Page 29 - Book 8 Matty Hedgehog and the Paper Chase

Matty Hedgehog and the Paper Chase 27
‘What’s wrong with her? She looks all right,’ remarked Jackson when he stood up.
‘Pretty,’ said Matty.
Paris screwed up her nose and shrugged: ‘I suppose so. I don’t like her shoes. What do you think, Jess?’
‘Not bad. She’s a bit thin. And did you notice ...’
‘Pack it in you two. You don’t even know her,’ cried Matty. ‘Anyway, what are we doing today? Have you decided?’
Jackson suggested a paper chase. ‘It’s easy. Two of us have to go out into the meadow and leave a trail by dropping pieces of paper. The others have to follow and gather every piece. We can leave long gaps between drops or lay a false trail. When you can’t see any more paper, we will be hiding close by and you have to find us.’
Jackson had found sheets of coloured paper in a bin outside the Westons’ greenhouse and the animals sat talking in the garden whilst tearing it into small pieces. Chloe preferred not to go and asked Jessica to stay with her and finish a puzzle. The squirrel had told his dad what they were planning to do and it was late morning before Paris and Matty set off with satchels full of paper, leaving Isla, Jackson and Matty’s younger brother, Archie, to wait and count up to three hundred before following them.
The moment they finished counting, and ran out of the garden, Archie spotted the first piece and raced ahead, eagerly looking for more.
‘I think they are heading for the mill,’ he shouted.