Von Gobstopper's Arcade by Alexandra Adornetto Read Free Book Online Page B

then remembered the purpose of her call.
    ‘Can you believe it? I mean, it’s such an amazing thing to happen. Who would havethought someone as important as Von Gobstopper would be interested in us! I simply can’t wait for Friday!’
    ‘How poor are they that have not patience,’ Ernest replied.
    ‘Ernest, please! I can’t understand you when you speak like that.’
    ‘Is the excursion the only thing we’re going to talk about till Friday?’ Ernest said sulkily.
    ‘What else is there?’ asked Milli.
    ‘Have you finished your Chemistry homework? It’s due tomorrow.’ Milli was instantly deflated. ‘There was Chemistry homework?’ she said, and rang off.
    The rest of the week was excruciatingly long for the Sparrows and Starlings of St Erudite’s Academy. They tried their hardest to concentrate on school work and be deserving of the treat that was in store for them, but it wasn’t easy. Every conversation found its way towards the subject of the imminent excursion. Milli drove Ernest mad with her incessant predictions of how the day might turn out. A poet had more important matters to think about. Toys werechildish objects designed to occupy the minds of the very young. Whilst in principle Ernest had nothing against a little fun, he also remembered the consequences the last time the town allowed itself to indulge in what it believed to be harmless entertainment. But when he voiced his reservations to Milli, he found her enthusiasm could not be quelled.
    ‘This is different,’ she reasoned. ‘Our parents and teachers are in on it, and, what’s more, there’s no one alive less like a villain than Von Gobstopper. You really need to relax, Ernie! Drink some more of that passionflower tea your mum’s always brewing and try to stop being such a wet sock.’
    ‘I think the expression is wet blanket and I’m not.’
    ‘Fine,’ Milli pouted. ‘Just don’t go spoiling things for the others. They have every right to be excited after everything they’ve been through.’
    ‘Sorry,’ mumbled a contrite Ernest.
    Due to the number of students involved, it was decided that the excursion would be staggeredover two days. On Friday morning, it was the first-formers who crowded around the school car park, all trying to get as close as possible to the door of the yellow bus in order to get on first and nab the prized back seats. Their animated chatter was relentless and the teachers accompanying them were already wincing in pain. The students were dressed in their dazzling best, having been permitted to be out of uniform for the day. They wore colourful beanies and jackets and carried little backpacks with packed lunches and clipboards should any note-taking be required. Most of the children had brought along their life savings (or as much of them as they had been permitted to withdraw) for the purchase of souvenirs. Milli had packed lightly, and swiftly disposed of her clipboard so as not to be weighed down during the tour of the arcade. Mrs Perriclof had packed Ernest’s bag and every compartment was bursting with items that might come in handy. Milli spotted several thick spiral notebooks, a tin of coloured pencils, packets of tissues and throat lozenges, an extra pair of thick socks and a thermos of cream of asparagus soup.
    Miss Macaw insisted the Sparrows form a civilised queue and ticked off names as they boarded the bus. ‘Stop buzzing like bumblebees!’ she cried. ‘Stop chattering like chipmunks!’ But she was smiling so they concluded she must understand, if not share, their excitement.
    The trip to the arcade was a mere twenty minutes but this didn’t stop the children from singing at the tops of their lungs as if they were heading off on a journey of several hours. They mostly sang one song, made up by a predecessor whose name had been forgotten. Parts of it made no sense at all but this did not, of course, detract from their pleasure in singing it. It was only the bus driver’s face that turned