The Warrior Sheep Go West Read Online Free

everything else, was super fit.
    â€œThese are exceptionally bright sheep, Stanley,” she bubbled. “I remember seeing them on TV in England, last time I visited Mother. They saved a boy’s life by stopping a train.”
    â€œNo kidding?” said the Professor, trying to sound interested. He was interested, of course. He needed animals for B-Day, and these sheep sounded perfect, but he wished Holly would just go and get them without bothering him.
    â€œAbsolutely true, darling,” said Holly. “They’re amazing animals. We’ve got five coming, so you can choose the two you want and dump the rest.”
    â€œGreat, great…”
    â€œI’m afraid their owners are coming too, which is annoying. But I have a plan for them.”
    â€œI’m sure you do, honey,” said Stanley, flinching to avoid another whack or, worse, a kiss. “Uh…how come we’re getting them so quickly? Aren’t there laws about bringing animals into the States?”
    â€œOh yes,” said Holly breezily. “You can’t. Not without permission. And they’re supposed to go into quarantine for ages to make sure they’re not carrying any nasty germs or worms or whatever.” She smiled reassuringly. “But we haven’t got time for all that, so I found a little firm in England that transports things privately, no questions asked.”
    Stanley gulped. “That must be costing you a lot of bucks, honey.”
    Holly shrugged. “It’s only money,” she said. Then she smiled. “With my money and your brains, we’re a force to be reckoned with, Stanley Boomberg.”
    Stanley nodded. His eyes suddenly gleamed and his thin lips stretched into a smile. “And soon the world will know it.”
    â€œIndeed it will,” said Holly. “We shall be rich and famous.” Then she turned and her red high heels clacked briskly toward the door. “Now, they’ll be arriving at dawn,” she said, “and we must both be there to meet them.”
    Stanley opened his mouth to protest. He didn’t want to meet the owners. He didn’t like people. And there were so many calculations still to do before B-Day. But it was too late. His wife had gone, pulling the door firmly shut behind her.
    ***
    Back across the Atlantic, a small truck pulled up outside Eppingham Farm. Oxo lowered his head, ready to batter the paddock gate open to get to it, but before he could charge, Tod hurried out of the farmhouse and unhooked the catch. Oxo was surprised and a bit disappointed.
    Tod watched the sheep trot through the gateway and up the plank into the back of the truck, then he shut the tailgate and the truck drove away. Minutes later, a car drew up for Gran and himself. They squeezed in with their luggage.
    â€œThe sheep were so docile,” Tod said, as they settled down for the journey to the airport. “It was like they were expecting to go for a ride.”
    â€œYou’re letting your imagination run away with you,” said Gran. Then she pinched his arm. “Are we really off to a convention in America?”
    â€œWe’re Rhubarb’s guests,” giggled Tod. “Maybe they’ll call me custard.”
    â€œAnd what about me?” asked Gran.
    â€œYou can be crumble.”
    Tod laughed and ducked to avoid Gran’s pretend slap.
    â€œCheeky boy,” she said.
    After an hour or so, the car turned off the main road into some lanes, then into a huge field with a grass runway at the far end. A small jet airplane was waiting for them.
    â€œDoesn’t look much like Heathrow,” said Tod, peering out of the car window.
    The truck had stopped close to the plane and the sheep were already trotting up the ramp into the rear section of the cabin. Tod and Gran hurried across and waved until the door closed behind the sheep, then they turned to the front end where the stewardess was waiting for them. She