The Hidden Boy by Jon Berkeley Read Free Book Online Page B

surprise that your tongue gets ahead of your brain. Out on the lamplit verandah Granny Delphine looked around for a moment and frowned into the darkened living room before returning to the conversation.
    Phoebe stared after the fugitive meerkat in astonishment. “That’s Nails!” she whispered loudly.
    â€œI know that!” said Bea. She grabbed another biscuit from the plate and crept across the floor, following the direction that Nails had taken. Through the open back door she could see him running along the edge of the back porch, looking for a route to the ground. “Nails!” whispered Bea, making kissing noises with her lips. “Come here, Nails. I’ve got bikkies. Nice bikkies.”
    The meerkat stood up and looked back at her. His head ducked up and down as he examined the biscuit. He had been too busy escaping to eat the one that she had posted into the stuffy backpack, but his hunger made this one look particularly biscuity, and escape didn’t seem so urgent now that he was in the open air. He turned and took a few steps back toward her, but at that moment Phoebe appeared on the porch. Nails knew an ambush when he saw one. He ran back alongthe porch and took a flying leap at a slender branch that stretched out from a neighboring tree and ended several feet away. He scrabbled for purchase among the dancing leaves; then he was off along the branch and down the trunk in the blink of an eye. Biscuits were all very well, the meerkat was thinking, but his usual boy gave him worms and beetles. He had no idea where Theo was, but he had a good sense of direction and his priorities were clear. Worms and beetles would be back on the menu if he had any say in the matter.
    Bea sat back on her heels on the back porch, fifteen feet above the ground. “I almost had him,” she hissed.
    â€œBut how did he get here?” asked Phoebe. She held the Squeak Jar under one arm, and the end of the listening horn poked out of her pocket.
    â€œHow do you think?” said Bea. She was too annoyed to worry about trying to keep her secret. “He came in Theo’s backpack.”
    â€œI thought we weren’t supposed to bring pets,” said Phoebe.
    â€œWe couldn’t very well leave him with…” Bea looked at Phoebe and stopped herself. “…on his own,” she finished. She turned quickly and looked down into the moonlit clearing. Nails was looking back over hisshoulder from a little way along the path. He knew if he stopped and waited Bea would come after him. He was not about to be caught just yet, but he didn’t want to get lost either.
    â€œWe have to go after him,” said Bea. They lowered the ladder—another jointed one like the one that Mr. Miller had called down from the front verandah—being careful not to make any noise. Bea put the jar and the horn into Theo’s backpack.
    â€œWe’d better put the ladder back up,” Bea whispered when they reached the ground.
    Phoebe shook her head. “They might hear us.”
    â€œThey’re too busy arguing.”
    â€œExcept your pa. He’s too busy snoring.”
    Bea put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing, which made snot come out of her nose instead.
    â€œMr. Miller seemed pretty worried about pulling it up after us when we arrived,” she insisted when she had recovered herself.
    Phoebe shrugged. “Okay.” She ran silently back up the ladder and began to haul it up after her.
    â€œYes, but how will you—,” began Bea, but Phoebe had already stowed the ladder and launched herself intothe air. She landed on the soft earth with a thump—a small one—and sprang back up like a gymnast ending her routine.
    â€œLet’s go!” she said. They followed Nails along the path that led back toward Cambio Falls. The meerkat kept his distance, but he stopped every now and then and looked back to make sure they were following him. The