by Chloe Ryder
“It wasn’t as frightening as the Pumpkin Ghost,” whispered Stardust, her hooves trembling.
“I don’t think it is a ghost.”
“What is it, then?”
Pippa pulled the hood of the zony costume back over her head and moaned. Stardust shivered, and Pippa laughed.
“A pony in a costume,” said Pippa, removing the hood again.
“Do you think so?” asked Stardust.
Pippa nodded with certainty. “That ghost was too solid-looking. I think it’s a pony wearing a giant pumpkin on its head. I wonder . . . Stardust, can you think of anywhere on the island that has pumpkins big enough to wear?”
Stardust shook her head. “I can’t.”
“What about Mucker?” Pippa asked, suddenly remembering Stardust’s friend who farmed the grasslands. “He might know.”
“That’s a smashing idea,” said Stardust. “Jump on my back and we’ll go and ask him.”
“Thanks!” It had been a long time since Pippa had ridden Stardust. Grasping a handful of mane, she vaulted onto her back.
“Yay!” Stardust whinnied, happier now that Pippa was riding on her back. “Let’s go.” She set off at a fast canter.
Pippa sat tall, letting her body move to the same rhythm as Stardust’s. It was exhilarating to see the ground flashing past and feel the wind lifting her wavy brown hair. Best of all, Pippa loved it when Stardust jumped over obstacles: a rotting tree trunk, a stream, and once a large boulder. It felt like flying, but without having to flap any wings. Pippa sat forward, her hands sliding up Stardust’s neck to make the jump easier for her friend.
All too soon, they reached the Grassland.
“Look, there’s Mucker,” snorted Stardust.
Pippa scanned the field full of golden straw bales and saw a stocky pony with a white blaze and four white stockings adorning his dark brown coat.
“Trick or treat, Mucker!” she called.
Mucker dropped the straw bale he was lifting onto a trailer and leaned against it. “Pippa and Stardust!” he whinnied in delight. “It would be a treat if you’ve come to help me bring the harvest in.”
Pippa loved helping out on Mucker’s farm. “Actually,” she started, “we’ve come to ask you a question about a ghost.”
“Not the ghost!” Mucker’s eyes were enormous. Slowly he lifted another straw bale onto the trailer. “Now, that’s a story!”
“Tell us,” begged Stardust. “Please, Mucker.”
“Of course, but after I’ve got the straw in.” Mucker nodded at the sky. “It’s getting late and it looks like rain.”
Pippa looked up. The sun was low in the sky, and dark rain clouds were gathering overhead. “We’ll help you,” she said.
“Great call,” said Stardust. Quietly she added, “I’d much rather be farming with Mucker than hunting a pumpkin ghost.”
Mucker was pleased and told Pippa and Stardust to bring the straw bales to the trailer so that he could load them. With three of them working together, it wasn’t long before all the straw was safely under cover in the big barn.
“Phew,” said Pippa, wiping her forehead and leaving a smear of dirt there. “That was fun, but very hard work.”
“Good job,” said Mucker. “Come back to the farmhouse for a trough of hot apple juice.”
Stardust looked at Pippa longingly. “Mucker makes the best apple juice around.”
Pippa hesitated. Hot apple juice was very tempting, but the sun was setting and Queen Moonshine had trusted her with an important job. “Next time we visit,” she said. “Hopefully by then, we’ll have caught our ghost.”
“Ghosts.” Mucker’s dark brown face paled. “I’ve not told anyone this before, except for my farming friends, but our fields are haunted too! Every night, when the sun goes down, a ghost appears. It makes horrid noises—moans and whooshing sounds, which grow louder as it comes closer. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught out in the fields has to duck for cover. But mostly there’s no one brave enough to go out at night.”
“Really?” Pippa gave Mucker a suspicious look. Was he teasing them? “So have you actually seen this ghost?”
Mucker shook his head.
“What about pumpkins?” Pippa continued. “Do any of your farmer friends grow giant ones, let’s say the size of a pony’s head?”
“Pumpkins! What’s that got to do with ghosts?”
“The scourge of Stableside Castle wears a pumpkin on its head,” chipped in Stardust.
“Really!” exclaimed Mucker. “Well, the Ponykin Patch Farm grows the biggest pumpkins in Chevalia. Do you want me to show you where it is?”
“Yes, please,” Pippa and Stardust chorused.
“Let me lock up first.” Mucker plodded around the farm, padlocking the barns and shutting up the geese. Pippa silently urged him to hurry as she and Stardust followed him. At last the farm and the outbuildings were secure, but by then the sun had almost set.
“We’d better hurry,” said Mucker, nervously checking over his shoulder.
Pippa took a deep breath and managed not to tell Mucker that he was the one holding everyone up.
The fields were prickly with corn stubble that crackled under feet and hooves. Pippa and her pony friends were halfway across when Stardust pulled up, ears twitching.
“What’s that?”
Across the field came a low whisper that was growing into something much louder.
“Whooooooooooo.”
Pippa felt the blood rush from her face. “Eeek!” she squealed. Why hadn’t she believed Mucker’s story? “It’s a . . .”
Stardust tucked her head into Pippa’s embrace; the rest of her sentence buried in her soft white mane.
“Aaaaargh!” Mucker yelped, jumping in the air. “It’s the ghost! Run!”
Chapter 4
The ghost pony drifted closer.
“Gallop!” squealed Stardust.
Clouds of straw dust rose in the air as she pounded across the field with Mucker by her side. Pippa held on for her life, bouncing up and down on Stardust’s back.
“Whoooooo!”
The sky was full of racing dark clouds. But what was that? Pippa saw a pale shape slide between the clouds.
“The ghost!” she shouted. “Faster, Stardust!”
“Can’t!” puffed Stardust, her hoof steps faltering.
“You can!” Mucker ran by her side, urging her on. “See that building there, across the field? It’s not far, and we can shelter there.”
Stardust galloped toward the building, finally outpacing the ghost.
“What is this place?” called Pippa as the building came closer. A wooden sign with a picture of a lamb on ice skates swung from a tall pole. “Mucker!” Pippa gave a shaky laugh. “Have you brought us to an inn?”
“The Skating Lamb,” panted Mucker, slowing as he navigated the gate, which was topped with a row of tiny jack-o’-lanterns, their candles flickering in the breeze. “They serve the best carrot juice for miles.”
Pippa slid from Stardust’s back and pushed open the door. A fug of warm air and chatter spilled into the cold night.
“Come in quick and shut the door,” called a tiny black pony. Her big eyes sparkled as brightly as the green emeralds decorating her mane. She stood behind a counter, pouring something orange into a pint-sized drinking trough. “Mucker! Good to see you, darlin’. I’d offer you the usual, but we’re serving our special Halloween menu tonight. Hot pumpkin juice instead?”
“Yes, please, Nell, hot pumpkin juice for three,” said Mucker.
Pippa stared curiously around the room. It was packed with ponies of all sizes. In the corner, several ponies with troughs of pumpkin juice were arguing amicably over a game of horseshoes. One pony was tossing pony nuts in the air for another to catch in his mouth. Lots of ponies were eating from wooden troughs. The walls were hung with horse brasses, polished so that they reflected like tiny mirrors, and plates with pictures of horses’ heads.
“Look, Stardust! It’s
your family.”
Stardust stared at the plates, each one displaying the portrait of a different member of her royal family. Her face turned pink. Looking away quickly, she said, “Mmmmm, can you smell that? Pumpkin pie and bran mash.”
“There you go,” said Nell, slapping three steaming troughs of pumpkin juice down. Suddenly she froze. Leaning forward, she peered at Stardust. Her eyes widened. “Princess Stardust! I thought I recognized you. How remarkable! Princess Stardust with Pippa MacDonald, the brave girl.” Nell curtsied. “What brings you both to my humble inn?”
“A ghost,” said Stardust.
Nell paled. “You saw the ghost? You poor wee things. Well, you’re safe now. Here at the Skating Lamb, we hear the ghost all the time but it’s never dared to venture inside.”
“It’s really lovely in here,” said Stardust. “I wish we could stay the night.”
“Well, you can.” Nell curtsied again. “We have bedrooms fit for a queen. Or a princess,” she added.
“You have rooms?” Stardust’s eyes lit up. “I’m too scared to go back outside.”
Pippa shook her head, guessing that Stardust was also looking for an excuse not to spend another night in the royal tent. The more she thought about it, the angrier it made her. Poor Stardust! She and her family had been forced out of their home. As her anger rose, Pippa could hardly stand still. When Nell offered to show Stardust the guest rooms, Pippa slipped outside.
The night was freezing after the warmth of the inn. Pippa wrapped her trembling arms around her chest and tried to convince herself it was only the chilly night air that was making her shiver. She pulled the zony hood over her head to keep warm.
She walked as far as the gate and stopped. Her feet felt heavy, but she couldn’t give up now. Ghosts didn’t exist. They were made up to scare people. Bravely lifting her chin, Pippa opened the gate and walked into the fields.
A low moan rippled toward her on the breeze. Pippa’s heart thudded loudly. Her instinct was to run, but scrunching her hands into fists she stood her ground.
“Whoooooo,” called the ghost.
“Whooooo,” Pippa called back.
“WHOOOOOO.”
“WHOOOOOOOOO!” yelled Pippa.
“AAAARRRRRRGH.”
“WHOOOOOOOO, AAAAARRRRRGH,” Pippa wailed into the night, even though she was terrified.
Something flew low over Pippa’s head. The draft blew her hair in her eyes. Pushing it back, she glared into the darkness. The ghost let out a shriek that sounded as if it were actually scared.
“Agh! A zombie pony,” it cried in a voice that was familiar to Pippa.
“Cloud, is that you?” Pippa asked, pulling her hood off.
“It’s you, Pippa!” Cloud cried from above.
Pippa stared at the silver-gray pony now hovering in front of her. Crossly she asked, “What are you doing here? Why are you pretending to be a ghost?”
“Ghost? Me? No!” Cloud was shocked. “Is that what you thought? I’m so sorry, Pippa. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s what I do every night to frighten the mice and stop them from nibbling the crops. I’m being a flying scarehorse.”
“Like a scarecrow.” Pippa laughed. “You are a scarehorse all right! Everyone thinks the fields are haunted.”
“Really?” Now Cloud was laughing too. “And in the darkness, I thought you were a real zony!”
“Pippa! Are you all right?” The inn door burst open. Stardust, Mucker, Nell, and everyone from the Skating Lamb piled outside.
“Cloud,” said Stardust, “did you save Pippa from the ghost?”
Cloud was laughing so hard she could barely keep her hooves off the ground. “You tell them, Pippa,” she chuckled. “I need all my strength to stop from landing.”
“Don’t do that!” Pippa launched into an explanation before a disaster happened and Cloud touched down. Then her flying magic would be lost forever.
Pippa explained that, far from scaring the farmers, Cloud had been trying to help them. Soon everyone was laughing so much they ended up crying.
“Thanks, Cloud.” Nell wiped a tear from her eye. “I hope we haven’t put you off doing such an important job.”
“Not at all,” said Cloud. She was back in control of herself and hovering at head height. “I love my nighttime routine. But I wouldn’t mind a trough of hot carrot juice now and then. It smells amazing. I’m a little hurt that no one ever thought to bring me some, when I’ve been working so hard to help you all.”
“You can have as much carrot juice as you like,” said Nell, stamping her hoof on the ground. “It’ll be my pleasure.”
“There,” said Pippa. “One mystery solved. Things aren’t always what they seem.”
“Yes,” said Stardust thoughtfully. “Nell, if you don’t mind, I won’t stay the night here after all. I’ll come back another time and bring my family. But right now, Pippa and I have another mystery to solve. Mucker, where are those giant pumpkins?”
“Ponykin Patch,” said Mucker. “It’s not far. Let’s go there now.”
Chapter 5
Ponykin Patch Farm was tucked away in a hollow between the Grasslands and the Savannah. The old farmhouse had a thatched roof and roses growing over the door. In the corner stood a tall barn with wooden doors, secured by a large padlock. It was covered in pretend flying bats, and fake giant furry spiders dangled from cobwebs. An orange post-and-rail fence surrounded the buildings. Hanging from it were hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns.
“It’s so pretty!” exclaimed Pippa.
“Spooky, too!” said Stardust, walking slower.
“There’s the pumpkin patch,” said Mucker. He pointed with a hoof.
“Wow!” Pippa had never seen such enormous pumpkins. “I’d love one of those! It would be great for trick-or-treat.”
“They’re huge!” Stardust agreed.
“Think of all the pumpkin soup and pie you could make,” said Mucker wistfully.
“Can I help you?” The farmhouse door opened and a muscular black-and-white cart horse stepped outside. Her face was rosy, and her black mane and tail were plaited through with straw.
“Who’s there, Marrow?” An older cart horse with similar black-and-white markings came to the door. “What do you want, this time of the night?”
Pippa quickly explained that they were looking for the biggest pumpkins in Chevalia, ones that could be worn on a pony’s head.
“Then you’ve come to the right place. I’m Farmer Squash and this is my daughter, Marrow. Our largest pumpkins are so enormous a pony could easily wear one on his head.”
“Really?” Pippa and Stardust exchanged an excited look. “Could we see them?”
Farmer Squash shook his head. “Much as I’d like to show you, they’re locked away. We’re keeping them for the Biggest Pumpkin competition at this year’s Harvest Fair.”
Marrow nudged her father and whispered something in his ear.
“Who?” he said loudly. “Really?”
He looked at Stardust and Pippa again. “But of course I’ll make an exception for you.”
Sidestepping the flickering jack-o’-lanterns decorating the yard, everyone trooped over to the barn. Pippa took a deep breath, enjoying the familiar smell of smoke, candle wax, and warm pumpkin, as Marrow unlocked the barn with an iron key hung round her neck on an orange ribbon.
“There you go,” said Farmer Squash as the barn door creaked open.
Pippa, Stardust, and Mucker peered inside expectantly. The barn was completely empty.
“What!” gasped Farmer Squash. “Where are my prize pumpkins?”
Pippa had an idea. Grimly she asked, “Who else has a key to the barn?”
“Only us,” said Marrow. “Oh, and our two stable hooves, Hairy and Lanky.”
“Are they here now?” asked Stardust.
“They left this afternoon,” said Farmer Squash. “They wanted to go home to celebrate Halloween and the Harvest Fair next week with their families.”
Pri
ncess Stardust sighed heavily. “We’re too late.”
But Pippa was not going to give up so easily. She’d promised Queen Moonshine that she’d investigate the pumpkin ghost, and she wouldn’t stop until she had exhausted every lead.
“Where did Hairy and Lanky sleep when they were working here?” Pippa asked.
“In the stables behind the barn,” said Marrow. “Would you like to see them?”
It was dark behind the barn. Pippa picked up a jack-o’-lantern to shine some light on the stables as they went inside. “There’s nothing here,” said Stardust, pawing the straw on the ground.
“Keep looking.” Pippa slowly made her way around the room. She wrinkled her nose. It smelled of sour apples and damp hay.
“What’s that?” Pippa sprang at the nearly empty hay net dangling from the wall. Sticking out of the string mesh was a piece of paper. She put her hand inside the net and pulled it out.
“A newspaper.” Stardust was disappointed.
“Chevalia Now,” read Pippa. “It’s an old copy.” She opened it up. “Ooh, look, Stardust. There’s a piece on the royal family.”
“There always is,” said Stardust, rolling her eyes.
Pippa scanned the column. “It’s about the castle jewels, and there’s a great picture. Hairy and Lanky obviously enjoyed reading this. They’ve marked the article with a horseshoe print . . .” Pippa’s voice trailed away. “Stardust,” she asked, “where are the royal jewels now?”
“Where they always are—on display in the jewel room at Stableside Castle,” Stardust replied.
“But no one’s there, unless you left some guards behind.”
“Of course we didn’t. Everyone was too scared to stay. You saw how terrible the pumpkin ghost was.” Stardust stared at Pippa in dismay as she realized what Pippa was thinking. “Oh no! Hairy and Lanky are planning to steal them, aren’t they?”
