A Special Surprise Read Free

up all night listening to Stardust’s stories. They’d better not be too tired to take part in the gymkhana.’
    Pippa entered the yard and stopped dead. Her mouth opened but the words were stuck in her throat.
    ‘Stardust, Snowdrop, Sunflower, Rose . . .’ Pippa rushed from stable to stable – they were all empty. The ponies had gone.
    ‘Hello, Pippa dear. You’re early this morning. I haven’t mucked out yet but you can tie Snowdrop up in the yard to groom her if you like?’ said Mrs Woods as she walked into the yard.
    Pippa swung round. Her riding teacher was dressed in her old clothes – a faded top, a torn pair of jeans and green wellingtons. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail.
    ‘The p-p-ponies. They’ve gone,’ Pippa stuttered.
    ‘Gone?’ The colour drained from Mrs Woods’ face. She rushed around, looking into every stable. Then she pinched herself hard.
    ‘Ouch! It’s not a nightmare then. This is terrible. Someone’s stolen my ponies.’
    Mrs Woods’ hands shook as she pulled a mobile phone from her pocket and called the police. Pippa was shaking too. It was bad enough that the riding school ponies were missing but worse still for Stardust, who didn’t even belong there.
    ‘Yes,’ said Mrs Woods, speaking into her mobile. ‘I was the last person to leave and I definitely locked the gate.’
     

     
    Pippa froze. Shame flooded through her. Mrs Woods hadn’t been the last person at the stables last night. She had. Had she locked the gate as she left? To her horror, Pippa couldn’t remember.
    Mrs Woods ended her call. She patted Pippa on the arm.
    ‘I’m so sorry but I’ll have to cancel the gymkhana. I’ll phone the parents of the other children and tell them in a moment, but first I want to look in the stable next to Snowdrop’s again.’
    Pippa followed Mrs Woods into the stable where Stardust had spent the night. Her face burned when Mrs Woods said, ‘This stable was empty only it looks like a pony has slept here.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘How silly of me! I can’t have mucked the stable out properly after it was last used.’
    Pippa stared at the straw scattered over the floor. Stardust must have had a restless night, or maybe there’d been a struggle when the horse thieves captured her. Pippa shivered. Poor Stardust! She must have been so frightened.
    ‘You might as well go home, Pippa,’ said Mrs Woods kindly. ‘I’ll call you if I hear anything. I’m very sorry. I hope it hasn’t spoilt your holiday.’
    ‘Could I have a look round before I go?’ asked Pippa. ‘In case there are any clues?’
    Mrs Woods hesitated. ‘You can look but please don’t touch anything. If you find any clues then let me know. The police will need to see them too.’
    ‘OK,’ said Pippa.
    Mrs Woods walked off to her office and Pippa began to look round the yard. Apart from Stardust’s rumpled stable, it was spotlessly tidy. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary at all. Except . . . Pippa crouched down to look at a series of black marks that crossed the yard and ended at the stable block. Her eyes widened in disbelief. ‘It can’t be.’ She stared at the black marks again. They were a series of tiny horseshoes. ‘That’s impossible!’ Pippa traced a finger around one of the hoof prints. It made a black mark on her finger – as black as the rock from the volcano on Chevalia, where the Night Mares had once lived under the rule of Baroness Divine. Pippa’s finger tingled unpleasantly.
    ‘Dark magic,’ said Pippa. She now had a very good idea who had stolen the ponies – wicked Divine. She also knew where to start looking for them – Chevalia. ‘Chevalia, here I come,’ said Pippa as she hurtled down the drive.
     

     
    Pippa ran all the way down the winding path that led to Horseshoe Cove. She burst out on to the beach. Her riding boots sank into the powdery sand and she reached the surf line hot and panting. Pippa stood with her hands shielding her eyes from