17
Little puffs of steam wafted out of Pixley’s nostrils. “Blast it, blast it, blast it!” He kicked the tyre and then winced in pain.
Ruby bent down to inspect the tyre. “We must have run over a nail.” She wound her way around the car like a cat who needs to circle three times before finding a comfortable curled-up position. “Stop a minute – there’s another one in this tyre, too. Someone must have put them there deliberately!”
“So what you’re saying is that we’re stuck.” Fina thrust her hands even deeper in her coat pockets and made a little jumping motion to keep warm.
“Yes, thank you for putting it so elegantly.” Pixley frowned.
“No need to be cross with me. I wasn’t the one who sabotaged our jaunt into the village.” Fina leaned down toward the tyre, as if staring at it might magica
