The Swiss Family RobinZOM (Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

steady progress. He didn’t even look tired.
    “That was pretty dramatic, wasn’t it?” Fritz said as he trotted up to Ernest.
    “You’ve only just caught up?” Ernest said.
    “It seemed pointless trying to win on the back of Lightfoot,” Fritz said. “So I decided just to take a nice stroll. Enjoy the view.”
    Francis burst from the foliage ahead of the fallen tree on Valiant’s back. The bull shook his giant horns, dislodging the tree bark and detritus. He reared up, snorted, and ran up the track toward the finish line.
    “Valiant,” Fritz said. “The great tree destroyer.”
    He looked at the food on the floor that Clementine was pecking at.
    “Father?” he said.
    “Who else?” Ernest said.
    “You know how much he likes to win,” Fritz said.
    “He hasn’t won yet,” Ernest said.
    “What do you mean?” Fritz said.
    “No one has finished yet,” Ernest said. “Looks like Francis will be the first one to the finish line though.”
    “Wait,” Fritz said. “You’re telling me no one has crossed the finished line yet?”
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Ernest said.
    “And to get ahead like that, Francis must have skipped a large part of the course, failing to pick up all his flags…” Fritz said.
    He shared a look with his brother, the same thought passing through both their brains. Even Lightfoot could travel faster than Valiant.
    “Ya!” Fritz said, snapping Lightfoot’s reins and making him run.
    Ernest pulled on Clementine’s harness. She resisted once, and then relented, letting Ernest lead her in a trot in the direction of the finish line. Fritz slowed Lightfoot down as he approached the fallen tree. He let Lightfoot take him over it, the animal’s naturally cautious sense now paying dividends as it carefully climbed over the tree trunk and emerged on the other side.
    “Haha!” Fritz said, turning back and waving at the others. “See you at the finish line!”
    The tree was massive – over seven feet tall with huge arm-like protruding limbs. The goats and Lightning snapped at the leaves on the tree, and no matter how hard they tried, Bill and Liz couldn’t get them to stop chomping.
    Clementine powered up a tree branch, her broad feet good at scaling such objects. She flapped her wings as if she were about to try and fly, but really she was just balancing herself to come down the opposite side with grace.
    Despite Francis’s long head start, he was only halfway to the finish line. If it wasn’t for Valiant’s powerful hooves kicking up sand Ernest was certain he’d be able to see the finish line. Fritz had already closed half the distance to Francis. Lightfoot was fast, but not the most graceful of creatures. Fritz bounced all over the place on his saddle. There was enough straight for Clementine to catch up.
    “Ya!” Ernest said, spurring Clementine on.
    It didn’t take long for her to reach full speed, powering along the beach. They were on the home straight now, down the short length of the east coast.
    Clementine raced along the sand, her strides growing longer as they ate up the beach. Fritz checked over his shoulder and moved his arms even faster to coax as much speed out of Lightfoot as he could. But they grew larger as Clementine drew closer.
    Ernest turned his head to one side to avoid the sand that had been whipped up into a thick fog by Valiant. When he emerged out onto the other side he was startled to find he couldn’t see the finish line. As the sand began to settle he realised he had already crossed it. There was no one ahead of him.
    “Yes!” Ernest said, fists raised high in the air. “Come on! Yes! None of you thought an ostrich could win! Haha! I showed you! I showed you all!”
    Ernest reached up and kissed Clementine on the beak.
    “You beauty!” he said. “You’re the most beautiful creature in the world! Well, maybe not actually the most beautiful, but metaphorically you might be. In a sense.”
    He stopped cheering, realising no