Horrid Henry Shows Who's Boss (4 page)

“Yeah,” said Henry.

“I am a patient woman, and you are trying my patience to the limit,” hissed Miss Tutu. “Any more bad behavior and you will be very sorry.”

“What will happen?” asked Horrid Henry eagerly.

Miss Tutu stood very tall. She took a long, bony finger and dragged it slowly across her throat.

Henry decided that he would rather live to do battle another day. He stood on the side, gnashing his teeth, pretending he was an enormous crocodile about to gobble up Miss Tutu.

“This is our final rehearsal before the show,” barked Miss Tutu.

“Everything must be perfect.”

Eleven faces stared at Miss Tutu. One face scowled at the floor.

“Tomatoes and beans to the front,” ordered Miss Tutu.

“When Miss Thumper plays the music everyone will stretch out their arms to the sky to kiss the morning hello. Raindrops, stand at the back next to the giant green leaves and wait until the beans find the magic bananas.And Henry,” spat Miss Tutu, glaring. “TRY to get it right.”

“Positions, everybody. Miss Thumper, the opening music please!” shouted Miss Tutu.

Miss Thumper banged away.

The tomatoes weaved in and out, twirling.

The beans pirouetted.

The bananas pointed their toes and swayed.

The raindrops pitter-patted.

All except one. Henry waved his arms frantically and raced around the room.Then he crashed into the beans.

“HENRY!” screeched Miss Tutu.

“Yeah,” scowled Henry.

“Sit in the corner!”

Henry was delighted. He sat in the corner and made horrible rude faces while Peter did his raindrop solo.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.Tappa tappa tappa tappa tap tap tap.Tappa tip tappa tip tappa tappa tappa tip.

“Was that perfect, Miss Tutu?” asked Peter.

Miss Tutu sighed. “Perfect, Peter, as always,” she said, and the corner of her mouth trembled slightly.This was the closest Miss Tutu ever came to smiling.

Then she saw Henry slouching on the chair. Her mouth drooped back into its normal grim position.

Miss Tutu tugged Henry off the chair. She shoved him to the very back of the stage, behind the other raindrops.Then she pushed him behind a giant green leaf.

“Stand there!” shouted Miss Tutu.

“But no one will see me here,” said Henry.

“Precisely,” said Miss Tutu.

It was showtime.

The curtain was about to rise.

The children stood quietly on stage.

Perfect Peter was so excited he almost bounced up and down. Naturally he controlled himself and stood still.

Horrid Henry was not very excited.

He did not want to be a raindrop.

And he certainly did not want to be a raindrop who danced behind a giant green leaf.

Miss Thumper waddled over to the piano. She banged on the keys.

The curtain went up.

Henry’s mom and dad were in the audience with the other parents.As usual they sat in the back row in case they had to make a quick getaway.

They smiled and waved at Peter standing proudly at the front.

“Can you see Henry?” whispered Henry’s mom.

Henry’s dad squinted at the stage.

A tuft of red hair stuck up behind the green leaf.

“I think that’s him behind the leaf,” said his father doubtfully.

“I wonder why Henry is hiding,” said Mom. “It’s not like him to be shy.”

“Hmmmm,” said Dad.

“Shhh,” hissed the parents beside them.

Henry watched the tomatoes and beans searching on tiptoe for the magic bananas.

I’m not staying back here, he thought, and pushed his way through the raindrops.

“Stop pushing, Henry!” hissed Lazy Linda.

Henry pushed harder, then did a few pitter-pats with the other raindrops.

Miss Tutu stretched out a bony arm and yanked Henry back behind the scenery.

Who wants to be a raindrop anyway, thought Henry. I can do what I like hidden here.

The tomatoes weaved in and out, twirling.

The beans pirouetted.

The bananas pointed their toes and swayed.

The raindrops pitter-patted.

Henry flapped his arms and pretended he was a
pterodactyl
about to pounce on Miss Tutu.

Round and round he flew, homing in on his prey.

Perfect Peter stepped to the front and began his solo.

Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap—CRASH!

One giant green leaf fell on top of the raindrops, knocking them over.

The raindrops collided with the tomatoes.

The tomatoes smashed into the string beans.

The string beans bumped into the bananas.

Perfect Peter turned his head to see what was happening and danced off the stage into the front row.

Miss Tutu fainted.

The only person still standing on stage was Henry.

Stomp Stomp Stomp Stomp Stomp Stomp Stomp.

Henry did his elephant dance.

Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom.

Henry did his wild buffalo dance.