Ben and the Spider Gate Page 4

  Jess grinned. ‘Oh, yes, please!’

  They were both happy when Saturday morning turned out bright and sunny, but it was very cold. Ben’s mum had picked up Jess, and at eleven o’clock Jess and Ben were sitting at the kitchen table drinking milk and eating some of Gran’s little cakes. Ben’s dad was in the shed mending one of the bird feeders. Ben opened the back door and called to him.

  ‘Dad! Dad! Can we come out and play with Scoot?’

  His dad came out of the shed and looked at the sky. ‘Yes, all right then, but only for half an hour. It’s cold today. Ask Gran to help you to wrap up warmly.’

  Jess and Ben did as they were told and they were soon throwing a ball for Scoot to chase. Scoot was very excited and ran round and round, barking and wagging his tail. Ben threw the ball towards the gate and watched as it rolled underneath the hedge. He looked at Jess and they both ran after Scoot who was chasing the ball.

  ‘Shall we look now, Jess?’ Ben asked. ‘It’s the best chance we have. I put my torch in my pocket so we can see properly. Are you ready?’

  Jess was too excited to talk so she just nodded. Ben pulled out the ball and threw it so that Scoot would run back up the garden. He knelt down and switched on the torch. Jess knelt down beside him. They looked at each other and then Ben pushed the torch right under the hedge.

  At first they couldn’t see anything. It seemed as though the cave had disappeared. Then Ben nudged Jess and said, ‘Look! Right at the back by the big stone.’

  Jess looked and gasped. The torch beam was shaking but they could both see something shining in the light. It was there. It was in one piece. The spider gate had been fixed. Ben wasn’t sure but he thought he could see something moving behind the gate. Maybe it was Lox. Maybe it was just a shadow.

  Ben and Jess walked slowly back up the garden path. They didn’t want to play ball any more. They wanted to talk about what they’d just seen. As they passed the garden shed Ben looked up to his bedroom window and saw his gran waving to him. She smiled and she winked at him.

  Ben waved back. Maybe Gran really did know everything!

  Ben’s Birthday Wish Rhyme

  Red, orange, yellow,

  green, purple, blue.

  Please make my birthday

  wish come true.

  Ben and the Spider Prince

  Lox and the Spider Wizard need Ben’s help again, but can Ben find the special ingredients in time to make the magic potion to cure the Spider Prince’s illness? Will Gran tell Ben a secret that will keep him safe from Spindra, the evil sister of the Spider Queen?

  ‘Now then,’ Gran said, ‘what’s this important thing you want to talk about?’

  Ben wriggled in his seat. ‘Do you remember the story that I told you last year about the spider gate and the magpies?’ Gran nodded her head. ‘Well, it wasn’t a story. It really happened. I don’t know how I became small. I just fell asleep in the garden and when I woke up I was little! You do believe me, don’t you?’

  Gran patted his hand. ‘Of course I do. I knew all along.’

  Ben’s mouth fell open. ‘How did you know? Why didn’t you say anything?’

  ‘Slow down.’ Gran laughed out loud. ‘I have a lot to tell you, but you must promise to keep it a secret.’

  Find out more in April 2016