Read Online Polly Pippin and The Tunnel of Death by Sarah Godwin Winter - Free Book Online

best food the
world can provide.'
    'Hang on,' Polly said. Somewhere deep in her
memory, she had heard something like that before, but she couldn't
quite remember when.
    'Delicacies from the Exotic
East.
    Exquisite crystal provided for the
best French Champagne. All free for the first customer to ring and
book a party.'
    'Quick! Where's the phone? We could still be
first,' Alison said. And she ran to the phone and dialled the
number. 'Hello, hello,' she said. 'We're ringing about the offer on
your pamphlet.'
    'Yes, congratulations! Yours is the first
phone call.'
    'Really!' said Alison. She gestured to the
girls to come over and listen.
    'Yes, you are very lucky. Our delivery boy
delivered your leaflet first and did not get any further. He fell
over outside your house and sprained his ankle. We took him to the
hospital and said we would deliver our leaflets when he was better.
So it's your lucky day.'
    'Oh, we can't take advantage of your
misfortune,' Alison said. 'It's okay. But just as a matter of
interest, how much do you charge?'
    'If you love our food and will agree to
advertise for us, still nothing.'
    'Hang on please,' Alison looked at the eager
faces round her and told them what had been said.
    The answer was unanimous. 'Of course! Do we
order, or do you surprise us?'
    'We promise you will be very surprised,' the
voice said, and they exchanged details. 'How many people? What date
and what time?' The voice wrote it down and put down the phone. He
gave his partner the thumbs up. 'We're in,' he said.
    As it got close to the day of the party,
everyone was getting very excited. Piers and Miles didn't stop
talking about it, and their Rebel twins, Zack and Knox were also
very excited, but only because they could not wait to get into the
house and kidnap the girls.
    We meet again
    'Somehow we have got to get an invitation to
that party,' Sreip said.
    'You tell me how. You're the genius,' said
Selim.
    'That's not funny,' Sreip said as Selim
grinned. 'Commander Rhettnor ordered us to protect Byzantine
Crescent.'
    'Then who is protecting the boys from their
Rebel twins? They're on to us, you know. The Rebels Zack and Knox
have flown in from Australia and have met Piers and Miles.'
    'I warned Papa this could happen,' Sreip
said, 'and now the four of them are going to the party, so the
Rebels have an invitation into Byzantine Crescent.'
    'You can guarantee Harry the Hand will be
keeping watch out front.' They both pictured Harry the Hand and
smiled because that's all it was - a large hand.
    'It's amazing how much that hand gets
around. He's Zack's favourite, you know. Find him, and the Rebels
will be close at hand,' Selim said.
    'Well, that bit of information is a little
obsolete being as we know the Rebels will be at the party.'
    'Okay genius, how do we get in?' Selim
asked, with a touch of sarcasm.
    'I know! What about a party-gram?'
    'A party-gram? What's that?'
    'I was sent one once, and they're
great.'
    'So, what is it?' Selim asked again.
    'Well, we dress up. You can be Alice in
Wonderland, and I will be the Mad Hatter. Pendragon can be the
White Rabbit, and Kylin can be the Cheshire cat. We go to the door,
get invited in and do a little show,' Sreip said.
    'Really! Well, big guy, I'm not being Alice
in Wonderland or the White Rabbit. However, I wouldn't mind being
the Mad Hatter.'
    'So, Selim, you're going to make me dress up
as a girl?' Sreip could not believe his ears. Selim usually did
what he was asked.
    'Yep, it's your idea.' Selim was loving it,
it wasn't often he got the better of Sreip.
    'One problem, though: What if they don't
invite us in?'
    'Who says no to a party-gram?' Selim hopped
around pretending he was the White Rabbit.
    'Hamish Pippin and Algernon Ponsenby
Eagles,' Sreip answered.
    'Well, Hamish is on an overseas business
trip to the North Pole and is not expected back for two weeks. And
Algernon the Ape has been called back to the First Universe for a
catch-up.'
    'And how did you organise that?' Sreip