Winning a Giraffe Called Geoffrey by Hazel Edwards Read Free Book Online

shoulder. ‘I know you tried hard. So we’re having something new this year. The team will need a manager-coach to look after the equipment and help with the training. Mrs. Tasker and I have talked about it. We’ve decided to invite you to be the manager of the school cross country team. Of course, the manager wears the school colours too.
    â€˜Thanks,’ said Art. But being the manager wasn’t as important as running. When you want something so much, and you’re not good enough, it hurts. Should he pretend the cross country didn’t matter? No, that’s what Mario would have done. And being left out did matter to Art.
    â€˜Can I try for the team next year?’
    Mrs. Tasker nodded. ‘I found you something. It’s called TRAINING FOR CROSS COUNTRY. Would you like to borrow it?’
    Art flicked through the pages. There were lots of pictures. ’Okay. I’ll have a look tonight.’
    After Geoffrey arrived, he’d share the training book with him. Geoffrey might be the first giraffe to run in the school cross country trials next year. There were no rules against having four feet.
    â€˜Remember the dog race you were going to have with India?’ Art stacked up the chairs. Mrs. Tasker kept them in for ten minutes for mucking around in the playground with the dogs.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Mario. ’Grey Flash would have won.’
    The pile of chairs came crashing down. One landed on Mario.
    â€™Ow!’ Mario grabbed his foot.
    â€˜Grey Flash might have won,’ agreed Art.’ But it wouldn’t have been a fair race.’ He picked up two chairs.
    â€˜Of course not. Grey Flash is so good.’ Mario stood up.
    â€˜Not just that. It’s Grey Flash’s job to run. He’s a professional running dog. He gets paid when he runs well.’
    â€˜That’s right,’ agreed Mario.
    â€˜But Tiny isn’t,’ said Art. ‘I rang up the Answer-back man and checked. Someone who is paid for running is not supposed to run against someone who isn’t paid.’
    â€˜Tiny doesn’t get paid,’ said India’s voice from behind them. ‘Tiny just eats a lot.’ The boys turned around. Art tripped on his sneaker.
    â€˜I didn’t think about that,’ said Mario. ’It was just Grey Flash against Tiny.’
    India nodded. ‘Your dog against mine.’
    â€˜But Grandad didn’t see it like that. He chucked a mental. He said I shouldn’t have boasted about Grey Flash. But it was the championship. Grandad had been training Grey Flash for ages. He was expected to win. He was the favourite. There was a very big prize.’
    â€˜What if Grey Flash was missing?’
    Mario looked puzzled. ‘Then he couldn’t run.’
    â€˜Could Grey Flash be entered under another dog’s name?’ asked Art.
    Mario shook his head firmly. ‘No way. The dogs are kenneled a couple of hours before the race. Each one’s got a marking on its ear. The dogs are checked against their papers. Nobody could switch dogs.’
    â€˜Instead of switching, what if Grey Flash just wasn’t there? Then the next favourite would win, wouldn’t it?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜That was what Ernie planned.’
    â€˜D’you think that Ernie owned the next best dog?’
    â€˜No. But one of his friends did.’
    â€˜How did they know Blue Diamond would win for sure?’
    â€˜Because of his times. Ernie was feeding him special food.’
    â€˜Were they going to give Grey Flash back to Grandad?’
    â€˜I think so. Probably on Saturday morning. But if Grey Flash was the only dog missing, the officials might get suspicious. The officials might not let Blue Diamond have the prize money. So they stole Tony as well.’
    â€˜Who’d want Tiny?’
    â€˜I would,’ said India fiercely.
    â€˜They took Tiny so that it would look like dog nappers. Not greyhound snatchers,’