Money to Burn

at three o'tlrttk this afternottn. utasa ntbberyne.trP(trtsr,louth Sonremcn put a tree on the road and stopp(d a scrurity uan. They took half a ntillionpounds.' F{rlf a rnillion pounds is on thc road to London. But it will never get there. Petra, Harry, George and Andy are waiting, and thcy're going to take the rnoney with thenr. And nobody's going to stop thenr. Mtltor/i,. But, then, they don't kr-rou'Mark and Zoe, the childrcn on the farm frfty kilonrctres away. When thcy stop at thc farnr, the,vrvill rnect thcm - and Topaz the horsc too! in the west John Escott was born in a srnall town in Sonre'rset, of England. He no'*' lives with his wife in Bourncrnouth, in Dorsct, by the seain thr'south of England. He is the writcr of many books, and many oi these are detective stories. Most of them are about people living in the south and west of Eng!;rnd.Portsmouth is a city not too far fronr his homc. John savshe sometimesthinks of the namc of a book first, and then the story. This happened with lv[oncy to Burn. Whcn John is not rvriting, hc likcs walking by the sea. 'Tlu're

lr

14,

.la ift.
*6
To the teacher: In addition to all the language forms of l-evel One, which are used again at this level of the series,the main verb tbrms and tenses used at Level Two are: o common irregular forms of past simple verbs, goilg ro (for prcdiction and to state intention) and common phrasal verbs o modal verbs: u,ill and won't (to express willingness) and must(to expressobligation or necessity). Also used are: o adverbs: irrcgular adverbs of place and time o prepositions: of movement, furthcr prepositions and prepositional phrases of place and time o adjectives:comparisd:r of sirnilar:s (as . . . as) and of dissimmilars (-er than, the . . . -estinf of, more and most. . .) e conjunctions: -io (consequences), because(reasons), brfonl afte rI when (for sequencing) o indirect speech(statements). Specific attention is paid to vocabulary dcvelopment in the Vocabulary \ffork cxercisesat the end of .the book. These exercises are aimed at training studentsto enlargetheir vocabulary systematically through intelligent reading and effective use of a dictionary. further adverbs oi

"("

Money to Burn
JOHN ESCOTT
Level z SeriesEditor: Derek Strange

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DCNATEDBY

8885l]*'il,-

To the stadent:

Dictionary Words: . some words in this book are darker black than others. Look them up in your dictionary or try to understand them without a dictionary first, and then look them up later.

PENGUIN BOOKS

I
PEN(]UIN BOOKS bY the Penguin(!rouP Published W8 5TZ, England Penguin Books Ltd. 27 Wrights Lane' Lon<i<rrr USA Hudson Strcct, New York, Ncw York 1l.X)14' Penguin Books USA lnc., -175 PenguinBooks AustraliaLtd, Ringwood' Victoria, Australia Penguin Books CanadaLtd, 10 Alcorn Avenue' Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM4V 382 Pcnguin Books (NZ) Ltd, 1tJ2 190 Wairau Road, Auckland 10' New Zealand Penguin Books Ltd, RcgistcredOffices:Harmondsworth, Middlcsex, England First publishedby PenguinBooks 1993 13579108642 Text copyright @John Escott 1993 Illustrations copyright Q Kay Dircy 1993 All rights reserved Thc nroral right ofthe author and ofthe illustratorhasbeen assertcd Typcsetby Drtix IntcrnationalLimrted. Bungay, Suffolk Bcnrbo Set in l2/l4pt LasercomP Printedin England by Clays Ltd, St lvesplc of AInerica, Except in the United States to the conditton this book is sold subJect that it shallnor, by way oftrade or otherwise, be lent. resold,hired out, o. othcr*'ise circulated in any forrn of prior consen( without the publisher's binding or cover other than that in which it is publishedand without a similar condition including this condition berng inrposed on the subsequent Purchas.r

Before you read L o o k a t t h e p i c t u r ea n d a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s .

Whattime of yeardo you thinkit is?Summer or winter? =: :

-n

Whichof the following thingscan yousee in the picture? a achurch b acar c a youngwoman d a man wea.ringa hat e abus 3 Thereis a tree acrossthe small road.Can a car get by it?

,f*3 Vsg-/

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W h a t d o y o u t h i n k i s g o i n g t o h a p p e nn e x t ? Do you think this story is going to be: b' an exciting storY? a a sad storY? c a stor4 to make You laugh?

Chapter One ROBBERY! It is a wet afterhoon in November, and the winds are strong. On a road ncar the river, three men are cutting down a tree. When thc tree is down, they pull it on to thc road and then go to wait behind some other trees. Thcir red car is near thenr, ready to drive away quickly. It is a srnall,quiet road. A hundred metres away, a woman called Petra is watching the big road from the city. She is waiting for a blue security van. Ncxt to Petra, there is a sign across t h e r o a d n e a r t h e r i v e r . I t s a y s :R o A D c r o s s n . T h e srrong winds push over the sign, and Petra puts it back again. 'Where's the security van? she thinks. Perhapsit's late bccauscthe storm is bad. the tree, ready She looks along the quiet road and sees to stop the van. Harry and George and Andy are behind the other trees. Nothing must go wrong, thinks Petra. Two cars slow down, ready to turn into the road by the river. Then they seethe RoAD cLosED sign and go on. Petra smiles. They think it's closed because of the weather, she ihinks. She starts to walk up and down irr the rain. Her face and hair are wet. and she is cold. Petra

J-

is not afraid, but she does not iike waiting. She is tr.venty-five years old. Older than Andy, but not as old as Harry and George. Suddenly, Petra hearssomething. Shc looks along thc big road and seesthe blue security van coming- Shc q u i c k l y m o v e s t h e n o A D c L O S E Ds i g n a w a y , t h e n s h e runs along by the river to the other three men. 'lt's coming!' sheshouts. hinr throw Harry is srnoking a cigaretteand Pctra secs it in the river. George puts a hand in his coat and pulls out a gun. 'Nearly threc o'clock,' he Andy looks at his watch. 'It's late.' He looks afraid. says. a The sccurity van is taking money to the Bank of Engiand. The money is old and drrty banknotes. They are going to be burned. There are two men in the security van. one of them driving. 'The storm is getting worse,' the cirivcr savs. The othcr man looks at the trees blowing in thc 'I strong wind. think you're right,' hc says. The blue van turns into the road ncar the river. The driver sees the trce on thc road and startsto slow dorvn. 'Do you think the wind blew that tree down, Frank?' he says. 'Yes,' 'Stay in the van, Charlie. says the other man. PerhapsI can move it.' He opensthe door andjumps down from the van. Then he walks across to the tree and tries to push it off the road. 'lt's too heavy!' he shouts.

Threemen run outfrom behindthe treesby the road. They arecarryittggutts.

Charlie opcns his door and conresto help. Three men run out from behind the trees by the road. They are carrying guns. a Fifty kilometres away, a girl and a boy are coming 'Ihe girl is fourteen home from school on their bikcs. years old and her name is Zoe Harper. The boy is her brother, and his name is Mark. He is twelve. They are going along a small roaci bctween two lines of trees. It is difficult trying to stay on the bikes in the strong wind. 'I don't like storrns,' shoutsZoe. Mark does not hear her. All he hears is the wind. The two childrcn live on a farrtr,, two kilometres from their school. Usually it does not take very long to get horne, but the storm is making them late. lt is half past three. They turn a corner and see the farm. A light is on in the farm house. Zoe seesher mother by the kitchen window but her father is outside. He is trying to put up a fence, but the wind is blowing it down again. 'Let's help Dad,' saysZoe, getting off her bike. They put thcir bikes inside the old barn. When they come out again, they see a tree begin to come down near the fence. 'Dad!' 'Look shoutsZoe. out!' She seesher father start to move awav. but he is too late. The tree comes down on him. Zoe runs acrossfrom the barn. She hears her mother 'Ted! come out of the house shouting, Ted!' Mark is running now.

|r

Zoe sees to ffioueaway, but he is too late. herfather start The treecomes down on him.

10

Mr Harper tries to push the tree away, and his wife and children help him. There is blood on his face. 'My arm - l' he shouts when they pull the trce off him. 'Did the tree break your arm?' saysMrs Harper. 'Yes, I I think it did,' saysher husband. They hclp hirn rn,alkto thc house and they all go into the kitchcn. 'You must go to the hospital,Ted,' saysMrs Harper. She washesthc blood off his face. 'I can drive you.' 'OK,' saysMr Harper. He looks out of the window. 'Driving is dangerousin this weather.' 'The children can stay here,' saysMrs Harper. Jean is coming soon.' Jean Fisher is a friend. Shc-is coming ro stay with the Harper family. 'Yes, we can stayhere,' saysZoe.'!fc'rc not afraid.' Mark looks at her. He is afraid, thinks Zoe, but he's not telline Mum.

Chapter Two HALF A MILLION POUNDS!

The rain is heavy and it is difficult to seealong the road. Thc red car moves slowly. The three mcn are inside, the woman is driving. She is trying to seethrough the rain. 'Can't you go faster?'saysGeorge. He is sitting in the front next to Petra. 'No, I can't,' says Petra. 'The rain s gettlng worse every minute.'

The woman is driuing. She is trying to seethroughthe rain.

'-We have to get to London,' saysGeorge. 'I 'There's don't like this,'saysPetra. a lot of water on the road. It's difficult to drive.' 'Perhaps it's better on the smaller roads,' says Andy from the back seat. Petra turns off the big road, but there is more water 'It's flooded,' she says. The car on the smaller road. ''We moves very slowly through the water. must find a placeto stop.' The men say nothing for a minute, then Harry says, -We 'Yeah, Petra'sright. can't get to London today.' ''Where can we stop?'asksGeorge. 'I don't know,' saysPetra. George looks at his watch, then puts the car radio on. '. and he's coming-from America, next week,' says a woman on the radio. 'There was a robberynear Portsmouth at threeo'clockthis afternoon. Somenrenput a treeon van. They took half a million the roadand stopped a security - old and dirty banknotes poundsin banknotes to be burnedat the Bank of England. The police are lookingfor rhreemen guns and aredangerous. and a u,omanin a redcar. They haue 'The weatheris gettingworse.Many roads arefooded,and policearc askingdriversto stdyat lrcme. .' ''We're 'Half rich!' Andy. a million pounds!'says 'Yeah, and all old banknotes,' savsHarry. He is thinking about the four large black bags in the back of the 'I laughing. car. alwaysliked old things,' he says, 'The police know thc colour of this car,' saysGedrge. ''W'e're going to have to get a different one.' 'And we're going to have to find a place to stop,' says 'Driving Petra. is dangerousin this weather.' 'Where are we?' asksAndy.

'I

don't know,' savsPetra. She is tired.

a'

At the farn, Zoe hears the phone. She goesto answer it. 'Hallo?' shesays. 'Is that Zoe?' says the woman on the phone. ,This is Jean Fishcr. Can I speakto your Murn?' 'Mum's at the hospital with Dad,' says Zoe. ,Dad had an accident.' ''What happened?'asks Jean Fisher. Zoe tells her about the rree and her Dad's arm. 'They're coming back later,' she says. 'Are you corning soon?' 'No,' saysJean Fisher. 'I phoned to tell you. The weather is bad and the roads arc fioodcd. I can't get ro the farm roday.' Zoe rs looking at Mark. He is watching her speakinto the phonc. What arn I going to tcll him? she thinks. When he hearsthatJcan Fishercan't cone, hc's going to be afraid. 'Whcn are you coming?' sheasksJean Fisher. 'Tomorro'uv,' says the woman. '\Yhen the weather is better.' 'OK, see you then,' says Zoe. She puts down the phone. 'Who was that?'asks Mark. Fisher Zoe. ,' says Jean 'Is she coming soon?' he asks. 'She's going to be a little late,' saysZoe.

14

Chapter Three THE ROBBERS ARRIVE

'Look over there, a kilometre or two acrossthc fields,' 'A saysGeorge. house!' Petra and the others iook acrossthe flooded fields. It is nearly half past four and thc afternoon is getting darker. 'It's a farm house,' she Pctra seesa light in a window. 'There's light. Somebody'sthere.' a says. 'They're going to be 'That's laughs Andy. OK,' pleased to seeus. 'And 'Yeah,' perhaps they've 5otsome says Harry. food. I'm hungry.' 'We ''We'tre can havc someall hungry,' saysGeorge. thing to eat and stay there tonight.' Petra turns the car into the next road and goes down to the iarm.
'r{

Zoe and Mark are watching the TV. A man is talking about a robbery from a securityvan. 'That's lot 'Half a of a rnillion pounds!' says Mark. F{ow monev. And all of it old banknotes, to be burned. exciting!' 'That's 'It not happened near Portsmouth,' says Zoe. far from here. Wherc arc the robbers now?' 'lt 'Perhaps thcy'rc going to London,' savs Mark. only takestwo hours by car.' The weather's bad, thinks Zoe. Perhapsthey can't get to London in this storm. But she does not want Mark to be afraid, so she saysnothing.

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Petraand the others look across the,floodedfelds . . .,It's a house,, she says. farm

16

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Mark goes to thc window and looks out. .Do you think the hotses arc OK?' he says. 'Brownie doesn't like storms.' 'I forgot all about them!' says Zoe. ,After Da<J,s accident,I forgot to go and seeTopaz. Let's go and look now.' Topaz is Zoe's horse. She likes to go acrossthe fielcis and along the roads near the farm on him. Mark has a smaller horse called Brownie. They put on their coats and go oucside.The wind is not so strong now and it is not raining so hard. The two of them run acrossto the stables, looking at the flooded fields. Did Mum and Dad ger ro the hospital OK? thinks Zoe. There are three horsesin the stables:Topaz, Brownie, and a big white horse called Mercury. Mercury is Zoe's father's horse. 'Hallo, Topaz,' says Zoe. 'l'nr sorry I forgot about you.' She puils his ear becauseshe knows he likes her to do this. Then she puts an ann round hinr and thc horse moves closerto her. 'ls Brownie OK?'she asks Mark. 'Yes,' saysMark. 'Let's have a look at Mercury,' saysZoe. The big white horse is pleasedro seeZoe and moves across to her. Suddenlv, the animal stops and turns its head to the door. 'What is it, Mercury?' saysZoe.,Did you heano-"_"' thing?' She listensand hearsthe sound of a car. 'Mum and Dad are back!' says Mark, running across 'That to the door of rhe stables. was quick.,

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'Perhaps they didn't get through the flooded roads,' 'Perhaps they didn't get to the saysZoc, following hirn. hospital.' She seesthc car coming down the road to thc 'That's not Dad's car.' farm. 'Perhapsit'sJcan Fisher,' saysMark. 'No, it's not,' says Zoc. Suddenly, she is afraid. 'Go back into the stables,'she tells Mark, pushing him in front of her. ''What's wrong?' asks Mark. Now he is looking afraid. 'I I don't know,' saysZoe. She watches the car get closer to the farm house. It is red. It stops near the house and three mcn and a woman get out. 'A 'What did the man on TV say earlier?'saysZoe. rcd car?' 'Yes, it was red. And three men and a wonran were in 'They they're the robit,' says Mark, looking afraid. bers! What are we going to do?'

Chapter Four HARRY AND THE HORSES

George looks at the farm house, then at the buildings 'Go near it. 'There's a barn cvcr there,' he tells Pctra. 'We and seeif you can get the car in it. don't want this car to be secn.' 'Who can secit here?'saysHarry. 'The police are looking for us, rcmember?' saysAndy. 'And they have helicopters,'saysGcorge.

'.

. . three men and d wontln, ' saysMarle, looking afraid. 'They they're the robbers! What are we goittg to do?'

20

'There's Petra opens the barn doors and looks inside. nothing in here now, but a car was here,' she shouts to 'Perhaps everybody is out.' the others. 'There arc lights on in the house,'saysAndy. 'Let's go and see,'saysGeorge. Petra drives the car into the old barn and the three men go over to the housc. Gcorgc takeshis gun from his coat. Harry does the samc and goes to the fi'ont door. George and Andy go to the back door. They look through the windows but can seenobody in thc kitchen. 'It's all very quiet,' saysAndy. 'Is anyGeorge opens the back door and goes inside. he body here?' shouts. 'Look!' saysAndy. He seessome blood on the floor. 'Somebody had an accidcnt.' 'Perhaps they've gone to the George goes to look. 'Perhaps they had to leavequickly. Go hospital,'he says. and let Harry in through the front door.' Andy goes through to the front of the house and Petra comes in the back door. 'l've put the car in the barn and shut the doors,' she 'There'sno other car hcrc.' says. 'W'e 'Nobody's think they've gonc here,' saysGeorge. 'Somebody to the hospital.' Hc shows Pctra the blood. had an accident.' 'There's a tree down over near the fence,' Petra tells 'Perhaps somebodywas undcr it.' him. 'Andy's Harry conles frorn the front of the house. gone to look in the other rooms,' he says. 'There's nobody in the barn, but there are stables outside,'saysPctra. 'Go and look round them, Harry,' saysGeorge.

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saysAndy. He sees someblobdon the floor. 'Sonrebody had an accident.,

22

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'I don't like horses,'saysHarry. 'Do it!'Georgc tellshim. 'OK,'says Harry, and he goesout of the back door. 'What about the money?' asksPetra. 'It can stay in the car,' says George. ''Wc can get it aftcr we've had something to eat. Let's find some food.' The two of thcm startopening cupboards.
o

Mark is watching frorn che doors of the stables.He sees Harry come out of the house. 'Somebody's corningl' he savs,moving back from the 'It's door. onc of the rnen.' 'l can see him,' says Zoe quietly, looking over his head. The horses have hcard sornebody coming, roo. Thev are moving around and making sounds.Zoe goes over to them, Mark fbllorving hc'r. 'Be quiet!' Zoc tells Topaz, but the horse doesn't listen to her. 'What can we dc?' Mark says.'The man is going to find us.' Zoe thinks for a minute, then she says,'Get down on the floor, Topaz.' She hits him on the back, and the 'Get horse sits down on the floor of the stables. down on the floor behir-rd Topaz,'she tellsMark. 'Quickly!' Marks sits down on the floor and Zoe gets down next to him. 'Dorl't move,' Zoe tells her brothcr. 'They can't see us from the door.' She puts a hand on hcr horse. 'And pleasedon't get up, Topaz. We don't want rhe rnan to find us in here.' A minute later, Harry comes into tire stables.Topaz gives a litde jump bur he doesn'r srand up. Harry is

house.

quickly. back!, he tells the horse. ,Go away!' The horse is getting closer and closer. Harry quickly shuts the door of the stablesand runs back to the

rrrOVCS away

here.' The big white horse comes across to him. Harrv 'Get

afraid. He doesn't like animals, and he doesn,t like to be near horses. He's afraid of them. He lights a cigaretre with his lighter and looks round the siables, sti-nding near the door. 'I'm not going in therc,' he says quietly. .There's nobody in the place, only horses. I can see that from

Chapter Five THE HELICOPTER

When everything is quiet again, Mark and Zoe gef up from the floor. 'k's lucky he doesn.t like horsef, ,"u, Zoc. 'What can \^/edo now?' asksMark. ''We must get the police,' sayshis sister. 'But the phonc is in the house,'saysMark. ,.Wc can,c u s ei t . ' 'We musr do something!' says Zoe. .Whcre did thev put the car?In the barn?' 'Yes,' saysMark. 'Why?' 'Perhaps there'sa phone in the car,' saysZoe. 'Perhaps there is!'saysMark. ,Let'sgo and see., 'No, you stay here,' saysZoe. ,l can go. I don't want . them to catch me and vou.'

24

25

I I
"-:----ll-. Illu-f .-if ,t-, , -

Mark.'But be careful.' Zoe looks round the door of the stables and sees thc mcn and Harry going back inside the house. She sees food frorn taking are kitchen. They in the woman the the cupboards and putting it on the table. Zoe is angry' That's our food thcy're takingl shc thinks. She is going out of the door when she puts her foot on something. Something small and hard on the floor' Zoe looks down. It is a lighter . . . but her father and mother don't smoke. That nran uscd it to light a cigarette, she thinks. It's It can start a fire. dangerousto light cigarertesin stables. She picks up the lighter and puts it in her jcans' Zoe moves carefully along the outside of the stables. She looks acrossto the house, but nobody is looking out of the window. Moving quickly and quietiy, Zoe runs to the barn. The barn doors are shut but she oPens one and goesinside, then she shutsit again. The red car is standing in the centre of the floor. Zoe opens the driver's door and sits in the front. She iooks for a phone but there isn't one. PerhapsI can drive the car, she thinks. I can get Mark, and we can drive into the town and get the police. I've seenDad and Mum drive, I know I can do it. But there is no key to start the car. Then Zoe hears somebody talking outside. She gcts out of the car and goes to the barn door. opening it a little. She looks out and seesthe woman and one of the to the stables. men walking across ''When 'Georgeis angry with you,' the woman is saying. he tells us to do something, he likes us to do it, Harry.' Zoe looksdown. It is a lighter. Shepicks up the lighter and puts it in herjeans.

'OK,'says

26

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'Yeah? OK, you look round the stables,' the man says. 'I'm not going inside with those horses.' 'I The woman laughs. didn't know you were afraid of animals,' she says. 'Only horses,' says the man. He doesn't like the 'And woman laughing at him. you can look for my 'I lighter,' he tells her. think I lost it in the stables.' 'Anything you say, Harry,' the woman says,laughing again. Zoe watches the woman go into the stables,and the man walking up and down outside. Some minutes later, she hears somebody shout. The shout comes from inside the stables. It's Mark! thinks Zoe. 'I The woman comes out, pulling Mark behind her. 'but didn't find your lighter,' she tells the man, I found 'Are this boy.' She turns to Mark. there any other children here?' 'N-no,'says 'Only Mark. me.' ''Where are your mother and father?' asksHarry. 'But 'They're at the hospital,' says Mark. they're coming back soon.' 'No, not soon,' says the woman, smiling. It's not a 'The nice smile. roads are flooded.' 'Let's get him into the house,'saysHarry. They push Mark over to the back door ofthe farm house. ''Who's this?' asks George when Petra and Harry come in with the boy. 'We saysPetra. found him in the stables,' ''What's your nanle, boy?' asksGeorge. 'Mark,' says Mark. He looks round the room. Are they going to kill me? he thinks.

'Who's this?'

in asksGeorge when Petraand Harry come with the boy.

28

'We thought you all went ro rhe hospiral,' saysAndy. 'Only Mum and Dad went,'saysl14"rP. 'ls that right?' says Andy. He comes close and pulls Mark over to him. 'Where's your sister?' 'S-sistcr?' 'I saysMar:k. haven't got a sister.' Andy hits him acrossthe face. 'Yes, you have! There are two bedrooms, and one is full of girls' things.' 'Sheshe'saway,' saysMark. 'So you haue got a sister,'saysHarry. Mark doesn't say anything. He docsn't want them to fnd Zoe. Did she find a phone in the car?he thinks. Are the police coming? 'Look round the place again,' George tells Petra and 'Leave the two men. the boy with me. And bring thc money in here.' 'l'll get it,' savsHarry. He doesn't want to go back to the stables and the horses. 'I'll look round the othcr rooms again,'saysAndy. 'Be quick,'George tellsthem. a Zoe can sce Mark in the kitchcn with thc men and rhc wornan. Are they going to make Mark tcll thern about me? she thinks. Wherc can I go? I don'r want them to find nre. She looks round the barn. Then she looks up at the rr:'of. 'l-lr':re is another floor a few metres below the roof. A ladder goes up to a small door, and the door opens on to it. SornetimesZoe goes up there when she wants to read a book or to be in a quiet place. Zoe goesup the ladder now. She moves quickly. She can hear somebody coming over to the barn. When she

Zoe goesup the ladder now, Shemoves quicbly. Shecan comingouerto the barn. hearsomebody

30

is on the floor above. Zoe looks down and seesthe barn door open. Harry comes into the barn and looks round. He doesn't look up at the roof. Then he goes to the car and opens the back door. He starts to take out one of the large black bags,but he hears a sound and stops.''Whar's that?' Harry says. Zoe can hear the sound, too. There is a small window in the roof of the barn and she can see the sky above. And she can seesomething moving in the sky, too. It's a helicoytter!she rhinks. Perhapsthe people in the helicopter are looking at che trees the storm has blown down. Perhaps they're looking to see if they can help any car drivers or other people in flooded houses. Harry waits in the barn. When the sound of the helicoptcr dies away, he lcaves the black bags near thc car and runs across to thc house. 'That Petra is running from thc stables. was the policel' sheshoutsto Harry. Zoe hearsher. The police! she thinks, looking through the window in the roof of the barn. How can I let them 'What know I'm here? can I do?

'They're looking for us, George,' says Harry. 'The woman on the radio said theY were.' 'Get away frorn the window!'says George. 'Do you think they saw the car?'asks Andy. 'It's in the barn, remember?' says Petra. 'The police can't seethrough doors!' ''Where'sthc money?' asksGeorge. 'In the barn,' saysHarry. 'Why didn't you bring it in here?' says George' angrily. 'l - heard the heiicopter and was airaid,' saysHarry' I His face goes rvhite and he quickly nloves awav from 'They're looking for us, George' I know the window. they arc!' 'The police don't knorv wc're here,' Pctra tells hirn' 'All they can see is a farm house, and it's already quite dark.' 'Why don't we get away 'I don't like it,' says Harry. -' from here?The weather is better now. The roads 'The police know ''We stay herel' George tells him. 'Wc have to gct another'' che colour of that car. ''When the boy's mother and father come back from the hospital, we can take their car,' saysAndy' 'Yeah, that's right,' saYS Gcorge. 'I'tn 'But not tonight we're staying here" saysPetra' driving to London tonight. Perhapsthe roads are bcttcr, but I'm tired.' 'W'e're George. all tired,' saYs a Zoe is coming quietly down the ladder in the barn' The police are in the helicopter, but they don't know those

Chapter Six FIRE ! Petra and Harry run into the house. They all stand without moving, listening to the helicopter flying over the house again. Harry looks out of the window at it. The word pot.rcE is on the helicopter.

32

33

robbers are here, she thinks. I must tell them. I must make them see that something is wrong. How can I do that? She walks acrossthe barn to the door. Carefully, she looks out. She can see the kitchen window. and the wornan and the threc men inside the hor"rse. She can see Mark sitting on a chair by the table. He's afraid, she thinks. She looks up at the sky. Is the helicopter coming back again soon? What can I do? I know! I can start a fire so that they can seesomething is wrong! What can I burn? Everything is wet after the storm. Zoe looks round the barn and sees the black bags near the back of the car. She opens one and finds it is full of old and dirty banknotes. The money from the robbery! thinks Zoe. She takes some of the money from the bag and looks at it. The man on thc TV said the Bank of England burns old banknotes.She smiles.So why don't l burn them? Working quickly, Zoe pulls two of the black bags out of the door and round to the back of the barn. Then she goes back for the other two. Suddenly, she hears something and looks up at the sky. The helicopteris coming back! she thinks. She can hear thc sound getting nearer and nearer. Quickly, Zoe takcsHarry's lighter from her jeans . . .
o

$,
a bagand Zoe opens fnds it isfull of old anddirty banlurotes.

'The helicopter is coming back!' saysAndy, in the kitchen. 'They can't secus, they're too far away,' George tells him. 'Something's Suddenly, Harry shouts, burning! Look! There's smoke coming from the back of the barn!'

34

Everybody looks out of the window and sees the light and smoke from the fire. 'Stay with the boy!' George tells Petra. The three men run out of the house and round to the 'somebody's back of the barn. Harry sees the black bags. burning our money!'he shouts. The banknotesare burning well, smoke going up into the sky. George and Harry run across to the burning banknotes, but the fire is too hot and they have to get back again. Nobody seesZoe running to the house. Her face is hot from thc fire. She pushesopen the back door. Petra turns quickly. ''Who are you?' she asksZoe. But Zoe looks at Mark. 'Are you OK?'she askshim. 'Yes,' saysMark, getting off the chair. He is pleasedto 'I seehis sister. saw the snroke.What did you do?' Zoe smiles.'I starteda fire.' Petra is moving acrossto her, but Zoe pushesover a chair before the woman gets to her. 'Run!' she shouts at Mark. Then she pulls the table in front of Petra. Mark runs out of the house. Petra tries to stop him, but the boy is too quick for her. She catchesZoe as the girl startsto run to the door. 'Got youl' saysPetra,catchingZoc's arm. Zoc kicks the wor-nan hard and pulls herself away. She runs out of the housc, looking up at the sky and trying to seethe helicopter. Mark is looking up at the sky roo. 'There it is!' he shouts.'It's getting nearer!' George, Harry and Andy don't see Zoe or Mark. They are watching the fire burning. 'Look at all that money,' saysAndy.

Harry sees the blackbags.'Somebody hasmadea.firewith themoney!'he shouts.

36

a million pounds,' saysHarry. He wants to cry. George is angry. He wants to kill somebody. But then he has something more important to think about. 'The helicopter is back!' he shouts at the other two. 'They can seeus! Ranl' o The policeman and policewoman in the helicopter see the people running behind the farm buildings. They see a girl and a boy, and threc men and a woman. The girl and boy are running to the stables.The nrcn and the woman are running acrossthe floodcd ficicis,away from the farm house.They are looking up at the helicopter. ''What's happening down there?' says the policeman flying the helicopter. 'Something's 'Look! wrong,' says the policewoman. Three men and a woman! Perhaps it's the security van robbers.' 'Call for some help,' says the policcman flying the 'Then helicopter. let's go down and have a look.' 'OK,' says the policewoman. And she picks up the policc radio and startsto talk into it. (, getting away!' saysZoe, watching the robbers running through the water. Shc and Mark are standing outsidc the stables. Thcy can sec George and Petra running acrossone field, and Harry and Andy running across another. Above them, the police helicopter is coming down slowly. Zoe can seethe people inside it. 'The police can't catch all four of the robbers,' says 'Two Mark. of them are going to get away. They're 'They're

'Half

t\

\)\

\\ \ \ \:\

v1

i\
iN\

The policeman seethe andpolicewoman in the helicopter peoplerunning behindthefarm buildings.

38

running through the trees.' 'No, Zoe thinks for a minute, then she says, they're not going to get away!' And she runs into the stables and comes out with Topaz. 'What are you going to do?' asksMark. 'Topaz and I are going after the two running through 'Perhaps the trees,' says Zoe. the helicopter can't get down there, but we can!' jr-p on to the horse. Minutes Mark watches his sister later, sheis following Harry and Andy acrossthe field. Zoe and the horse coming after him. Harry sees 'Look!' he shouts to Andy. Andy turns round to look - and runs into a tree! He falls into the water under the tree and doesn't move. Harry tries to get away but Topaz soon catches him. 'Stop!'shouts Zoe. Harry is afraid of the horse. He stops running and 'OK, holds up his hands. OK! I'm nor running any more. You've got me. Don't let that horseget near me!' 'Help your friend to stand up and go back to the 'I'm farm,'Zoe tellshim. going to follow you.' Harry helps Andy to stand up and they go acrossthe fields, back to the farm house. Zoc follows behind them on her horse. Three police cars are coming fast down the small road next to the fields. The helicopter is flying over George and Petra. The two robbcrs have seenthe police cars. 'We can't gct aw3|,' saysPetra. 'I can't run George stops running. He is very tired. any more,'he says. After a minute, they put up their hands and start to walk over to the road and the police cars.

Harry sees Zoe and the horsecomingafter him. 'Look!' he to Andy. Andy turnsroundto look . . . shouts

40

*-::---:-:-rL

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'What happened to Harry and Andy?' George asks 'Did Petra. they get away?' Pctra looks acrossto the other field. She sees}{arry helping Andy, followed by the girl on the horse. 'No,' she tells George, 'they didn't get away.' o Fifteen minutes later, the helicopter is standing behind the barn. The policeman and policewoman from it are talking to Zoe and Mark in the farm house. The police carshave gone, taking thc flour robbers with them. 'That was clcver, making a fire for us to see,' the policeman saysto Zoe . 'lt was lucky I had money to burn!' laughsZoe.

aretalkingto Zoe and Mark' andpolicewoman The policeman 'lt was lucky I hadmoneyto burn!' laughs Zoe'

43

E - - - - : : ! ! L : ! L L

EXERCISES

Vocabulary Work Lookbackat the 'Dictionary Words'in this story.Do you knowa// the words? 1 Lookat all the pictures. In which of the pictures can you see these things? Writethe word and the numberof the rightpage. f stables a atarm g a lighter b banknotes fence h blood c a i a helicopter d a sign j a ladder e a Darn
Write short sentences about where the things are, or what the p e o p l e i n t h e p i c t u r e sa r e d o i n g w i t h t h e m . 2 Write sentences with the words in these groups. a security van/shouts b storm/blowing/f looded c lighter/burned/banknotes

Where do these things happen in these chapters?Write HOUSE BARNor STABLES to finishlhe sentences. a Thereare threehorsesin the . . . b P e t r a d r i v e s t h e c a r i n t o t h e o.l d . ndthethrem .a e e ng o o v e r t o t h e . c Mark is watching trom the doorsof the . . . He sees Harrycome ou ofthe... Chapters54 3 Findthe answers to thesequestions. a Where d i d H a r r yl o s eh i s l i g h t e r ? b Whycan'tZoe drivethe redcar? n r e i n t h eh e l i c o p t e r ? c H o wm a y p o l i c e m e a d WhatdoesZoe use to makethe fire? Discussion
Mr and Mrs Harper didn't take Zoe and Mark to the hospital because of the storm and the dangerous roads. Was this the right thingto do?

2 Do you think Zoe was clever? Why? How?

Harry, George, Andy and Petra were not very good people. a Did you like any ot them? Who? Why? b Were you sorry for any ol them? Who? Why?

Comprehension Chapters 1-2 1 $/ho said or thought these words? a Nothing must go wrong. 'Do you b thinkthe wind blew thattree down,Frank?' 'l c don't like storms.' 'Can't you go faster?' d 'Half e a m i l l i o n p o u n d s lW e ' r e r i c h ! ' Chapters 34 2 The Harpers' farm has these buildings in it:

Wriling Look at the picture on page 23. a Write three sentences about Andy's face, body and clothes. b Write three sentences about George's face, body and clothes. F i n i s h t h e f o l l o w i n gs e n t e n c e s . a The security van stopped because. . . b Mr Harper went to hospital because . . . c The robbers went to the farm because . . . You are behind a tree and the robbery happens. You see it happen. Now write 100-150 words lor the newspapers, telling the story.

THE FARMHOUSE

T H EB A R N

THE STABLES

44

;;;iCi Ir

Penguin Readers is a seriesof simplified storieswhich introduces you step-by-step to the literature that hasmade penguinBooks world famous.This seriesoffersyou classics, best-sellers, film-titles, and original stories. Eachbook hasextensive exercises. a detailed introduction and clearinformation about the syllabus. They are published at six level3 from Beginner (300words) to Advanced (3000words).

The series Editoris Derekstrange, a leading authority on reading schemes.

6 Advanced(3000 words) 5 Upper Intermediate(2300 words) 4 Intermediate ( 1650words) 3 Pre-lntermediate ( 1050words) 2 Elementary (500 words) I Beginner(300 words)

Coverillustration GeorgeSmith

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r s B N0 _ 1 4 _ 0 8 1 5 4 1 _ 4

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