CHAPTER 1
THE BET
âCome on, show me what youâve got!â Davey Warner teased George Pepi, tapping his bat impatiently at the crease.
George pounded down the rough run-up at Flatter Park and let fly his fastest delivery.
Davey watched the ball leave Georgeâs hand and danced down the pitch to meet it. He swung hard into the ball and . . .
Kaboom!
Davey smacked the ball high into the mid-wicket outfield. He watched with glee as his dog Max let out a yelp in protest. The fox terrier had been fielding at silly mid-off and was surprised at the direction Davey had hit the ball.
âFooled you, Max!â
It wasnât easy to get one over on Max, who took off at full pelt after the ball. The foxy loved cricket just as much as Davey and his mates.
This was lucky, because playing cricket was all they ever wanted to do. The boysoften enjoyed having a hit at Flatter Park on Sundays. It was close to Davey, George and Sunilâs homes and Bennyâs shop was opposite, which was handy for snack breaks.
Max clamped his sharp teeth down on the leather while performing a perfect mid-air 180-degree spin.
âIâve had enough of bowling!â George complained, flexing his hand. Davey had been hitting him all over Flatter Park and his hand was getting cramped.
âMusic to my ears,â said Sunil Deep, who went to the bowlerâs end. He much preferred bowling to keeping wicket.
Davey tapped his bat at the crease and waited. He wanted to practise hitting against Sunilâs fast bowling. Davey had been feeling really good about his batting lately.Heâd been working really hard with his special bat Kaboom and it felt as if heâd just stepped up to a new level.
With a triumphant air, Max trotted back to Sunil and deposited the gooey ball at his feet. He whined expectantly.
âYouâre a machine, Max,â chuckled Sunil and gave the dog a scratch behind the ears.
âHere comes trouble,â murmured George.
Chief pest Mo Clouter and his equally annoying sidekicks, Nero and Tony, were walking out to the wicket.
âJust ignore them and they might go away.â Davey was impatient to play. âCome on, Deep.â
âWhyâs Clouter dragging a suitcase around with him?â Sunil wondered aloud.
âMaybe heâs moving away?â Davey suggested. They could always hope.
Max jumped up and ran towards Mo and sniffed at the suitcase eagerly.
âHas to be food,â said Davey. âMax! Get back here!â
âIâm starving.â George clutched at his stomach.
âYouâre always starving,â Davey pointed out.
âAre you our new tea lady?â Sunil asked Mo.
Mo set the suitcase down at the end of the pitch. âLaugh at me and youâll be sorry!â
âWhyâs that?â Davey gave up hope of having a hit anytime soon.
Mo gestured proudly to the suitcase. âBecause I have in my possession Bennyâs shopâs entire stock of . . .â Mo unzipped the lid of the case to reveal . . .
âWhopper Chomps!â exclaimed George and Davey in unison.
The suitcase was indeed chock-a-block with packets of the chewy vampire teeth lolly that Davey and Sunil loved.
âYou didnât steal them, did you?â asked Sunil suspiciously.
âI used up all my birthday money to buy them!â Mo stared lovingly at the brightly coloured lollies.
âWhat are you waiting for?â Davey said impatiently. âSharing is caring.â
Mo shook his head and crossed his arms on his chest.
âThis is a new business venture. Youâre welcome to some of my stock, but itâll cost you.â
George narrowed his eyes at the unwelcome news. âHow much?â
â$3.50 a bag!â declared Mo.
âGet out of town!â Davey was disgusted. âYouâre charging fifty cents more than Benny does!â
âIâm not a charity!â Mo shrugged and
THE BET
âCome on, show me what youâve got!â Davey Warner teased George Pepi, tapping his bat impatiently at the crease.
George pounded down the rough run-up at Flatter Park and let fly his fastest delivery.
Davey watched the ball leave Georgeâs hand and danced down the pitch to meet it. He swung hard into the ball and . . .
Kaboom!
Davey smacked the ball high into the mid-wicket outfield. He watched with glee as his dog Max let out a yelp in protest. The fox terrier had been fielding at silly mid-off and was surprised at the direction Davey had hit the ball.
âFooled you, Max!â
It wasnât easy to get one over on Max, who took off at full pelt after the ball. The foxy loved cricket just as much as Davey and his mates.
This was lucky, because playing cricket was all they ever wanted to do. The boysoften enjoyed having a hit at Flatter Park on Sundays. It was close to Davey, George and Sunilâs homes and Bennyâs shop was opposite, which was handy for snack breaks.
Max clamped his sharp teeth down on the leather while performing a perfect mid-air 180-degree spin.
âIâve had enough of bowling!â George complained, flexing his hand. Davey had been hitting him all over Flatter Park and his hand was getting cramped.
âMusic to my ears,â said Sunil Deep, who went to the bowlerâs end. He much preferred bowling to keeping wicket.
Davey tapped his bat at the crease and waited. He wanted to practise hitting against Sunilâs fast bowling. Davey had been feeling really good about his batting lately.Heâd been working really hard with his special bat Kaboom and it felt as if heâd just stepped up to a new level.
With a triumphant air, Max trotted back to Sunil and deposited the gooey ball at his feet. He whined expectantly.
âYouâre a machine, Max,â chuckled Sunil and gave the dog a scratch behind the ears.
âHere comes trouble,â murmured George.
Chief pest Mo Clouter and his equally annoying sidekicks, Nero and Tony, were walking out to the wicket.
âJust ignore them and they might go away.â Davey was impatient to play. âCome on, Deep.â
âWhyâs Clouter dragging a suitcase around with him?â Sunil wondered aloud.
âMaybe heâs moving away?â Davey suggested. They could always hope.
Max jumped up and ran towards Mo and sniffed at the suitcase eagerly.
âHas to be food,â said Davey. âMax! Get back here!â
âIâm starving.â George clutched at his stomach.
âYouâre always starving,â Davey pointed out.
âAre you our new tea lady?â Sunil asked Mo.
Mo set the suitcase down at the end of the pitch. âLaugh at me and youâll be sorry!â
âWhyâs that?â Davey gave up hope of having a hit anytime soon.
Mo gestured proudly to the suitcase. âBecause I have in my possession Bennyâs shopâs entire stock of . . .â Mo unzipped the lid of the case to reveal . . .
âWhopper Chomps!â exclaimed George and Davey in unison.
The suitcase was indeed chock-a-block with packets of the chewy vampire teeth lolly that Davey and Sunil loved.
âYou didnât steal them, did you?â asked Sunil suspiciously.
âI used up all my birthday money to buy them!â Mo stared lovingly at the brightly coloured lollies.
âWhat are you waiting for?â Davey said impatiently. âSharing is caring.â
Mo shook his head and crossed his arms on his chest.
âThis is a new business venture. Youâre welcome to some of my stock, but itâll cost you.â
George narrowed his eyes at the unwelcome news. âHow much?â
â$3.50 a bag!â declared Mo.
âGet out of town!â Davey was disgusted. âYouâre charging fifty cents more than Benny does!â
âIâm not a charity!â Mo shrugged and
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