Free Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort by Belinda Murrell Page B

mid-afternoon and the valley was bathed in a warm glow. Black cows grazed on the hillsides. A few young calves twitched their tails as they suckled.Two chestnut horses hung their heads over the paddock gate. A wisp of smoke wafted in the air from the chimney of the little white farmhouse nestled among the old elm trees.

    â€˜Sugarloaf Farm,’ said Dad.
    â€˜We’re here,’ cried Lulu. ‘Where are the cuzzies? Can we go riding today? Oh, please hurry, Dad.’

Chapter 3
Sugarloaf Farm
    â€˜They’re here,’ came a shout from the verandah. Six children and two black dogs began to run down the hill.
    Dad parked the car by the shed. The six cousins mobbed around it, laughing and chattering. The family spilled out of the car and stretched. There were hugs and kisses all round. Everyone was shouting over the top of one another.
    â€˜Hi, Meggie. Hi, Ella,’ called Lulu.She gave her cousins a hug. ‘It’s sooo good to be here.’
    Asha and Jessie jumped out of the car. They sniffed and woofed to greet the farm dogs, Daisy and Polly. All four dogs wagged their tails madly.
    â€˜Hello, hello,’ boomed Uncle Nick.
    â€˜Come in,’ called Auntie Tor. ‘Did you have a good trip?’
    Everyone grabbed bags and pillows and sleeping-bags. Within a minute the car was empty.
    There were three families staying at the farm for the holidays. Dad’s brother, Nick, owned the farm with his wife, Auntie Tor. They had three children – Tom, Meg and Lachie.
    Then there was Auntie Kate and Uncle Greg with their three children – Ben, Tim and Ella. They had arrived fromthe city early the day before.
    â€˜Do you want to come and see our fort?’ asked Tom. He dropped a backpack on the verandah. ‘We’ve been building the best fort. It’s so well hiddenthat no-one would ever find it. Would they, Ben?’

    â€˜It’s awesome,’ agreed Ben. ‘We can play battles and raids.’
    â€˜It’s like a cross between a tree house, a cubby and a fort,’ added Tim.
    Lulu threw down her load of sleeping-bags. ‘Sounds great. Let’s go!’
    The nine cousins started to run for the hills, keen for adventure.
    â€˜Not so fast,’ called Dad. ‘Before you disappear, we need to put up the tents and make the beds. Why don’t we get that done first so we can all enjoy ourselves later?’
    â€˜Aawww,’ moaned the cousins in unison. They set to work carrying the sleeping-bags and gear into the back garden, where the tents were to be pitched.
    There was not enough room in the little farmhouse for all three families. The parents were to sleep inside. The nine cousins were to sleep outside. There was a big tent for the five boys, and a smaller tent for the four girls.
    The dads set up the two tents. The nine children blew up mattresses with the air pump and rolled out the sleeping-bags. Gus kept crawling inside the tents when they were still flat on the ground, then jumping on the mattresses while they were half blown up.
    â€˜Gus, why don’t you go and help Mum make the bed for us inside?’ suggested Dad, after the tent collapsed for the second time.
    Gus pouted and pulled his Bug Boy mask down over his face.
    â€˜Maybe we could go and feed the chooks?’ said Lulu. ‘Remember the chickens, Gus? You love them.’
    Lulu, Meg, Ben and Gus went to the kitchen to fetch the pail of kitchen scraps. The chickens were let out during the day to scratch and peck in the fenced vegetable garden. At night-time they were locked in the henhouse to keep them safe from foxes.
    â€˜Chicken,’ said Gus. He pointed to a red speckled hen. ‘Bug Boy like him.’
    â€˜They’re girl chickens, Gus,’ explained Lulu. ‘They’re called hens. Roosters are the boys.’
    â€˜That one’s Chook,’ said Meg. ‘And that’s Griffin.’
    â€˜Bok, bok, bok,’ cackled the