The Warrior Sheep Down Under Read Online Free PDF Page B

She went round to the back of the truck. It was parked very close to a low wall. She jumped up onto the wall and, from there, onto the truck’s roof. It had a guardrail all around it and straps to tie down the rucksacks that it usually carried. “Hand up your bags and I’ll tie them on top,” she called.
    Alice sat down firmly on her largest suitcase. “What do you think I am?” she demanded. “A backpacker? I have proper clothes. Expensive clothes. I have beauty products. I have office equipment. They are not going up there.”
    Shelly shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you’ll be cramped inside.”
    Alice stood up and nodded toward the open door of the truck. “Deidre.”
    â€œYes, Miss Barton.” Deidre heaved the heaviest case into the truck and dumped it on the nearest seat. Alice stood glaring up at Shelly until all the bags were in. Then she shoved Deidre in after them.
    â€œYou can sit at the back,” she said to her. “It’s bound to be the bumpiest place, so please don’t be sick.” She climbed in after Deidre and slammed the door.
    â€¢ • •
    At the edge of the parking lot, the sheep were suddenly thrown into a panic.
    â€œOhmgrassohymyfairygodtingy…” wailed Jaycey. “She’s going. And taking all her lotions and potions with her!”
    â€œFollow, follow!” called Sal. “She is our guide. We must stay by her side!”
    With Sal in the lead, the five sheep galloped across the parking lot.
    Shelly didn’t see them coming because she’d turned her back to jump down from the roof again. She squeezed into the driver’s seat. “OK, let’s rock to Rotapangi,” she said and turned the key.
    â€œQuickly, quickly…!” bleated Sal, her fat bottom swaying from side to side as she ran.
    â€œOnto the wall!” shouted Wills. He leapt up and ran along it, beside the slowly moving truck. The others, even Sal, managed to leap up after him. Except Oxo, who dived straight over the top and had to jump back from the other side.
    â€œOops,” he grunted. “Overdid it a bit.”
    His hooves landed on the wall just as Wills hopped onto the roof of the truck.
    â€œNow!” Wills called. “Jump. All of you!”
    Thumpety, thumpety, thumpety, thump!
    The truck swayed as the four remaining warriors obeyed Wills’s command and jumped from the wall onto the moving roof.
    â€¢ • •
    â€œWhat a wonderful vehicle,” sighed Alice from inside the truck. “Even the roof makes a racket.”
    Shelly merely assumed the noise was the expensive suitcases falling about behind her. Deidre was already feeling too sick to notice anything.
    â€¢ • •
    On the roof, the sheep were getting their breath back.
    â€œShe could have given us time to finish lunch,” complained Oxo.
    â€œSit down and wedge yourselves against the rails,” advised Wills.
    â€œOhmygrassohmyfleeceohmyeverything…” cried Jaycey as Shelly put her foot on the accelerator and the truck sped toward the highway. The pretty Jacob sat down quickly before she toppled overboard. The warriors on the roof pressed safely together, and before long they were enjoying the wind in their fleeces.
    â€¢ • •
    Inside, Alice settled into her seat. “Deidre. Find me some gentle music,” she called, without turning round. “I need de-stressing. It’s been a traumatic day.” She heaved a sigh. “Still, at least I’ve got rid of those mangy sheep.”

8
Maiden Tower
    Tod and Ida had soon got into the swing of things at Barton’s Billabong. Rose still hadn’t sorted out her Skyping, so they still hadn’t seen their sheep back in Murkton, but that was the only drawback to being Down Under. And Frank was cheerful again.
    â€œD’you guys like cricket?” he asked one morning.
    He knew very well that Tod and Ida both loved