Well I never!

Captain Bill peered closely at the letter that Norma was holding up.

'Well it looks like Camille's hoof writing,' he said.

'That's because it is,' replied Norma,'Horace has compared it to the letter of invitation that she sent us, it's definitely by her.'

'And she says that they can't be here this year because they have bad tummies but expect to be back next year,' read Captain Bill.

'That's right,' said Norma.

'Then everything is OK!,' said Captain Bill. 'Panic over!'

'I'm afraid not,' replied Norma,'Ms Camille may have written this letter...but she was forced to!'

'Forced to!' mooed Bertha.

And Norma nodded her head.

'But she was clever enough to make it clear what was happening and who it was that was forcing her. Take a closer look at how she spelled 'bad'.'

And Geraldine pointed at the word with her beak.

'Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!' read out Captain Bill.

'And then look at how she spelled 'back',' continued Norma.

'Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!' called out Horace.

'That it strange!' said Captain Bill.

'Strange to us,' replied Norma,'but it would look perfectly normal to her captors!'

'Never!' exclaimed Bertha.

'Yes!' replied Norma.

'You don't mean?' said Captain Bill.

'Yes!' replied Norma.

'Is it Monday?' asked Annie.

'Yes!' replied Norma,'....although that's not important right now.'

'Which means?' asked Cyril.

'That,' replied Norma,'we have no choice but to face up to the fact that Ms Camille and her little students have not just been diverted....THEY'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED!'

'KIDNAPPED!' mooed everyone.

'BY PIRATE SHEEP!' added Norma.

And everyone fell over backwards....including Geraldine and Norma...who didn't want to feel left out.