Midnight for Charlie Bone. Jenny Nimmo

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      Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound was faint but definite. Benjamin’s room was right above them.

      ‘It’s that metal case,’ said Benjamin. ‘I wish you’d take it away. There could be a bomb in it, or something.’

      ‘Miss Ingledew didn’t look like a terrorist,’ said Charlie. ‘Nor did Dr Tolly.’

      ‘How d’you know?’ said Benjamin. ‘Terrorists are good at disguises. Let’s go and have a look.’

      Runner Bean followed the boys upstairs, growling softly. This time he wouldn’t even come into the bedroom.

      Charlie pulled the bag from under the bed and, together, the boys drew out the metal case. The tapping had stopped. Charlie undid the clasps on either side of the handle, but the case wouldn’t open. It was locked, and the key was missing.

      ‘Didn’t that woman tell you what was inside?’ said Benjamin.

      Charlie shook his head. ‘She said she didn’t want to know. Whatever it is, it was swapped for a baby. Her very own niece.’

      ‘A baby?’ Benjamin’s mouth dropped open. ‘That’s terrible.’

      Charlie was beginning to feel guilty. ‘We’ll put it in the cupboard under the stairs,’ he said. ‘You won’t hear it there. And then I’ll go back to Miss Ingledew and ask her for the key.’

      They dragged the bag downstairs and hid it behind a pile of old clothes Benjamin’s mother had dumped in the cupboard. When they’d closed the door, Runner Bean stood beside the stairs howling mournfully. Benjamin could only stop him by saying ‘Walkies!’ very loudly.

      It was getting dark but there was still no sign of Benjamin’s parents. Benjamin seemed more resigned than upset. ‘I’ll make my own cake,’ he said. And he did. It was a chocolate sponge and he stuck ten candles in the top, and then he and Charlie sang ‘Happy Birthday’. The cake was a bit crumbly but very good.

      It was half past seven when Charlie looked at his watch. He knew he should be going home, but he didn’t want to leave Benjamin alone, not on his birthday. So he stayed another hour, and they played hide and seek with Runner Bean, who was brilliant at it.

      At half past eight, Benjamin’s parents still hadn’t come home, so Charlie decided to take his friend back for one of Maisie’s hot meals. There was only one egg and a pint of milk left in Benjamin’s fridge.

      ‘How was the party?’ asked Maisie, when two boys and a dog walked in.

      ‘Great,’ said Charlie, ‘but we’re still a bit hungry.’

      ‘There was a peculiar boy round here a couple of hours ago,’ said Maisie. ‘He was pretending to be an old man but anyone could see he was a boy. He said you’d got some case of his mixed up in the wrong bag and he wanted it back. Well, I looked in your room but all I could find was a bag of shoes. The boy was very put out. He wouldn’t believe me. A nasty piece of work, he was. Now you two run off, while I get some food on the table.’

      Outside the kitchen door, Charlie whispered, ‘Don’t tell anyone about the bag, and specially not the case.’

      ‘Why not?’ asked Benjamin.

      ‘Because it was given to me and I feel sort of responsible,’ said Charlie. I think we should keep it safe until we know more about it.’ He decided not to tell Benjamin about Mr Onimous and his cats, just yet.

      At that moment Grandma Bone appeared at the top of the stairs. ‘What’s that dog doing here?’ she said, glaring at Runner Bean.

      ‘It’s Benjamin’s birthday,’ said Charlie.

      ‘So?’ she said coldly.

      Runner Bean barked up at her and before she could say anything more, Charlie dragged Benjamin back into the kitchen.

      ‘Grandma Bone’s in a mood,’ Charlie told Maisie.

      ‘Isn’t she always?’ said Maisie. ‘She’ll calm down once you’re at Bloor’s.’

      Charlie hadn’t wanted to break this news to Benjamin on his birthday, but now it was out and Charlie felt like a traitor.

      Benjamin stared at him accusingly. ‘What’s Bloor’s?’ he asked.

      ‘It’s a big school near the Heights,’ Charlie explained. ‘I don’t want to go there, Ben.’

      ‘Then don’t.’

      ‘He has to, dear. His mum’s bought the uniform,’ said Maisie. She put two plates of baked beans and sausages on the kitchen table. ‘Now come and eat. It may be your birthday but you look half-starved, Benjamin Brown.’

      Benjamin sat down, but he had lost his appetite. He slipped a sausage to Runner Bean when Maisie wasn’t looking.

      ‘I won’t be going until after half-term,’ Charlie told his friend.

      ‘Oh.’ Benjamin stared at his plate, unsmiling.

      Unfortunately, Charlie’s mother chose that moment to walk in with Charlie’s pyjamas. ‘No more patched pyjamas for you, Charlie,’ she said. ‘The Yewbeams are providing a whole new set of clothes for the academy.’

      ‘Pyjamas?’ Benjamin looked up. ‘Are you going to sleep there?’

      ‘I’ll be back at weekends,’ said Charlie.

      ‘Oh.’ Benjamin shovelled a few beans into his mouth and then stood up. ‘I’d better go home now. Mum and Dad’ll be back.’

      ‘Shall I come . . .?’ Charlie began.

      ‘No. It’s OK. I’ve got Runner.’

      Before Charlie could say another word, Benjamin and Runner Bean walked out. The dog’s tail and ears drooped dejectedly, always a sign that his master was in low spirits.

      ‘Funny boy,’ Maisie remarked.

      ‘I think I ought to see if he’s OK,’ said Charlie. ‘After all, it is his birthday.’

      But when he opened the front door, he was just in time to see Uncle Paton walking away from the house. And this gave Charlie an idea.

      ‘Uncle Paton, can I come with you?’ called Charlie, racing after his uncle.

      ‘Why?’ Paton had stopped to put a large bundle of letters into a post-box.

      ‘Because . . . because . . .’ Charlie caught up with his uncle, ‘Well, I wanted to ask you to come somewhere with me.’

      ‘And where is that?’

      ‘To a bookshop. It’s near the cathedral, and I don’t want to go there on my own – it’s a bit spooky.’

      ‘A bookshop?’ Paton was interested, as Charlie hoped he would be. ‘But, Charlie, even a bookshop will СКАЧАТЬ