The kids were horrified to learn there wouldn't be any more Dervla days for a while.
"Have we been bad?" Ethan wept.
"No Ethan, Dervla's been bad. She's having puppies. So she shan't have her walks."
"But Mr Keogh surely that's a good thing, puppies?" Lofty said, puzzled.
"Ben-" Mr Keogh tried to explain this, "She's a special breed of dog but she's – um – been to bed with another one. So I can't sell her puppies because nobody would buy them. I live on a houseboat. Imagine four or five young puppies running around there. They'd sink the boat and Dervla and I would be drowned in our sleep."
Mr Keogh was exaggerating but to him the problem of the puppies was very real.
"Please Mr Keogh, I bet our Alison would have one" Zoe told him, "She doesn't want a posh puppy, just a puppy. And she'd pay."
"Zoe if she takes one of Dervla's puppies, she can have it for free."
The kids all promised to ask around and see who'd take in a puppy. Lofty knew he'd have to be very careful about asking his mum.
"Mum, if something was free would one of your friends have it?"
"Stop talking in silly riddles, Ben, I'm running late and your dad's still in bed because he's working later. Now just get ready for school."
"Would one of your friends want a free puppy? Mr Keogh's big dog's having some but they're mixed up because she's slept with a Labrador."
"Shut up Ben. Nobody thinks you're funny."
Jacob had a better result the next day.
"My Auntie Mollie says she'll have one, Mr Keogh."
Mr Keogh was quite moved by the class's efforts to help. As a result, while ever the vet said it was safe, Dervla days were reinstated.
Meanwhile, Mrs Beauchamp had contacted the New Theatre. She had good news on the week before the auditions.
"The director at the New Theatre agrees with me that it's wrong to bar girls, so anybody who wants can try for Baby Bear next week. Louise, I know you want to put your name down."
"I don't, Mrs Beauchamp. I don't like acting. But I had to speak up for the girls."
"Well, top marks for that, Louise. Who else?"
Robyn hesitated.
"Um… Mrs Beauchamp, can Baby Bear be fat?"
"You're NOT fat!" Lofty shouted, then apologised for shouting out.
"You're excused, Ben, because Robyn certainly isn't fat. Want to try, Robyn?"
Robyn grinned and nodded.
The boys were a little put out because now there would be even more competition, but knew if they spoke up it would make them Male Showbusiness Pigs.
Zax made a new ruling that playtime.
"If a girl gets Baby Bear, Sharpie can sit on the throne instead of on Snap's knee. It it's a boy Snap can have the throne and Sharpie can sit on the table."
Mrs Beauchamp had a new announcement to make; the kids thought she might because she and Miss Freeman were locked in Mrs Beauchamp's study for…oh, simply forever! – so they weren't surprised to hear they were wanted in the assembly hall.
"Okay, this is the news you've been waiting for. Auditions for Baby Bear will take place on Thursday at the New Theatre at 10am. You all need to wear something comfortable, dance shoes or trainers, and don't have a big breakfast because you have to move and dance. Okay?"
The kids looked at each other in total panic. So soon?
"Come on, you can do this!"
"If we can't have a big breakfast on Thursday I'm gonna stuff myself crazy at the firework party on Wednesday night."
"Better not, Ethan, you don't want to wake up feeling stodgy do you?"
The firework party was a huge success. Every child had been asked to contribute some food. Mrs Hanna had sent the most tasty- looking home-made quiche, there were mini sausages that the teachers would toast over the fire, there were jacket potatoes and a big dish of salad, and Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman had been hard at it in the kitchen the night before. They'd also found time to make some bonfire toffee. Cal, as a VIP ex-Mixed Infant, had been invited and had brought parkin and flapjack that he'd helped make in cookery class.
Lofty was ashamed.
"Ben, we know your mum works. And bottled water's great, you've bought enough for everybody there! We'll need to drink as well as eat."
Lofty smiled at Max but then Ethan the tactless said:
"Pepsi would have been better. You could have bought that!"
"Hey, we haven't a Guy! Shall we put Snap on the fire?" asked Cal, knowing this would change the subject. It did, and also proved that Ethan could still scream for England.