Rotten Luck! Read Free Page B

keep looking.”
    In the gloom the trees took on weird shapes and I began to make out spooky faces in their gnarled and twisted trunks.
    “I don’t know about you,” I said to Patchcoat. “But this place gives me the willies… Eek! What’s that?”
    As if on cue, a strange creature had dropped down out of the trees right infront of us. I realized that it was a plump man with the longest, bushiest and whitest beard I had ever seen. It covered his whole body, right down to his knobbly knees. Which was just as well, because he was also stark, staring butt-naked.
    “Brother Dermot’s the name,” said the man. “I’m a tree hermit.”
    “A tree hermit?” said Sir Percy.

    “That’s right,” said Brother Dermot. “Anyhow, there I was sittin’ in my tree, mindin’ me own business like, when I sees you lot wandering along. So I thinks, better hop down and warn ’em, see?”
    “W-warn us about what?” said Sir Percy.
    “Oh, nothing ,” said Dermot. “It usually sleeps at this time of day, anyway.”
    “ What does?” said Sir Percy.
    “The Man-Eatin’ Monster of Grimwood,” said Dermot, matter-of-factly. “It loves humans, see. ’Specially nice tasty tinned ones! Not to mention fresh juicy jesters. And boys . That’s why I live up a tree. Much safer up there, see!”
    “Well, my dear fellow, it’s, er, time we were off,” said Sir Percy. “As a matter of fact we only planned to come exactly this far before turning back to the castle. Isn’t that right, Cedric?”
    “Er, yes, Sir Percy,” I lied. First I’d heard of it, but I wasn’t arguing.
    “Hold on,” said Patchcoat suspiciously. “How come no one at the castle mentioned this Man-Eating Monster thingy?”
    The hermit hesitated for a moment. Then he said, “That’s because no one who’s seen it ever went home to tell the tale! Now, I’ll show you a shortcut back to the castle.” He pointed at a tree just ahead. “Right after that chestnut tree there’s afork in the path, right?”
    “Right,” nodded Sir Percy.
    “Take the left fork,” said Dermot. “ Not the right. Right?”
    “Um – right,” said Sir Percy quickly. “Thank you. Now I think we’d better get a move on. Good day, Brother Dermot!”
    “Cheerio!” said Brother Dermot. He turned and, with a flash of his hairy bottom, disappeared up a tree.
    We soon reached the fork in the path. But then we hit a snag. Try as we might, Patchcoat and I just couldn’t convince Sir Percy to take the left fork.
    “We’re sure the hermit said go left , Sir Percy,” I pleaded.
    “Nonsense,” said Sir Percy. “I hope you’re not forgetting your Squire’s Code and arguing with your master, Cedric. Did he or did he not say ‘Right after the chestnut tree’?”
    “Well, yes ,” I admitted. “But then he said—”
    “Exactly,” Sir Percy interrupted. “No more arguing. Follow me!”
    Patchcoat and I looked at each other as Sir Percy galloped off.
    “Don’t worry, Ced,” said Patchcoat. “He’ll soon realize this isn’t the way. Then we’ll just turn round and come back.”
    “I hope so,” I sighed. “That’s if we’re not eaten by a monster first!”

Chapter 4
Bear Scare
    “Can’t be far now!” said Sir Percy for the umpteenth time.
    It was three hours later and we had stopped for a late picnic lunch. So late, in fact, that it was nearly dinner. Unfortunately, my master still showed no sign of turning back.
    “We’re almost there, you mark mywords,” he said, swallowing the last of his cold peacock pie. “In fact, we’d see the castle by now if this dashed forest weren’t in the way.”
    I doubted that. Not only was there no sign of the castle, there was no sign of anything at all. Except trees, trees and more trees.
    As we set off again I realized the light was starting to fade. It was getting harder to see the path in front of us. If that wasn’t bad enough, the branches were really low, so we had to dismount and lead Prancelot and Gristle by