The Case of the Missing Dinosaur Egg by June Whyte Page B

bin. Then—in the time it took for Pedro to blink in surprise—the creature ballooned to the size of an elephant.
    “Don’t touch Pedro, you great bully!” I screamed.
    But it was too late. Like a giant vacuum cleaner, the dinosaur sucked the little dog down its throat.
    My pulse racing and bucking in fear, I watched the monster lick his bloated lips and ever so slowly turn bloodshot eyes and dribbling grin toward me.
    “Go Shakespeare!” I yelled flapping my legs on his sides.
    Once again—I was too late.
    I could hear Pedro’s frantic yapping as the dinosaur opened his mouth wide and sucked Shakespeare and me inside. The little dog wouldn’t stop yapping. He was racing up and down, banging into the dinosaur’s ribs and head-butting his liver…
    And that’s when I woke up.
    Not on my bed, but thrashing around on the floor, sheets twisted around both legs, pillow damp with sweat.
    After untangling the sheets, I decided the nightmare must mean Pedro was in danger. Perhaps the professor was using him in some weird experiment. Perhaps he’d replaced the dog’s injured leg with a robotic one. Whatever…it was time to pay the professor another visit.
    However, before I could check up on Pedro, I had my lesson with Noah to get through.
    Strangely, this morning’s lesson went well. Noah kept giving me the thumbs up sign. Even yelled ‘Great!’ and ‘Good!’ a couple of times which almost made me fall off my horse in surprise. I guess his good mood had something to do with Kate lifting the ban on his riding after I’d managed to stay on Shakespeare over the water jump.
    As soon as the lesson finished I went hunting for Jack. No way was I going anywhere near the egg-shed by myself. I needed my No.1 assistant to help scare away the nightmare.
    But Jack had gone for a ride to Gawler River with his new mate, Tim Mathers.
    Okay, my No. 2 assistant would have to come with me.
    I found Tayla in our room putting the finishing touches to a hat she was making for Angel. She’d cut two holes in an old straw hat for the pony’s ears, added ribbon and plastic daisies to the crown, then glued purple sprinkles around the brim.
    I dug up my sweetest smile and sat on the bed beside her. “That’s way cool,” I gushed. “Angel will love it.”
    “You don’t think it’s too over the top for her do you?”
    “Nah. The purple sprinkle stuff will definitely bring out the color of her eyes.” I widened my smile and cracked my fingers—then changed the subject. “You know how little Pedro hurt his leg?”
    Tayla’s look was wary. “Pedro? The professor’s dog?”
    “Yeah. Poor little guy.”
    “What about him?”
    “I think he might be in trouble.”
    “And?”
    “I need to go see if he’s okay.” I grabbed her hand. “Please, Tay, come with me.”
    Tayla pulled away and jumped off the bed so quickly, I had to hold onto the headboard to stop from bouncing onto the floor.
    “No way! I’m not going anywhere near that crazy old man. And don’t try talking me into it, Chiana. Nothing you say will change my mind.”
    “We’ll only stay for five minutes. Come on Tayla. It’s important. I really need to check on little Pedro.”
    Tayla backed away as though I’d suddenly come down with rabies. “Watch my lips, Cha. N. O. You’d have to tie me up and drag me all the way to get me to come with you.”
    She must have sensed I was considering her suggestion because she dropped onto the bed as though her legs wouldn’t hold her up any more.
    “Come on, Tayla,” I persisted before deciding to change tactics. After all, I was desperate. “You owe me one.”
    “Owe you? What for?”
    “If my mum and Ken hadn’t gone on their honeymoon, where would you be right now?’
    “Huh?” Tayla’s eyes seemed to glaze over in confusion.
    “You’d be at home. Bored out of your brain. That’s where you’d be. Probably listening to your latest CD for the seven hundredth time.”
    Tayla twisted Angel’s straw hat until