Billy Wizard (7 page)

Molly Mason was overjoyed when Joe appeared with Little Danny. She was so happy, Joe was a bit worried
that
she was going to kiss him, but luckily she didn’t.

“Where did you find him?” she asked.

“He found us really,” said Joe. “He just kind of appeared like—”

“Like magic,” said Billy.

Joe and Neil and Billy laughed.

“Listen,” said Joe when they were getting their coats to go home. “Do you fancy playing football on Saturday morning?”

“I thought you hated football,” said Billy.

“I do. I did. I mean, I might like it if I give it a go. It’s just that I told my mum I was playing football with you both on Saturday, so we may as well.”

“You mean you lied,” said Billy with a grin.

“No … not exactly … well, yes –
kind
of,” said Joe, his ears going red. “Well? What do you say?”

“Yeah,” said Neil. “All right.”

“OK,” said Billy. “My mum won’t let me come on my own though. You don’t mind if she sits and watches, do
you
? She won’t be any trouble.”

“Nah,” said Neil. “Mine will want to come as well.”

“Mine too,” added Joe. “They can all talk to each other. They like that, mothers do.”

“Yeah,” said Neil.

“Great,” said Joe. “That’s settled then.”

“And if you don’t want to play football,” said Neil, “me and Billy can teach you how to play Dog, Cat, Monkey.”

“Cool,” said Joe.

Joe’s dad was at the school gate at the end of the day. He was standing on his own, well back from the rest of the parents. Joe could see that his father’s ears were a bit red. He really
is
shy, he thought.

“Hi, Joe,” he said. “Good day?”

“Yeah,” said Joe. “It was all right. How about yours?”

“Mine?” said his father. “It wasn’t bad, thanks.”

“Really?” said Joe.

“Really.”

“You’re not just saying that?” asked Joe.

“No.” His dad smiled, his ears turning a little redder. “I’m not just
saying
that. What’s brought this on?”

“Nothing,” said Joe.

Billy wandered past them on his way to meet his mum. “See you,” he said.

“Yeah,” said Joe. “See you tomorrow.”

“Hello there,” said Joe’s father. “It’s Billy, isn’t it? I was talking to your dad today. He works in the same building as me. Small world, eh?”

“He doesn’t really work there, you know,” said Billy, looking right and left and stepping a little closer. “He’s undercover.”

“Undercover?”

“Yeah, undercover,” repeated Billy. “You know – in disguise. I’m not really supposed to say anything” – he dropped his voice to a whisper – “but he’s really a policeman and he’s there
trying
to catch a gang of jewel thieves. I can’t say any more …” He looked right and left and then went off to meet his mum.

Joe shook his head. His dad looked baffled.

“Jewel thieves?” he said. “But we work for the council.”

“Don’t mind Billy. His mum says he’s got an over-active imagination,” said Joe.

“Oh,” said his dad with a nod and a smile. “Listen, your mum’s going to the cinema with a couple of people from work. How about we rent a DVD and grab some fish and chips?”

“Cool,” said Joe.

So that is exactly what they did. They drove to the nearest fish and chip shop and sat on a low wall overlooking the sea to eat them. They
both
agreed that they were not quite the same as the fish and chips they used to get in Gaston.

They were better.

THE END

Other Young Corgi Books to get your teeth into:

THE PROMPTER by Chris d’Lacey

NITERACY HOUR by John Dougherty

THE CAT LADY by Dick King-Smith

DIARY DAYS by Gillian Potts

JOE v. THE FAIRIES by Emily Smith

Young Corgi books are perfect when you are looking for great books to read on your own. They are full of exciting stories and entertaining pictures. There are funny books, scary books, spine-tingling stories and mysterious ones. Whatever your interests you’ll find something in Young Corgi to suit you: from families to football, from animals to ghosts. The books are written by some of the most famous and popular of today’s children’s authors, and by some of the best new talents, too.

Whether you read one chapter a night, or devour the whole book in one sitting, you’ll love Young Corgi Books. The more you read, the more you’ll want to read!

BILLY WIZARD
AN RHCB DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 446 40412 6

Published in Great Britain by RHCB Digital,
an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
A Random House Group Company

This ebook edition published 2012

Copyright © Chris Priestley, 2005

First Published in Great Britain

Young Corgi 2005

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