“OK – my turn now.” Mrs Chowdhry beckoned Mum down and wobbled up the ladder herself. She could hardly lift the axe but that wasn’t going to stop her. She took a good-sized chip out of his left elbow.

“Look.” I pointed over towards the laundry. “There’s Mayor – I mean Tasher – Anderson.” She was standing there with her shoulders all hunched up, a wheelbarrow in front of her and Frederick by her side. She’d got the job of clearing up after we’d knocked the statue down, and Frederick’d got the job of making sure she did it.

“Oh yeah.” Una stuffed her last bit of pie into her mouth.

“Don’t think I’ll ever get used to calling her Tasher instead of Mayor,” I said.

“Maggie! Una! Guess what!” Lindi ran over, skirt floating out behind her and Jed jogging to keep up. “Sally and Deb and all the other eldests – they’re up at the cemetery, chopping down the hawthorn boundary.”

“Really?”

I looked at Jed.

“S’true,” he said.

“Course it is!” Lindi’s black eyes were all gone now, and Jed’s was too. “Mr Gebby’s lent them his tools. No one’s stopping them. In fact,” Lindi looked behind, then leaned in towards us, “Beth Goodman said Deb Merino heard Mayor Wetheral say he’s going to get the Parker brothers out of jail to do the heavy work. Said it’ll be good for their souls. Me and Jed are going up to help once we’ve had a go at Andrew Solsbury.”

“Come on, Maggie.” Una wiped her hands on her jumper. “Shall we go and see? Maybe we can help too.”

“Hold on, just a moment.” Lindi brought something out of her pocket. Two small drawstring bags, made from stripy cloth. “These are for you two. One each.” She placed them in our hands.

I tugged the bag open and poked my fingers inside. Tiny things. Thin and smooth. I pulled some out.

Glinting circles. Silver, purple, gold.

Una frowned. “What are they?”

“Sequins,” I said. I spread them across my palm. “They’re beautiful.”

“They really are.” Una grinned her gappy grin. “Thank you.”

“I thought maybe you could use them on your summer diary next year. Or whatever you want. I made the bags myself.” Lindi slipped her hand into Jed’s. “Because, well, y’know, thanks. For what you did.”

Jed looked at her like she was the loveliest thing that ever existed. “Come on, Lindi.” He pulled her away. “I want to get my hands on that axe before the statue’s all gone.”

I tipped the sequins back into the bag, taking care not to drop any. I pulled the drawstring good and tight.

“Come on, Maggie.” Una lifted her elbow out to the side. “Let’s go up to the hawthorn.”

I linked my arm through hers and we headed off towards Frog Alley.

Just like friends.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS