Gargoylz Get Up to Mischief (2 page)

“Greetingz!” came a growly purr from the graveyard and a small creature flew up onto the churchyard wall.

Max activated his spy radar to check him out: monkey face, pointy ears, stony skin. He knew what that meant. It was Toby, their gargoyle friend.

Max and Ben had a big secret. The gargoylz that hung on the ancient church next to their school were not the stone statues that everyone thought they were.
They
were alive. And they’d made friends with Max and Ben. Like the boys, the gargoylz enjoyed having fun and playing tricks. It was a perfect partnership!

Toby wagged his pointy tail at the boys. “Ready for bramble collecting?” he asked as he fluttered his leafy wings and flew over to perch on Max’s shoulder. All gargoylz had a special power and Toby’s was flying. Although lots of the gargoylz had wings, Toby was the only one the boys had met who could use them to actually fly.

This weekend Toby and Zack were on bramble-collecting duty for all the other gargoylz. Prickly plants were their favourite food, and Max knew exactly where they could get plenty of those – his
nan
’s garden.

“We brought our rucksacks so that you can hide inside them,” said Max. “You mustn’t be seen trotting along the high street.”

“Quite right!” declared Toby. He flew into Ben’s bag and popped his head out of the top. “Well, what are we waiting for? I want to get my pawz on those thorny snacks.”

“And I want to get my hands on Nan’s cupcakes,” said Max. “Best things in the world.”

“We can’t go without Zack,” said Ben, looking around. “Where is he?” “Bramblz, thistlz, anything with pricklz!” came a cheeky voice beside him.

There was no one to be seen.

“Invisible again, Zack?” Max laughed.

POP!
A gargoyle with a fuzzy mane and a tuft on his head appeared on the wall. He zipped up and down and then sat there panting, his tongue hanging out. “No bag for me,” he declared, looking at Max’s open rucksack. “I’ll disappear instead. My special gargoyle power. Won’t be seen.”

“Yes you will,” said Ben. “You’re always appearing when you don’t mean to.”

“Good point,” chortled Zack.
He
hopped into Max’s rucksack. “Come on. I’m hungry.”

“Hold on tight,” yelled Max, zooming off at top speed. “We’re using our spy car and it’s really fast.”

Two minutes later they were knocking on a bright blue door. It opened. Max checked his spy radar: curly hair, big smile, apron covered in flour. It was Nan, codename: Supercook.

“Hello, dears.” She beamed as the boys followed her towards the kitchen. “You’re just in time. I’ve been baking.”

Ben’s rucksack gave a shake.

“Spluttering gutterz!” came a growly voice from inside. “Smellz delicious.”

“Glad you think so, Ben,” replied Nan as they followed her into the kitchen. “But what’s happened to your voice? It sounds as if you’ve got a cold. I’ll give you some of my special cure later.”

“Thanks, Mrs Black,” said Ben politely, nudging his rucksack with his elbow to keep Toby quiet.

Max made a face at his friend. Nan might be the best cupcake maker in the world but her homemade medicines were foul.

Nan opened the back door. “Now why don’t you go and play in the garden like
you
usually do, and I’ll bring some freshly baked cupcakes out in a little while.”

The boys grinned and raced across the lawn to the bottom of the garden where Nan’s blackberry bushes grew in a weedy tangle. They were hidden from the rest of the garden by an apple tree and some rhododendrons. Max and Ben opened their rucksacks and let the gargoylz out.

“What a feast!” gasped Toby, his eyes
on
stalks at the sight of the brambles and nettles.

“Let me at ’em!” cried Zack, diving straight into the thorns.

“Wait for me,” called Toby, flapping his wings and zooming in after him.

“We’ll help you pick them,” said Max. “I’ve got top secret spy gloves.” He pulled them out of his rucksack. “They’re my dad’s best ones. I had to sneak them out.
They
’re brand new so they’re sure to be prickle-proof.”

“And I’ve got special agent bramble slicers,” said Ben, waving a pair of scissors. “They’re my sister’s. She uses them for her scrapbook. She’d explode if she knew I had them. You hold the brambles and I’ll cut them.”

Max and Ben soon had a big pile of bramble stalks by their feet. Suddenly it began to heave and wobble as if it was alive. Then Toby’s head popped out, scattering branches and leaves everywhere.

“Tasty bramblz,” he said, with his mouth full. “You two are wonderful collectors.”

Max laughed. “How many have you collected? Don’t forget you two are supposed to be picking them for all the other gargoylz as well. You’re not meant to eat them all.”