The Querulous Effect Read Online Free Page B

and slowly and majestically disappeared above the hedge on the other side. He was lying in this area one warm afternoon, thinking of nothing in particular, when he sensed a rhythmic, dull thud through the ground on which he lay. As the sound and vibration got stronger, he looked up. There, coming towards him down the grass path, was Mr. Stiggles leading Toby, the Shire horse, plodding steadily along with Ella sitting astride his broad back and Chip running in and out around his hooves.
    â€œHey, lazybones, out of the way,” shouted Ella as Jay leaped up. “We’re going to water the meadow. Come and join us.”
    Jay had watered every flower bed on the rota several times but watering the meadow was something new. He followed Toby as he made his way to the old barn where he was stabled at night. Tim and the Prof were already there. They were filling a large, wheeled tanker with water from a hose-pipe in the yard. Tim then climbed on top of the tanker, opened a hatch on the top and the Prof passed him in turn several of the glass flagons filled with the green luciferin. Tim emptied each one into the tanker to mix with the water. Once that was done, Tim slammed the hatch closed and, with the Prof’s help, screwed in the bolts which held it fast.
    â€œAll ready,” Tim shouted to Mr Stiggles and Ella. “The harness is in the stable; let’s get Toby hitched up to the tanker.”
    At the end of the barn was Toby’s stall with its straw and saw-dust bedding and a hay bale hanging on the wall. At the other end of the barn were more bales of hay, various farm tools, old wheels and sets of horse harness and tack strung in neat order near the wooden partition that fenced off Toby’s stable area. Ella was in her element, selecting the correct harness and heaving it outside to get ready. Whilst Toby had a bucket of oats and a drink and Ming and Mong, the resident cats watched lazily from high up on a bale of hay, Ella and Mr. Stiggles got Toby ready and harnessed him up to the tank contraption. Then, with Ella on his back and everyone else in a rambling procession behind, Toby made his way to the meadow, pulling the tanker behind him.
    On arriving at the meadow, Mr. Stiggles and the Prof opened two large valves to allow the liquid to spray out through a series of nozzles in a row of pipes running from the back of the tanker. As Toby tramped patiently back and forth through the meadow, the fine spray streamed from the tanker, creating rainbow effects as it cascaded onto the grass. Rabbits, startled from their afternoon fiesta, scampered off at the approach of the tanker, earnestly pursued by Chip. But the quarry proved too quick and elusive on a hot afternoon. Eventually, Chip, fearless rabbit-hunter though he would, no doubt, claim to be, found it all too frustrating and exhausting and just lay in the shadow of a hedge to watch Toby resolutely at work.
    When they had completed just over half the meadow, they heard the ringing of the brass bell as Mrs. Stiggles appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, waving. The children ran back to the house, washed their hands and collected sandwiches and drinks for a picnic tea. Whilst the children ran that pleasant errand, the Prof and Mr. Stiggles closed the tanker valves and gave Toby a well-earned drink from a bucket of fresh water. After everyone had completed their welcome refreshment, the work continued through the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening. With the meadow all but completed, the spray finally spluttered and stuttered to a stop, bringing their efforts to an end.
    â€œA job well done,” observed the Prof as the team made its way back to the barn and a well-deserved rub-down and rest for Toby who had worked the hardest of all.
    â€œIn a couple of days’ time,” the professor continued, “we’ll have a night-hunting expedition. If you agree, Jay, I’ll visit your aunt tomorrow to see if you can stay overnight