Outwitted!
Katie returned to the kitchen. "Miguel, did you get hold of Daniel?" she asked.
"Yes,” Miguel replied. "Daniel says that the police will send someone soon to investigate the traces around the barn.“
„Good. But now we have to look after the animals in the paddock. And of course the piglets. Come on.“ Katie led the children into the yard. Lucky was happy to see them.
„I think you have to apologize to Lucky,“ Tom said. „You told us, that he is no good guard-dog.“
„Yes, I did,“ Katie knelt down in front of Lucky and took his paw in her hand. „Lucky, I officially apologize to you in from of these witnesses. You are an excellent guard-dog. First you discovered the fire and woke us up. And last night you stood guard here in the yard.“
„Will he get a boon as a reward?“ Maria asked.
„It’s bone,“ Miguel said.
„Let’s see, what I can do. But first we have to draw out attention to the piglets and their mum.“
The kids watched while the mother sow ate.
„Wow, she is hungry!“ Maria was impressed.
„If you have to feed that many babies you have to eat properly,“ Katie said.
Lucky started to bark. He raced up to the stable door. Tom ran after him and looked out of the window. „The police are here,“ he shouted and went outside. He returned with two policemen.
„This is a bad story,“ one of the officers said. „Dr. Finch already gave us his statement this morning. We are going to look around the premises.“
„Can I come along?“ Miguel asked.
„And me too?“ Tom shouted out.
„Okay,“ Katie said. „But don’t get in the officers’ way! In the meantime we’ll go to the paddock and take care of the cows.“
Miguel pointed out the empty petrol can to the policemen. There were no footprints, because the ground was wet from the water used to extinguish the fire.
Suddenly Lucky started to bark again. He barked towards the path behind the paddock. They noticed a jeep driving away.
„Go and arrest them!“ Tom shouted, „they started the fire.“
„It’s not that easy. We need the number plate. And we need evidence.“
„There are finger prints on the petrol can,” Miguel said.
„Yes, but many people have touched the can in the meantime. We can no longer get anything from that.“
„Okay, then we will try and find out the number plate,“ Miguel said.
„You better be careful, children. You are too young for police work,“ one officer said.
We’ll see about that, thought Miguel.
The policemen got into their car and drove off. The boys joined the others in the paddock. While they told them what the police had said, the jeep re-appeared at the fence. They had only waited for the police to leave, thought Miguel. Then he had an idea. „Do you have a football, Katie?“
„Yes, in the barn. But how on earth can you think about football now?“
„I’ve just thought, how we could find out the number plate without them noticing.“
Miguel got the ball. „Listen, everybody. We are going to pretend we’re playing football. While we do this, we’ll get closer and closer to the path. One of us will kick the ball over the fence. I’ll climb over and take a close look at the number plate while I retrieve the ball.“
„I’m not sure, it sounds a bit dangerous," Katie said.
„Do you have a better idea?“ Miguel asked.
Katie shook her head. The kids formed two teams. Katie was the referee. They started to play and drove the ball closer and closer to the fence. The men in the jeep watched them.
„Now!“ Miguel shouted and Tom kicked the ball past him over the fence. The twins pretended they were scolding Tom. Lucky got excited with all the screaming and barked. Miguel took advantage of the chaos. While the two men were distracted he climbed the fence and memorized the number plate. Then he threw the ball back onto the field. He climbed back over the fence and whispered the number plate to Katie. The match resumed. The men had not noticed anything. Now the children played the ball back to the stable and around it. When they could not longer see the men they cheered and hugged each other.
„Outwitted,“ Sarah cheered.
„Brilliant!" Jane exclaimed.
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