Frog Freakout (4 page)

Danny blearily slid out of his top bunk, narrowly avoiding standing on Josh's head below, and went to the door. Outside it had stopped raining and there in the dim light of the moon stood Charlie in her pajamas, clutching several shiny rectangle things.

“My DS! WHOA!” yelled Danny, scooping up his computer gadget in delight.

“Shhhhh!” Charlie looked around edgily. “Don't wake everyone up, you plopstick!” She stepped inside and pushed the door shut with her shoulder, grinning wickedly. “I couldn't sleep,
I was sooooo bored. So I thought I'd get these back for us.”

Callum and Sayid were now awake. They got out of their bunks and seized their own gadgets, whooping with joy. Josh sat up in bed, smiling and shaking his head. He hadn't brought a computer game with him—creepy-crawlies were his kind of fun. “You're going to get into SUCH trouble this time, Charlie,” he said. “How did you do it?”

“I noticed where Drill Sergeant left the key to the confiscation cupboard while I was in the camp office getting shouted at for the hair thing,” said Charlie with a casual shrug. “It's on a hook right next to his bunk in the room next door.” She held up the key, an old-fashioned iron one with a fob hanging off it—one of those soft plastic bulblike fobs with a mini yellow fish floating in red water inside it.

“I still can't believe you cut Sally's hair,” guffawed Callum.

“She wanted me to! I didn't make her!” said Charlie, dropping the key back in her pajama top pocket. “Why all the fuss?”

They settled onto the bunks and switched on the gadgets with assorted jingly noises and flashes of color. The power chargers were still in their drawers so they hooked up to the mains and went on gaming for hours. Josh joined in a bit, although mostly he watched. Until he noticed something slightly worrying.

“Erm . . . guys,” he said, peering out of the window. “The sun is nearly up. Don't you think
we ought to get some sleep now?”

“Sheeesh!” Charlie stood up, looking worried. “I'd better get these back in the cupboard and the key back on the hook before Drill Sergeant wakes up.”

“It's only 5:15,” said Sayid, looking at his watch.

“But he gets up early to go running,” said Charlie. “His cabin's next to ours, and I hear his alarm clock go off at six o'clock, every morning, and then he hoofs past our window ten minutes later.”

“We'll come with you,” offered Josh, clapping Danny's shoulder. “We can keep watch while you go in.” Sayid and Callum handed back their switched-off games and scrambled back into their bunks.

It was cool and fresh as they stepped out into the dawn and made their way quietly toward the cabin that housed the office and Drill Sergeant's room at the far end of the camp. As they passed the large pond, Josh paused, entranced by a chorus of purring croaks. “Listen! It's the frogs! The froggy dawn chorus is just starting!” His eyes were shining.

“We haven't got time,” hissed Danny, feeling very nervous now that the sun was so far up. He didn't fancy meeting up with Drill Sergeant while clutching all these gadgets.

“No—I want to see!” whispered Charlie and ran after Josh who was now kneeling at the edge of the pond, pointing to the little greeny-brown noses and pop-up eyes of six or seven frogs in the dark water.

Charlie dropped the games on the bank and leaned in to look. “Ooooh—they're so sweet, aren't they? Ooh—look—did you see that one go? He just hopped right out from under that rock and into the water!”

“More ‘leaped' than hopped, really,” said Josh. “Toads hop. Frogs leap. Actually, toads aren't even
that good at hopping . . . they mostly crawl about. They're not half as energetic as frogs. They're easy to catch.”

“Oh, here we go,” muttered Danny. “Nerd attack. Come ON, you two!”

“Wait! I want to see another frog leap!” said Charlie, crouching next to Josh. She anchored her hands on the bank and leaned right out across the water, fascinated. There was a plop. But it wasn't a frog. It was the key to the confiscation cupboard.

Josh and Charlie squeaked in horror and tried to grab it as it sank through the water, but it was gone in a second, lost in the dark depths.

“Noooo!” gasped Charlie and shoved her arm in after it, scrabbling around frantically. Josh joined her, but all they succeeded in doing was stirring up all the silt and weeds, making it impossible to see a thing. They couldn't feel anything keylike—just the rather slippery gooeyness of waterweed, algae, and the odd squirm of something living.

Eventually, as Danny looked on in horror, they slumped down on the bank and stared at each other, aghast. “We're done for,” said Josh. “We can't get the games back in the cupboard or the key back on the hook. And Drill Sergeant could wake up at any minute!”

Charlie sighed and shook her head. “No . . . you're not done for. It was me who did it . . . me who lost the key . . . you two go back to bed, and I'll own up.”

“But you'll be sent home!” said Danny. “That's what they said after the hair thing. One more strike and you're out!”

“Ah well,” shrugged Charlie. “It's been fun. But unless one of us turns into a frog and goes diving for the key, that's that. I'll be OK. Mom
was hoping I'd last the full ten days . . . “ She bit her lip. “. . . but I'm always disappointing her, so it won't be a surprise. Why are you two looking all funny?”

Josh was staring at Danny and Danny was staring right back and now he started shaking his head. “You've got to be kidding!” he said. “You have GOT to be kidding!”

Josh looked at his watch. “We've got half an hour if we're lucky,” he said.

“What are you two on about?” said Charlie, peeling some pondweed off her arm.

“Erm . . . we might be able to help,” said Josh, detaching a water snail from his wrist.

“Josh! NO!” hissed Danny. “You can't!”

“Look—she's not just any girl,” said Josh. “She'll handle it!”

“Handle what?” said Charlie, looking very puzzled.

“Charlie—you said one of us needed to turn into a frog,” said Josh. “Well . . . one of us can.”

“OK,” said Charlie. “If you say so.”

“I'm going to tell her,” Josh said to Danny, who slapped his hand across his eyes and groaned. “Listen, Charlie—don't interrupt, there's no time. We CAN turn into frogs—and we're going to do it just as soon as we've woken Petty Potts up.”

“Which one of you is S.W.I.T.C.H.ing?” Petty eyed all three of them eagerly as they stood beside the pond. She was also wearing pajamas (thick plaid ones) with rain boots and her dark red raincoat, which she now opened up, revealing the four S.W.I.T.C.H. spray bottles held in its lining. “Frog, toad, or newt?” she added, like a mad waiter presenting a menu.

“Frog! Frog!” Charlie jumped up and down in immense excitement, clapping her hands. “Oh, I can't believe this! It's so amazing!”

“Wait—you're not going!” said Josh. “I am! It's far too dangerous for a g—for a beginner.”

Charlie narrowed her eyes at him. “You meant ‘for a girl'! That's what you were going to say, wasn't it?”

“No—yes—look, it doesn't matter!” spluttered Josh. “It was my plan, and believe me, you have no idea how terrifying it is to be S.W.I.T.C.H.ed. Everything wants to eat you!”

“You've done it loads of times!” pointed out Charlie. “So it can't be that bad.”

“Yes, but only because Petty tricked us into it! Mostly, anyway . . .”

“Excuse me! The genius scientist is actually PRESENT, you know!” interrupted Petty. “And pardon me, but didn't you ASK for my help this time?”

“Sorry, Petty . . . but you know what I mean,” said Josh.

“Yes . . . you're never all that worried about how chewed we might get, are you?” added Danny, giving her a glare.

“Nonsense. I am always filled with great concern for you,” scoffed Petty. “Now—who's first?”

“Me! Me!” Charlie started jumping again, as if she was practicing. “Frog! I want to be a frog. Spray me!”

“Charlie—I said—” began Josh.