Hunk and Thud Read Free

I tried to stop them, but I got hit on the head. When I came to, they were gone.’
    Big Rock looked at the old horse, shocked.
    â€˜Hit horse!’ Big Rock growled. ‘Bad, bad goblins! Where it happen?’
    â€˜If you give me a minute to get my breath back,’ panted the horse, ‘I’ll show you.’
    With that, Robin sank down to the ground, exhausted.
    It took half an hour of Robin panting and wheezing and drinking water, before he was ready to move.
    â€˜Right,’ he said. ‘Get on my back, Jack.’
    â€˜Are you sure you’re all right to carry me?’ asked Jack, concerned.
    â€˜Of course,’ said Robin. ‘I’m fully recovered now. Let’s go!’
    Jack climbed on Robin’s back, and they set off at something that was not quite a gallop, but faster than a trot. Big Rock ran alongside, a determined look on his face. A look at the grim expression on Big Rock’s face, and Jack knew that when they caught up with the goblins who’d snatched Milo, those goblins were going to be in serious trouble from the huge troll.

    It took another half-hour for them to reach the scene of the ambush, and what had happened was quite clear: there were signs of a scuffle, along with hoofprints from Robin, and the marks of lots of pointed-toe boots in the ground.
    â€˜Goblin boots,’ said Jack, pointing at them. He frowned, and asked: ‘But why would they take Milo?’
    â€˜They said something about him working in a mine,’ said Robin.
    â€˜Slave,’ nodded Big Rock. ‘They say goblins use slaves to dig gold.’
    â€˜Well we’re not going to let Milo be used as a slave,’ said Jack firmly. He pointed at the tracks. ‘If we follow these, they should lead us to where they’ve taken him.’
    â€˜We’d better be careful,’ warned Robin. ‘Some of the goblins might still be around, waiting to grab more slaves.’
    â€˜If they are, they suffer,’ growled Big Rock vengefully. ‘Milo our friend!’
    â€˜There were lots of them,’ added Robin. ‘They might be too many for us.’
    Big Rock shook his head.
    â€˜Not too many for me,’ he said firmly.
    With that, he set off, his eyes fixed on the tracks on the ground. Jack climbed on board Robin’s back, and they set off after their friend.
    They travelled for about an hour, following the tracks the whole time. Luckily they didn’t come across any goblins on their journey. Finally, in the distance, they saw what looked to be mine works: a group of huts, and a large wheel. As they got nearer they saw that they were right; large holes had been dug into the rock faces and went down deep underground. Big Rock looked as if he was going to keep walking, straight into the mine, but Jack stopped him.
    â€˜We have to be careful, Big Rock,’ he said. ‘If, as Robin said, we’re up against lots of goblins, we need to check things out. Like how many of them there are, and what they’ve done with Milo.’
    Big Rock hesitated, then nodded.
    â€˜Good thinking,’ he said.
    Jack pointed to a large group of rocks.
    â€˜There,’ he said. ‘We can hide there without being seen and work out a plan.’
    The three climbed up and found a hollow in the large area of rocks where they were able to hide. They lay down and peered at the mine workings.
    The number of goblins gathered at the mine head was huge – there looked to be at least forty of them. Some were standing by the cave openings, some were standing guard by the huts.

    â€˜Any sign of Milo?’ asked Jack.
    â€˜No,’ said Big Rock. ‘Only goblins.’
    The sound of wheels approaching caught their attention, and they turned to see a purple carriage come into view, pulled by a pair of yellow horses. On the seat driving them was an orc. Jack was so shocked that he almost let out a shout, but stopped himself just in time.
    â€˜I