Rotten Luck! Read Online Free PDF

volunteewed to twack him down!”
    He stepped up to Sir Percy and whipped off his blindfold.
    â€œYou can’t hide behind that widiculous mask any more!” the sheriff cried in triumph. “Sir Percy, you are under awwest!”

Chapter 6
Stocks Shock
    “I thought there was something fishy about you fwom the start,” said the sheriff. “And then when I heard you wefuse the king’s offer of troops I knew something was up. I’ll bet you planned to hang about in the fowest for a bit, then go back to the king and pwetend you hadn’t been able to find the Ghost. A cunning plan, Sir Percy. Extwemely cunning. But not cunning enough!”
    “Now look here, you’ve got it all wrong, old chap,” said Sir Percy, ignoring the fact that the sheriff had actually got most of it right. “I’m really not the Ghost, you know.”
    “Nonsense!” snarled the sheriff. “I decided to miss the king’s boar hunt and do some hunting of my own – for you, Sir Percy! If my hunch was cowwect, you and your two sidekicks would lead me stwaight to your gang. It was easy to find where you’d left the road and entered the fowest. All we did was follow your twacks. We found the spot where you cunningly leftthe path – but by then the sun had set and we lost your twail in the dark. I admit I was quite close to giving up – until I spotted your fire! We instantly put out our torches and cwept up on you. Heh, heh, heh! Oooh, I am so bwilliant!”
    “But Sir Percy’s telling the truth!” said Maud. “He isn’t the real Ghost.”
    “Silence!” shrieked the sheriff. “Men, tie these wogues up. We’re taking them back to the castle.”
    The sheriff’s men roped us all together in a long line, with Sir Percy in front. I couldn’t see Patchcoat but I guessed he was right at the back. Then they marched us through the forest at a cracking pace.For one thing it was nearly daylight and easier to see where we were going. For another, whenever anyone slowed down, Lurk gave them a painful prod in the posterior with his spear. But the main reason we made such good progress was that the sheriff took us along various hidden tracks and paths.

    “He seems to know this bit of Grimwood amazingly well,” whispered Billy behind me.
    “No whispewing!” bawled the sheriff, raising his hand to bring us to a halt. “I won’t have you wascals plotting to escape! No speaking from now on, is that clear?”
    Lurk cracked his hairy knuckles menacingly. None of us spoke.
    “You insolent wuffians!” screeched the sheriff. “How dare you wefuse to answer me?”
    Billy cleared his throat. “Um – because you told us not to speak,” he said. The other outlaws tried not to smile.
    The sheriff peered at Billy suspiciously.“Humph,” he snorted. “Good. Keep it that way. Now move it!”
    We walked on. The sun had risen now and was glinting on Sir Percy’s armour. Maud was behind him, followed by me, Billy and Lanky Jack bringing up the rear. It was then that I realized something.
    Where was Patchcoat?

    The sheriff’s men marched us through the town gates and into the market square in front of Fleecingham Castle. The market was already under way, and people stopped to point and stare as we passed.
    “’Ere, Mum, ain’t that Sir Percy theProud?” said a peasant girl carrying a big basket of apples.
    “Why, I do believe it is, Aggie dear,” said her mum “What’s ’e doin’ all trussed up like a chicken?”
    At the mention of Sir Percy’s name people began to cluster around my master. One peasant ran forward with a quill pen and a dog-eared copy of The Song of Percy.

    “Can I have yer autograph, Sir Percy?” he asked.
    Sir Percy smiled wanly. “My dear fellow, I’d be delighted,” he said. “But I’m afraid I’m rather tied up at the moment.”
    “Silence!” snapped the sheriff. “No fwaternizing with the pwisoners!”
    “Prisoner?” said the peasant. “Why’s Sir Percy a prisoner?”
    “Because he’s a dangewous