Toothy Ted 8

Toothy Ted was in a foul temper. He could not forget how Suzy had  

been rescued from his island den, and he was determined to get his revenge on the Pteranadons. At last he thought of a plan that appeared to him to be brilliant. He called his wife Cavity Kate to tell her about it.

“I shall get a gang together,” he said, “and when I have drilled and exercised them until they are fighting fit, we shall attack the Prehistoric animal brigade at one of their Hurly Burlys. We can capture lots of them and put then in our prison to fatten up. Especially those Pteranadons.”

“Brilliant Ted.” said Cavity Kate. She always agreed with everything he said, because he thumped her when she didn't.

A few days later Boy and Lady were flying over the swamp together and happened to cross Toothy Ted's island. They looked down and saw a strange sight. Toothy Ted dressed in a uniform covered with medals. Of course he had not won any of them himself. He was roaring orders to his gang, who were marching up and down, saluting him and shouting. “Hale, Toothy Ted.” When they got back Boy and Lady called an urgent meeting of the Brigade's council to discuss what they had seen.

“This is bad news,” Uncle Bron said. “Toothy Ted is up to no good. I think we should ask that nice young crocodile, Crocobilly, to ask Toothy Ted if he could join his gang, then he could tell us what Toothy Ted is planning.” So the council sent a messenger to Crocobilly. He was a fast swimming Plesiosaurus who soon found Crocobilly and Crocadilly swimming together in a far away corner of the swamp.

“Are you friends of Toothy Ted's?” He asked.

They      sent a fast swimming Plesiosaurus

“No!” said Crocobilly and Crocadilly together, “We are friends of Sophie and the Prehistoric Animal Brigade.”

“I thought so,” said the Plesiosaurus, “but I had to be certain.” Then he told them of Uncle Bron's plan and asked Crocobilly if he would agree to go to the gang's den and ask to join Toothy Ted's gang, so that he could discover their plans. Crocobilly said that Toothy Ted was a menace, and that he would be pleased to find out all that he could. So the next day he went to ask Toothy Ted if he could join the gang. Toothy Ted was very pleased, Crocobilly was the only really fit crocodile who had ever asked to join the gang.

When Crocobilly reported back to the swamp, all the animals gathered to hear what he had to say.

“The gang are going to raid the next Hurly Burly,” he said, “Just as the dancing begins. They will capture all the animals they can, and Toothy Ted wants to capture Terror, Don, Suzy and Sophie for himself.” Then thoughtful Don spoke.

“Let them come,” he said. “Crocobilly you must lead them out of the swamp to where we are sitting near Sophie, then I have no doubt that Toothy Ted will push you out of the way so that he can get his fangs into us first. We will fly towards the quick sand, keeping just out of reach. That will be the end of Toothy Ted and his gang.” All the animals thought that Don’s idea was an excellent one. The quick sands are quite near to the Hurly Burly ground, well marked with posts and notices reading “Danger, quicksand.” to keep all the animals out. But on the day before the Hurly Burly the animals took all the posts and notices away.

On the morning of the Hurly Burly, Boy and Lady told their children to be very careful when the crocodiles chased them, and to be sure to keep out of reach. Then they all went down to the swamp together.

The concert was as good as ever, and as the last of the clapping died away, just as all the animals expected, Crocobilly came rushing out of the swamp, followed by Toothy Ted and his gang, yelling and shouting. Crocobilly ran towards Sophie, Suzy, Terror and Don, but Toothy Ted pushed Crocobilly out of the way, just as they thought he would, and the four pteranadons, with their wings only inches from the gang's noses, led them towards the quick sand. With dreadful sucking and squelching noises the gang rushed into the quicksand. Toothy Ted was the first to sink, weighed down by all his medals, and soon they had all disappeared for ever.

Next day Lady, Sophie and Suzy went with Clara and Queenie to clean up the gang's den. Cavity Kate and her son Bad Jason had run away. But Crocadilly was already there picking up empty beer cans and crisp packets.

“When we have cleared up it will be a very pretty island,” Crocadilly said. “Crocobilly and I would like to come and live here. We shall make a hotel and all the members of the Prehistoric Animal Brigade will be welcome to come and stay. “What a good idea said all the girls as they drank their morning coffee with crunchy beetle and banana balls, that Crocadilly had prepared.

“We shall often come and have our holidays with you and Crocobilly.”