21
　　A daring plan
　　‘Where shall we go?’ said Jack¹. ‘In your van? Nobody can overhear us there, can they?’
　　They went inside the little van and shut the door. Pedro looked puzzled – what was all thisabout?
　　Jack began to tell him. He told him about Gussy staying with them at Quarry² Cottage and howhe turned out to be the Prince. Pedro’s eyes almost fell out of his head at that! He told him of thekidnapping, and how he, Jack, had stowed away first at the back of the car, and then in theaeroplane, in order to follow the others.
　　‘You’re a wonder, you are!’ said Pedro, staring at Jack in the greatest admiration³. ‘You’re . . .’
　　Jack wouldn’t let him say any more. He went on rapidly with his story, and brought it right upto date, telling Pedro of his adventure of the night before.
　　‘I never heard anything like this in my life!’ said Pedro, amazed. ‘Why didn’t you ask me tocome with you? You knew I would. It was a dangerous thing you did, all by yourself.’
　　‘Well – I’m used to adventures,’ said Jack. ‘I just had to find out about my sister, anyway – andthe others too, of course. Now, Pedro – this is where I want your help. I MUST rescue the four ofthem before the King is kidnapped or killed, and Gussy is put on the throne. You see, if Gussy ismissing, there wouldn’t be much point in doing away with his uncle. They must have Gussy to putin his place, because they want a kid there, so that they can make him rule as they like. CountParitolen and his sister, Madame Tatiosa, and the Prime Minister will be in power then. Do youunderstand?’
　　‘Yes, I understand,’ said Pedro. ‘But I’m not used to seeing history happening before my eyeslike this. I can’t think it’s real, somehow’
　　‘It is real,’ said Jack, urgently. ‘Very very real. And, Pedro, if we can get Philip here, in thecircus, he could manage those bears as easily as Fank. I tell you, he’s a wizard with animals – itdoesn’t matter what they are. Why, once, in an adventure we had, a crowd of Alsatian dogs chasedus – we thought they were wolves, actually – and Philip turned them all into his friends as soon asthey came up to him!’
　　Pedro listened to all this with a solemn face. He was much impressed. He had guessed, ofcourse, that there was something unusual about Jack – but the story he had to tell was soextraordinary that he could hardly believe it all. He did believe it, though. He was sure that Jackwould never lie about anything.

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