How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant Read Online Free PDF

control it. She laughed so hard that she had to cling on to Ben to keep upright. Ben smirked, then chuckled and before long he was howling along with her.
    â€˜Did you see their faces?’ Kirsty gasped.
    â€˜Brilliant.’
    â€˜And all those people getting out of work early.’
    â€˜Priceless. I can’t believe you set off the alarm! That was crazy.’
    â€˜It was an accident. I didn’t mean to!’
    â€˜It was genius.’
    The giggles slowed now, occasionally just bubbling up in small spurts. They walked on slowly. Every now and again Kirsty remembered the man in the blue shirt, his eyes bulging out and his mouth sagging when he realised what she’d done. Then she had to snigger again.
    â€˜It was brilliant fun,’ Ben said. ‘But it didn’t get us what we wanted.’
    â€˜No. Mr Thomas didn’t even see it was us. We’ll have to try another way. What else was on your list?’
    â€˜I don’t think my list is very good. None of my suggestions have worked very well so far,’ Ben said.
    â€˜It’s not your fault. They were good ideas.’
    â€˜I dunno. Perhaps you should ask someone who’s, well, older.’
    â€˜Like who? My mum? Dad? They aren’t going to help, are they?’ Kirsty said.
    â€˜No. But Dawn might.’
    â€˜Dawn? She’s the Wicked Witch of the West!’ As she spoke, Kirsty imagined Dawn flying in every weekend on a broomstick, cackling at the clouds as they whipped past her.
    Ben looked at Kirsty. ‘I know she can be a pain at your place, but she’s not always like that. Sometimes when it’s just me and her she can be nice. I think she feels bad about . . . I mean, she’s not always in a mood round our house. You should come home with me now and we can talk to her. She might help.’
    â€˜Yeah, and she might throw things at us until all that’s left of us are two squishy piles of strawberry jam.’
    Ben laughed and walked on. Kirsty followed him reluctantly. She couldn’t believe that Dawn would ever agree to help. But who else was there to ask?

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    Chapter 9
    Ben and Dawn’s house, where they lived with their mum, was on the north side of town. They had to walk through the park and over the river to get there. Kirsty followed Ben across the twilit park. Neither of them spoke much. Kirsty’s thoughts were whirling around, always coming back to the problem: what could they do next? Would Dawn help? Or would she just be her usual witchy self?
    The sun had almost set by the time they reached the far side of the park. The sky was purple-blue. The trees looked black and gnarled, crouching in the thick shadows. Kirsty could hear strange rustling noises coming from the bushes. Actually, the park wasn’t very nice at night. It was a bit creepy. The hairs on the back of Kirsty’s neck bristled. And she was on her way to visit the Wicked Witch! She ran to keep up with Ben.
    Ben let them into the house. Kirsty had never been into Ben’s home, though she had waited outside in the car with Dad when he came to pick up Dawn and Ben. Dad would be so excited to see them, rabbiting on about it for the whole journey. But he wouldn’t go in, because he didn’t like talking to his ex-wife. So this was all new for Kirsty. Inside, it wasn’t a witch’s den at all; it was more like a fairy palace! Thick cream carpet stretched out in every direction; a complicated lampshade of twisted wire and gorgeous crystals shone light around the hallway; black-and-white-photographs of beautiful children marched up the staircase.
    â€˜Hey,’ Kirsty laughed. ‘It’s you.’ She pointed to a photo of a chubby toddler grinning sweetly at the camera.
    â€˜Shurrup,’ Ben growled.
    â€˜So where’s the witch?’
    â€˜She’ll be in her room. We need to take up a cup of tea and a packet of chocolate digestives.’
    â€˜Cool.