For a moment, the puppy seemed confused. She looked at Masha, then at the girls, then at Hattie. Finally, she gave a yap and bounded over to her sister. “What happened?” she asked.
Lily ruffled the white fluff above Evie’s nose. “Naughty Masha put a spell on you,” she explained, “but everything’s fine now.”
Masha’s teeth chattered angrily again. “This is no good,” she grumbled. “Evie’s no fun anymore.”
Goldie looked at Masha sternly. “It’s not nice to mess up the forest,” she told the rat.
“But it’s so much fun!” said Masha. Her face brightened. “I’m going to go and find my other friends so we can keep being messy!”
She scurried down Petal Hill.
Goldie sighed. “If only we could make the Witchy Waste creatures go home again,” she said. “But I just can’t think how.”
Bethany had flown high up to watch Masha leave. She suddenly did an about-face and zoomed back. “Something’s coming!” she said, and perched on Lily’s shoulder, gripping tightly with her little feet.
A yellow-green orb appeared over the top of the hill. Lily and Jess knew what that meant. Grizelda!
The orb burst in a shower of stinky sparks. There stood the witch, her green hair writhing madly. She was so angry that her face was almost as purple as her tunic.
Grizelda stamped her foot. “Masha might have failed,” she screeched, “but just you wait! Soon Snippit and Hopper will cast their magic on those silly animals and Friendship Forest will be mine! Ha!”
She snapped her fingers and disappeared in a burst of smelly sparks.
“It’s over,” Goldie said, putting an arm around Hattie and Evie.
It was early evening in Petal Dell and everyone was enjoying Hattie’s birthday party. Olivia and the other Nibblesqueaks had brought lots of tasty treats from their bakery. There were cheesy twists, fruit pies, honey biscuits, and three types of cake: raspberry cream sponge, lemon roll, and a birthday cake covered with Nibblesqueaks’ Famous Nectar Icing. Olivia had iced Happy Birthday, Hattie! on it.
Hattie was wearing her birthday crown. “This is the best surprise ever, Evie,” she said. “It’s wonderful!”
“Having your party a day early was part of the surprise,” Evie said happily, as Hattie pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you like it!”
Mr. Cleverfeather had brought his Music-o-Matic. It was an enormous machine with a trumpet, drum, harp, and xylophone that played itself. Whenever anyone pressed a button and shouted, “All change!” a different tune played.
The Scruffypups were so delighted to have Evie back that they couldn’t stop dancing. The Longwhiskers family got everyone joining in the bunny hop, while the Blueflash family flew back and forth so the setting sun’s rays glinted on their orange and blue feathers.
Soon it was time for Jess and Lily to go home. Evie and Hattie hugged them good-bye.
“Thank you so much for saving me,” said Evie. Her fur was even scruffier than usual because she’d been dancing so much!
“You’re very welcome,” said Lily, giving her another cuddle.
Everyone waved good-bye.
“Snippit and Hopper will cast their spells soon, won’t they?” Jess said as Goldie led the girls to the Friendship Tree.
“When they do, we’ll be ready to help stop them,” promised Lily.
Goldie smiled and squeezed their hands with her paws. “You’re the best friends we animals could wish for.”
She touched the trunk and a door opened. The girls hugged Goldie and stepped into golden shimmering light. They felt the tingle that told them they were returning to their normal size and, as the light faded, they found themselves back in Brightley Meadow. The sun was still high. No time ever passed while they were in Friendship Forest!
“That was an amazing adventure,” said Lily with a smile.
“I know!” Jess grinned. “I can’t wait until next time.”
They made their way back to Jess’s yard, kicking up piles of red, yellow, and gold autumn leaves as they went. When they looked up at the tree, the little squirrel still sat on a branch, looking down at them.
Jess offered him an acorn. Both girls held their breath as the squirrel scampered down the tree, paused, then hopped over to Jess. He took the acorn and ran off toward the garden shed.
“What’s he doing?” asked Jess. “I thought squirrels buried their acorns.”
“He is burying it,” Lily giggled, “in one of your dad’s boots!”
Jess burst out laughing. “That’ll give Dad a surprise!”
The two girls shared a smile. They knew a little puppy who loved to give surprises!
The End
“Run!” Goldie yelled to the animals. “Quick, before Snippit casts his spell on you!”
The crow was already ruffling his scruffy feathers, and purple sparks were flying around him. The animals fled in panic, rushing to hide in the trees and bushes.
But when Lily looked back, she was horrified to see that Chloe hadn’t moved.
“Chloe! Run!” Lily cried.
But Chloe just crouched with her paws over her eyes and her long tail quivering.
“She’s too scared to move,” cried Jess. “I’ll get her!”
But before she could reach Chloe, purple sparks splattered over the frightened little otter.
Lily gasped. “Oh, no! Snippit’s put a spell on Chloe!”
Read
Chloe Slipperslide’s Secret
to find out what happens next!
Text copyright © 2015 by Working Partners Limited
Illustrations © 2015 by Working Partners Limited
Series author: Daisy Meadows
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920, by arrangement with Working Partners Limited. Series created by Working Partners Limited, London.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First printing 2016
Cover design by Carol Ly
e-ISBN 978-0-545-94231-7
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Evie Scruffypup's Big Surprise Page 3
