5. Hedgehog Help

Hedgehog Help Rachel and Kirsty looked at each other in alarm. Fluffy seemed scared, too. The goblins were on their trail again! "They're coming toward us," Rachel whispered as the goblin voices got louder. "Don't worry," Fern said, smiling. She didn't seem nervous. "My sisters will send help quickly." Just then, Rachel spotted a line of golden sparkles twinkling toward them through the fruit trees. "What's that?" she whispered.

"Is it goblin magic?" Kirsty asked, suspicious. Fern shook her head. "They're fireflies! My sisters must have sent them to show us the way back to the pot." Suddenly, there was another shout from inside the maze. "Look, what are those lights over there?" "The goblins have spotted the fireflies!" Rachel gasped. "Quickly, Fluffy!" Fern said as they all climbed onto the squirrel's back again. "Follow the fireflies!" The golden specks were dancing away through the trees. Fluffy scampered after them, just as the goblins dashed out of the maze. "There's the fairy!" one of them shouted, pointing at Fern. "Stop that squirrel!"

"Come back!" the other roared as Fluffy ran off. Rachel, Kirsty, and Fern clung to Fluffy's fur as the squirrel zigzagged back and forth to get away from the goblins. Fluffy scrambled up the trunk of the nearest tree. He was just about to jump across to the next, when someone called to them from below. "Hello!"

"Who's that?" Rachel asked. She, Kirsty, and Fern peered down at the ground. A hedgehog was standing at the foot of the apple tree. "Hello!" he hollered again. "The animals in the garden have heard that you're in trouble. We'd like to help." "Oh, thank you!" Fern called. Then she gasped as the two goblins appeared among the trees. "Where'd that squirrel go?" one of them yelled. Quickly, Fluffy leaped across to the next apple tree. The goblins roared with anger and dashed forward. At that moment, the hedgehog curled himself into a ball and rolled right into their path. Rachel thought he looked like a big, prickly soccer ball.

"OW!" both goblins howled. "My toes!" Rachel and Kirsty couldn't help laughing as the goblins jumped around holding their feet. "Hooray for Hedgehog!" the girls shouted.

As Fluffy jumped from one fruit tree to the next, the firefly lights behind them began to go out. "Hey! Who turned off the lights?" wailed one of the goblins, still rubbing his foot. "Which way are we supposed to go?" "How should I know?" snapped the other goblin. Their voices were getting fainter now as Fluffy hurried on.