Roland's Castle Read Online Free Page B

stable in fact. Wouldn’t
expect him to go off his rocker…”
    “Uncle is enough to push anyone to
their breaking point… I also have a new friend. He tried to kill me
too. You can play with him if you like!”
    “Oh thanks!”
    “He is my training partner –
Firebrace says if I am to become a knight I have to practise with
him. Apparently I already have magna –something or another…”
    “Magna Carta?”
    “No, whoever she is. Anyway,” said
Roland, “time is pressing on. To the Scary Oak?”
    “To the Scary Oak!” Oliver agreed,
and they slapped their right-hand palms together in a high five
above their heads.
    It was riding that had brought them
together and they never lost an opportunity for it. Oliver was
still nervous about mounting, but once seated could now keep up a
fairly good trot. They fetched two horses from the stable owned by
Oliver’s father and rode through the streets of the town. On the
ridge, in the distance, the “Scary Oak “awaited them, its
silhouetted, tangled twigs reaching up like so many fingers
clutching at the starlit sky, as if clutching at life itself. It
was a beautiful cloudless night lit only by the crystal brilliance
of starlight. The boys felt the thrill of darkness and its trove of
secret, wild adventures.
    They rode across the meadows and
through the woods and orchards, splashing through streams and
negotiating hedgerows. They rode up to a scarecrow and grasped his
hands, spinning him around and then rode on as he woke for a few
moments – “What! What! Must have been a hurricane!” said his turnip
head, and fell asleep again.
    All the time the Scary Oak grew
larger as they grew closer, a dark spidery shape standing out
against the starlit night sky. Scary indeed!
    Suddenly both boys came to a halt.
They could now see that on top of the hill, near to the oak, a fire
was burning. Occasionally the fire was eclipsed by what looked like
figures walking around it. This needed to be investigated.
Strangers at their favourite place! They rode closer, dismounted
and tied their horses. They made their way on foot up the hill,
quietly, taking care to remain concealed, keeping an eye on the
strangers at the fire.
    As they got closer they could see
that there were two of them, one tall and very thin, the other
short and fat. In an odd kind of way they complimented each other.
They were pacing, arguing, laughing, throwing up their hands and
generally behaving in several extraordinary ways all at once. As
the boys reached the tree they saw another figure, sitting
silently, ignoring the two men. It was a young girl, about their
own age.
    The tree had a secret that few knew
– and the boys thought that only they knew it. It was hollow inside
with a narrow entrance hidden by bushes. It was possible to climb
up inside it and look down from high up. This is what the boys did,
taking care not to be seen. From up there they could hear what the
two men were saying.
    “Get me my telescope!” The tall one
demanded.
    “Get it yourself!” The short fat
one responded.
    You are my servant and I am your
master!” the tall one said.
    “Oh really! Mr hoittey toittey
pudding and rhyme!” the short one replied, in a sing-song voice. He
stuck out his tongue at the tall one and let out a mad sounding
cackle.
    “I’ll get it myself!” The tall one
said, striding towards some packs lying on the ground.
    “Oh no you won’t!” the short one
said. He ran toward the packs himself, overtaking the tall one and
plucked a telescope out of one of the packs before the tall one
could get there. The tall one threw himself on the short one and
they both tumbled over, sending the telescope flying. The short one
got up first and grabbed up the telescope again. The tall one tried
to grab it but the short one turned his back and held it out in
front of him, out of the tall one’s reach.
    “You can’t get it! You wont get
it!” cried the short one.
    “Won’t I!” cried the tall one.
    The tall one