Nothing happened. Quicksilver flapped his wings weakly and Nicola watched the people below, sobbing, wailing or simply lying on the ground, as if flattened by despair.

Nicola took a deep breath and tried again.

Enrico, Enrico. . .

She saw Topaz lift her head with difficulty. A minute later Topaz and her ShobGobble were hovering beside Nicola.

‘What are we doing?’ asked Topaz. Her face seemed lined with exhaustion.

‘I’m not sure,’ admitted Nicola. ‘I remember reading somewhere about the power that’s created when a whole crowd of people chant together. It’s worth a try.’

Topaz smiled weakly.

Enrico, Enrico. . .

As their two voices melded together, they became louder and stronger.

They were joined next by Katie, followed by Sean, Shimlara and the others.

Then slowly, one by one, the people of Shobble lifted their heads, straightened up and joined in the chant. The sound of their voices began to boom across the countryside. Frowns cleared. People began to smile and then laugh.

‘It’s gone!’ shouted someone. ‘The despair is gone!’

Enrico’s face was filled with fear and disgust. ‘Why isn’t the Despair Gas working?’ he cried at the Thugs. ‘What have you fools done wrong?’

Nicola looked at Topaz. ‘Time for the buttons?’

‘You bet,’ said Topaz. ‘Everybody into formation!’

They all flew their ShobGobbles into a tight circle directly over the top of Enrico’s head.

‘Fire!’ ordered Nicola.

They pulled out the straps on the clever contraptions that Tyler had rigged up on either side of their saddles. Thousands of Horatio’s buttons were released into the air.

‘A little gift courtesy of Banks Beautiful Buttons!’ yelled Joshua.

Enrico looked up and his face crumpled.

‘It’s raining buttons!’ he screamed, as the buttons tumbled down all around him, catching in his hair and clothes. Enrico batted them away as if they were maggots. ‘Beastly buttons! Beastly buttons!’

As the buttons continued to fall, Enrico writhed about so much he toppled off his ShobGobble into the snow, where he lay, sobbing and hiccupping.

His Security Thugs looked appalled by their Commander-in-Chief ’s behaviour. ‘Um, sir?’ said the leader. ‘They’re just buttons.’

‘Yucky yellow! Mucky music! Beastly buttons!’

Enrico’s family didn’t seem capable of speaking. They just sat in their sleigh and stared.

‘Hey, Enrico?’ shouted Sean. He pulled out the jar of peanut butter from his coat pocket and flew his ShobGobble down so he was hovering just over Enrico’s head. ‘Feeling hungry? Fancy a nice peanut butter sandwich?’ Sean stuck his finger in the jar. ‘Mmmm . . . It’s especially sticky peanut butter. It could easily get stuck to the roof of your mouth!’

‘AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!’

Enrico rolled over so he was face down in the snow.

‘Do you resign, Enrico?’ called out Nicola.

Enrico lifted his head. ‘Never!’

‘Turn up the music, Sean,’ said Topaz.