11. Action!

“George is coming towards us,” Aunt Zaza said, with a gasp.

“You can warn us when the forester is coming,” George said to Aunt Zaza.  “And Igrene, you keep a strict eye on Aunt Zaza.”

“I will shout, ‘Bag man’ when I see the forester,” said Aunt Zaza.

George trotted back to the cage.

The forester was already in sight.  He was whistling a happy tune, carrying a wooden crate.

Igrene groaned, “He is almost here.  We are too late.”

“Oh!  What must I do!” wailed Aunt Zaza.

“Shout your warning!” yelled Igrene.

Aunt Zaza spread her feet wider apart to steady herself.  “Er, what was I going to shout?  Ah yes – “Bag man!” she yelled loudly.

George was already watching the forester reach for the latch.

“Action all!” yelled George Hedgehog.

Molly, Mortimer and Mippy tugged on the string around the latch.  As the latch lifted, George Hedgehog leapt between the forester's legs and pushed the cage door open.

The swallows had fetched Mrs Fazzi from the glade.  With six swallows she flew down from a tree and they flapped around the forester's face.

At the same time the four young hedgehogs leapt out from hiding and ran squealing around behind the forester.

Aunt Zaza spread her feet yet further apart.

Igrene fell over Aunt Zaza’s feet and yelled, “Oops!”

In the turmoil Mr. Fazzi sprang out of the open door, and the forester grabbed at him too late.  The forester was left with just a tail feather.

Mr Fazzi flew up and circled above them laughing, “CAWR, CAWR, CAWR!”  That hedgehog has toppled over again.  “AH!”

Mrs Fazzi, flying beside him, scolded, “You should thank them all for rescuing you.”

Mr Fazzi flew overhead again.  “I thank you all for your wonderful help,” he said.

Then the Fazzi birds flew away.

The forester had seen the moles in the chicken coop. “I will get rid of the last of you!” he snarled.

“Operation forester!” shouted Mr Mole.

“Action!” replied George Hedgehog stepping inside the coop.

They picked up the sack and pulled it across the forester’s legs.  The forester tripped over it and fell flat on his face in the cage.

As the forester’s chin hit the ground, the moles dived out through the hole under the wire netting and ran to the hedge.

“I will find you,” yelled the forester, shaking his fist.