Truly Tan Baffled

‘The wise owl sleeps beneath the bramble,’ I say. ‘Tan?’ ‘Gloria?’ ‘Affirmative,’ we both whisper. ‘Oh, Tan, I’m glad it’s you,’ says Gloria. ‘I have something weirdly weird to report.’ ‘Do I need a notepad?’ I say, looking around. My desk is covered in junk. If Gloria were in this tree house right now, she would be frowning at me. My best friend and Secret Spy partner is neat and tidy. Her Spy Files are super organised and so is her desk and her brain. ‘No,’ says Gloria. ‘You don’t need a notepad. You just need your highly tuned listening skills.’ ‘What’s going on, GP?’ I say. ‘Well,’ says Gloria, ‘tonight after dinner, Mum and I went for an evening walk with Alfie. He’s fairly good at walking on the lead now.’ ‘Go on,’ I say. ‘I tookmy Secret Spy binoculars and a powerful torch,’ says Gloria, ‘in keeping with our Secret Spy Code of Conduct’. ‘Always be on the lookout. Always be prepared,’ I say. ‘Affirmative,’ says Gloria.

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