could see Mrs WB’s flats from his window.”
“Did he see you two putting the flowers on the lock-up?”
“No – it was really dark when we did it.”
“Mrs WB worked it out – and she told him!”
“We’re being kept in for the rest of the summer, for definite!”
“Aw, no Cathkin…”
“Wait a minute,” I say. “Stop panicking! (1) He was going on about getting something back. Well, she’s got her flowers. (2) If she did think it was us, she wouldn’t waste time telling anybody else – she’d go straight to our parents. (3) If he knew, why didn’t he just tell my mum?”
“That’s true…”
“So the old bloke did just flip?”
“Looks like it.”
“Is his house
right
above you, Midge?” asks Skooshie. “Right above your head?”
“Yeah.”
“Ooof!” says Hector. “Rather you than me!”
“So when you’re lying in bed asleep at night, he could just drop through the ceiling and attack you!”
“Yeah, Skooshie – I lie awake worrying about that.I listen out for the sound of a saw and try to work out how to defend myself against somebody who’s about 150 years old.”
“Well,” says Bru. “I’m thinking you should use kung fu as a first resort.”
He crouches in a defensive stance ready to demonstrate. I jump into position opposite him.
“
Remember
,” he continues. “
Hurt, but do not kill, Glasshoppa. For life is plecious
.”
He loses his balance and his Chinese accent when my swift kick to the bum has him sprawling on the floor.
I help him up. Hands together, we bow to each other.
“Thank you, Master.”
***
When I get undressed for bed, I forget to consider the danger that Mr Murphy might drop down through the ceiling. I’m thinking about a caterpillar I’ve just found in my sock. It’s not looking too lively. I give it a wee poke but it doesn’t respond. So I put it on the windowsill in case it’s just a bit shy or shell-shocked and not actually dead.
In the morning, the caterpillar’s gone. Which is good. I don’t bother telling Kit about it. She’s funny about creepy-crawlies. So it’s lucky we live this high up. Very few of them have the stamina for the journey.
11
Things quieten down a bit after this. My mum does go and see Mr Murphy, and apparently he’s totally embarrassed and can’t shut his door quick enough. No more accusations from him. It looks like we’re in the clear as far as Wibfipper goes, but after a lot of debate we decide it would be wise to keep a low profile just for a few days. Which means passing on this Friday for Cathkin – no point in tempting fate. Our continuing lack of a jemmy means we don’t really have much choice anyway. So, if the jemmy turns up, it’s to be next week. Every so often we’ll ask, “How’s the search going, Skooshie?” And he’ll respond by tapping the side of his nose and scrunching his eyes mysteriously as he says, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies,” or “Good things come to those who wait,” or some other annoying piece of pish. I’m starting to wonder if he talks like this just for the pleasure of seeing Lemur pushed to the point of desperation.
All the waiting is driving me mad too. Kit senses that something is up. I think I’ve told you before that she’s nosy? Really, you’ve no idea… Give her the tiniest,toatiest hint there’s something you’re not telling her and she grabs it and hangs on like a ferret.
“It’s Lemur, isn’t it?”
“What’s Lemur?”
“That you’re thinking about. Mr Murphy giving him a hard time.”
“That was ages ago!”
“But you’re still thinking about it. I know you are. Is it because you think Mr Murphy didn’t make a mistake?”
“
What
?”
“That he really
did
recognise Lemur. What was it he said? ‘Give it back!’”
“You sounded just like Benny out of
Top Cat
when you did Mr Murphy there.”
“Don’t try and change the subject. You know what I think?”
“No. And I don’t really
“Did he see you two putting the flowers on the lock-up?”
“No – it was really dark when we did it.”
“Mrs WB worked it out – and she told him!”
“We’re being kept in for the rest of the summer, for definite!”
“Aw, no Cathkin…”
“Wait a minute,” I say. “Stop panicking! (1) He was going on about getting something back. Well, she’s got her flowers. (2) If she did think it was us, she wouldn’t waste time telling anybody else – she’d go straight to our parents. (3) If he knew, why didn’t he just tell my mum?”
“That’s true…”
“So the old bloke did just flip?”
“Looks like it.”
“Is his house
right
above you, Midge?” asks Skooshie. “Right above your head?”
“Yeah.”
“Ooof!” says Hector. “Rather you than me!”
“So when you’re lying in bed asleep at night, he could just drop through the ceiling and attack you!”
“Yeah, Skooshie – I lie awake worrying about that.I listen out for the sound of a saw and try to work out how to defend myself against somebody who’s about 150 years old.”
“Well,” says Bru. “I’m thinking you should use kung fu as a first resort.”
He crouches in a defensive stance ready to demonstrate. I jump into position opposite him.
“
Remember
,” he continues. “
Hurt, but do not kill, Glasshoppa. For life is plecious
.”
He loses his balance and his Chinese accent when my swift kick to the bum has him sprawling on the floor.
I help him up. Hands together, we bow to each other.
“Thank you, Master.”
***
When I get undressed for bed, I forget to consider the danger that Mr Murphy might drop down through the ceiling. I’m thinking about a caterpillar I’ve just found in my sock. It’s not looking too lively. I give it a wee poke but it doesn’t respond. So I put it on the windowsill in case it’s just a bit shy or shell-shocked and not actually dead.
In the morning, the caterpillar’s gone. Which is good. I don’t bother telling Kit about it. She’s funny about creepy-crawlies. So it’s lucky we live this high up. Very few of them have the stamina for the journey.
11
Things quieten down a bit after this. My mum does go and see Mr Murphy, and apparently he’s totally embarrassed and can’t shut his door quick enough. No more accusations from him. It looks like we’re in the clear as far as Wibfipper goes, but after a lot of debate we decide it would be wise to keep a low profile just for a few days. Which means passing on this Friday for Cathkin – no point in tempting fate. Our continuing lack of a jemmy means we don’t really have much choice anyway. So, if the jemmy turns up, it’s to be next week. Every so often we’ll ask, “How’s the search going, Skooshie?” And he’ll respond by tapping the side of his nose and scrunching his eyes mysteriously as he says, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies,” or “Good things come to those who wait,” or some other annoying piece of pish. I’m starting to wonder if he talks like this just for the pleasure of seeing Lemur pushed to the point of desperation.
All the waiting is driving me mad too. Kit senses that something is up. I think I’ve told you before that she’s nosy? Really, you’ve no idea… Give her the tiniest,toatiest hint there’s something you’re not telling her and she grabs it and hangs on like a ferret.
“It’s Lemur, isn’t it?”
“What’s Lemur?”
“That you’re thinking about. Mr Murphy giving him a hard time.”
“That was ages ago!”
“But you’re still thinking about it. I know you are. Is it because you think Mr Murphy didn’t make a mistake?”
“
What
?”
“That he really
did
recognise Lemur. What was it he said? ‘Give it back!’”
“You sounded just like Benny out of
Top Cat
when you did Mr Murphy there.”
“Don’t try and change the subject. You know what I think?”
“No. And I don’t really
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