bingo and swung his head back. He saw the Borrible—he shook his head and stamped his feet hard into the ground. A huge neighing of happiness burst from him and he strained forward, pulling the cart along with him.
    Bingo tried to step backwards, averting his face, but the two big-boned policemen were holding him and they stood firm in their massive boots. Sam came close to Bingo and licked his face and nudged his shoulder, and though the Battersea Borrible tried desperately not to show the slightest emotion it was obvious that the horse knew him and knew him well. In the end Bingo gave up all pretence and threw his arms round the horse’s neck. Even though this action placed him in great peril he remembered Sam with gratitude and knew that he owed his life to the horse. He knew also that friendship is never more valuable than when expressed in the deepest danger. Besides, he thought, why should the Woollies make him behave in a manner that was unnatural, in a way that was not like him.
    ‘Sam,’ said Bingo to Sam alone, ‘there are others who will rescue you. Whatever happens we haven’t forgotten our promise.’
    From their hiding-place the Adventurers watched as Inspector Sussworth separated Bingo from the horse and they saw too how the police escort seized the captive and frogmarched him away. Sussworth and Hanks shook hands with the park keeper once more and left him. The doors of the Transit van opened and six more policemen came out of the vehicle. They stretched their arms to the sky and smiled.
    As soon as Bingo arrived back at the van he was thrown into it and the doors were locked. His white face came to the window immediately and he peered through the grille at Sam who was now obliged to begin his day’s work, pacing round the fringes of the common, stopping and starting on command while the keeper loaded the cart with all the litter he could find.
    The policemen now stood in an untidy group, congratulating their chief. Sussworth’s face became contorted with smiles, his
moustache jerked to right and left and his feet stabbed the ground with pleasure. Sergeant Hanks was content too; cradling his magnificent belly in both hands he jiggled it up and down so that he could laugh more easily.
    It took some while for the policemen’s mirth to subside but when it had the sergeant pointed across the main road to where a man in a dirty white overall was taking down the shutters from the front of a small transport café. The policemen crossed the road in a bunch and the man in the white overall opened the café door and ushered them in. The SBG were going to celebrate success with eggs and bacon and mugs of tea.
    ‘Bingo’s alone in the van,’ said Sydney. ‘Can’t we do something now?’
    ‘It looks bloody dangerous,’ said Chalotte.
    Spiff pushed his telescope through the hedge and peered carefully round the common. ‘Of course it’s bloody dangerous,’ he said, ‘and what makes it worse is that I can’t see anything the slightest bit suspicious out there, which probably means the opposite.’
    ‘We won’t get another chance like this,’ said Stonks. ‘We’ve got to have a go, we’ve got to.’
    ‘Hang about,’ interrupted Spiff, ‘there’s no need for us all to rush over there. Vulge better stay here because of his limp, Sydney too, and Twilight. Chalotte and Stonks come with me. Now, if we get Bingo out we’ll head into the back streets between here and the river. I’ll open the van on this side, away from the caff, that means you three here will have to watch the park