James had a plan

‘Tommy, come over here’ called James waving his arms in the air. Tommy took a flying leap off the swing but landed somewhat awkwardly.

‘Ouch’ he yelled standing on one leg whilst massaging his injured ankle.

‘Don’t be such a wimp’ called James ‘Just come here’

Tommy limped and hopped and stumbled until he reached the gate over which James had been calling.

‘I’ve got a plan’ said James. ‘Do you want to be part of it?’
Suddenly Tommy forgot that he was supposed to be in pain. ‘What’s your plan James?’ he said.

James leapt over the gate. He too made a bit of a mess of it, and landed on his knees! But James was a tough guy. A graze and a little bit of blood were nothing to him. After all they looked like battle scars.

He stood up, brushed the dirt from his legs, cupped his hand and whispered something very secret in Tommy’s ear.

‘Wow’ said Tommy. ‘What a great plan. Do you mean we are going to......’ And with that James clasped his hand over Tommy’s mouth.

‘It’s a secret plan silly’’ he said ‘do you really want to spoil it?’

Tommy shook his head then raised a finger to his lips. ‘It’s a secret plan’ he hissed.

The two lads set off down the road marching like soldiers. They stopped at Rupert’s door, knocked on it asked to speak to their friend.

When Rupert appeared James said ‘We have a plan Rupert! Tommy, tell him about it’.

Tommy cupped his hand and whispered something in Rupert’s ear.

‘Great’ said Rupert jumping up and down with excitement. ‘I’ll join in!’

The three of them marched off down the road.

‘Can Simon be part of the plan? said Rupert.

‘I suppose so’ said James. ‘But remember its secret’

Rupert went to find Simon and when he did he cupped his hand and whispered something in Simon’s ear. Simons face lit up. He asked his Mum if he could go out to play. Mum said he could as long as he didn’t get into any mischief and with that the four of them set off marching down the road.

Simon spotted Sally sitting by the pond.

‘Look’ he said ‘There’s Sally. Can she be part of the plan?’

What?’ said the other boys all together. ‘But she’s a girl!’

‘I know’ said Simon ‘but the other day I dared her to pick a bunch of stinging nettles and eat the leaves, and she did! That’s a pretty brave thing for a girl to do’.

The other three went into a huddle. After a lot of nodding and shaking of heads, James told Simon that provided she behaved like one of them she could join in. Simon went over to Sally and whispered in her ear. Sally suddenly started skipping around and making girly squeaking noises.

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‘I think we made have made the wrong decision’ said James ‘but it’s too late now'. Come along guys’ he called and they all started marching in the direction of Farmer Jacobs' barn.

‘Right’ shouted James ‘you all know what we have to do. Off you go and we’ll meet up at the swings in one hour’s time’

‘But how will we know when the hour is up?’ said Rupert ‘I haven’t got a watch.

‘Nor have I protested Sally’

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‘Duh’ bellowed James. ‘What do you think that is up there on the church tower? It’s a clock Dumbos. We meet at a quarter past three. That’s when the big hand points to.................’

‘We know’ the others shouted. We are not that stupid.

‘Is that when the little hand points to six?’ chuckled a sarcastic Tommy.

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At ten minutes past three James took his position sitting on the gate by the swings. One by one Tommy, Simon, Rupert and Sally returned.

‘Sally’ sighed James ‘what’s that for?

‘Simon told me to borrow the farmer’s barrow from the barn’

‘No I didn’t’ cried Simon ‘I told you to borrow the farmers hat from the barn’ That’s what Rupert told me’

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‘I said what?’ laughed Rupert. ‘I didn’t say that. I told you we were to get the hat from the farmer’s scarecrow!’ He popped a straw hat on his head.

‘What are you talking about Rupert? asked Tommy. ‘The plan was to ......’

‘Stop and be quiet all of you’ yelled an angry James. ‘You’ve all ruined my plan. All I wanted you to do was to...’

But he stopped short when he spotted a red faced and very cross looking Farmer Jacobs running towards then waving a rake in the air.

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‘Run guys’ shouted James and they all scurried off in the direction of the village.

I suppose we’ll never know what James’ plan was. Have you got any ideas? Whatever it was I bet it was a good one!

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