*That's right.' I nodded. *He also told me that I'm a werewolf. So you'd better watch out, Fergus. Don't mess with the werewolf, bud.'

I'd been saving the best for last, and it was fantastic. Fergus almost dropped his Nintendo. Amin gave a squeak. Then Fergus recovered enough to drawl, *Yeah, right.'

*It's true.'

Fergus snorted.

*He left me his card.' I pulled it out of my pocket. *See? That's him. Reuben Schneider. And the priest was called Father Ramon Alvarez.'

As I'd expected, the card was proof enough. Even Fergus wavered. To study it, he had to put down his Nintendo.

Amin gazed at me, round-eyed.

*Why would anyone think you're a werewolf?' he wanted to know.

So I told him. I told the entire story, in such detail that it must have taken me at least ten minutes. By the end of it, we were all huddled together on Amin's bed, bouncing with excitement.

*Oh man,' Fergus kept saying. *Oh, man. Oh, man .'

*But the strange thing is, he was right.' I saw Amin's jaw drop. *Not about being a werewolf, dummy!' I snapped. *About my hair. And my nose. And my reflexes.'

*You do have really quick reflexes,' Amin gravely confirmed.

*I know. It's weird, isn't it?'

*Maybe you are a werewolf,' Fergus joked.

*Ha ha.'

*God, I'd love to be a werewolf,' said Amin. His tone was wistful. *Can you imagine how cool that would be? No one would ever mess with you in a million years.'

*Yeah, but I'm not one. Okay?'

*I know. I'm just saying.'

*You should call him.' Fergus looked up from the card in his hand. *Why don't you?'

*Huh?'

*Why don't you give this werewolf a call? I wanna hear what else he says.'

I recoiled. *Oh, no.'

*Go on.'

*No.'

*It'll be fun!' Fergus insisted. *It'll be great!'

I shook my head.

*He won't mind,' Fergus pointed out. *He asked you to call him, remember?'

*So what?'

*Toby, this isn't just your average nut, okay? He's a once-in-a-lifetime loony. We can't miss a chance like this.' Fergus appealed to Amin. *Don't you wanna know what's going on?'

Amin nodded. *Yes.'

*Come on, Tobe. I dare you. Come on a" it's not like there's anything else to do around here.'

As I said before, whatever Fergus wants, he gets. He's unsquashable. In the end he made me feel like such a killjoy that I couldn't argue, because I couldn't admit to being scared a" not even to myself. And certainly not to Fergus.

Fergus wasn't scared. He almost never is.

*Your mum won't find out,' he assured me. *She wouldn't listen to this werewolf guy a" you said so yourself. She doesn't want anything to do with him.'

*I'm not worried about my mum .' What did he think I was, a two-year-old? *I just don't know what to tell him, that's all.'

*Tell him you want proof,' Fergus suggested. *Tell him you want a photo.'

*He doesn't have any photos, remember? Because he always tears the camera apart.'

*Yeah, right.' Fergus sniffed. *A likely story.'

*Tell him you want a sample,' Amin butted in. *Like a tooth or a hair. Or werewolf poo.'

*Tell him you want to do a school project.'

*Ask him if he's got a website.'

*Hey a" no a" you should ask him if he'll come and give a talk to your biology class!'

By this time the two of them were writhing with amusement. Fergus was snickering and Amin was giggling and even I could see the funny side of it all a" though my own smile was a little lopsided.

*He's not a complete psycho, Fergus,' I growled. *He's gunna know it's the summer holidays.'

*Yeah, yeah. I was only joking.' Fergus lapsed into thought. *Okay, how about this?' he said at last. *You ring him and you ask for proof. Physical proof. And we'll see what he comes up with.'

*A claw would be good,' Amin elaborated.

*Or a paw print.'

*Or a dna test on werewolf spit . . .'

They wouldn't let up. I finally had to key in that number, or there would have been hell to pay. They would never have let me forget it.

Reuben Schneider answered on the second ring.

* Hello? '

*Oh a" ah . . .' I grimaced at Fergus, because he was breathing down my neck. *Is this Reuben?'

* Speaking. '

*This is Toby. Vandevelde. From last night.'

There was a brief pause. Fergus gave me a thumbs-up, flashing his teeth and waggling his eyebrows.

* Oh, yeah? ' Reuben sounded cautious. * Okay. '

*Can I talk to you?'

* Sure .'

*About werewolves?'

* Any time .' He waited. I waited. At last he said, * What do you want to know? '

*Um . . . well . . .' I covered the mouthpiece, so flustered that I couldn't think straight. *What do we want to know?' I mouthed at Fergus.

He rolled his eyes impatiently.

*We want proof!' he whispered.

*Oh, yeah.' I cleared my throat, then addressed the phone again. *You have to show me proof. How can I believe you, otherwise? I need proof.'

Reuben grunted.

* Right ,' he said thoughtfully. * Yeah. I don't blame you. ' After a moment's hesitation, he added, * Is your mum there? '

*No.' I was pushing Fergus away, as Amin mimed at me. *She's at work.'

* Uh-huh .'

*Have you got any evidence? Like . . . um . . . paw prints? Or a tooth, or something? I know you said you didn't have photosa"'

* Listen. ' Reuben raised his voice over a metallic screech in the background. I couldn't tell if it was machinery or car-brakes or even a bird of some sort. * I've been wondering why no one saw you the other night. You musta been wondering about that yourself, eh? '

*Yeah. I guess.' Actually, I hadn't. I'd just figured that the whole of Doonside must have been in bed asleep.

* I've been looking at my street directory ,' Reuben continued, * and I think I know where you musta gone. I think you went to that big reserve near your house. The one with the lake in it .'

*Nurragingy?'

* That's the one .' Reuben's tone warmed up a little. * If you were running around in there, you wouldn't have been in people's gardens, killing pet guinea pigs. Whatever you did wouldn't have been very obvious. '

*How do you mean, killing pet guinea pigs?' I repeated, so Fergus could hear. He nudged Amin, who smothered a gurgle of delight. *Why would I want to do that?'

* Because they're edible ,' Reuben rejoined. Then he changed the subject a" or seemed to. * Did you feel sick when you woke up that morning? After your blackout? '

I felt a sudden chill. *Why?' I asked.

* You did, didn't you? '

*Maybe.'

* That's because you ate something rank. Like a rat or a dead pigeon. ' Though he couldn't have seen me wince, Reuben must have sensed my discomfort. * We've all done that, ' he said. * It's no big deal. Pigeons are nothing; it's people we've gotta worry about. '

At this point Fergus couldn't contain himself any longer. He had been avidly studying my face, and my expression was driving him wild. *What is it?' he hissed. *Tell me!'

But I shushed him instead, because Reuben was still talking.

* You were lucky, mate. If that reserve hadn't been there, you woulda been chewing up aviaries and attacking drunks. I'm surprised you didn't mangle a few mailboxes. ' His flat voice became suddenly brisk, as if he was running out of time. * The proof you want will be in that park. I'll bet money on it. Just go there and have a poke around a" you'll see. '

*See what?' I demanded. *What should I look for?'

* Damage .'

*Huh?'

* damage . You know. When things get busted. '

*Things are always getting busted around here. There's nothing much else to do.' I wasn't impressed. Vandalism? What kind of proof was that ? *I know lots of people who like pulling up bushes. It doesn't make them werewolves.'

* Check the garbage bins . You'll have gone for the garbage bins. '

*Yeah, but everyone goes for the garbage bins. That's not proof.' By this time, I have to admit, I was growing angry. How stupid did he think I was? Did he really expect me to believe such blatant lies? *This is all crap. What are you really after? What's this all about?'

* Toby, I just wanna help. '

Suddenly Fergus grabbed my arm and whispered, *Tell him you've gotta meet him!' When I shook my head, he began to nod frantically. *Yes! Yes! We'll do it in the park!'

* Sorry. ' Reuben must have heard something. * I didn't catch that .'

*It's nothing,' I replied, glaring at Fergus a" who wouldn't take *no' for an answer. He put his lips to my free ear.

*We'll play a trick,' he buzzed. *We'll fool him with fake paw prints. It'll be a total set-up.'

* Toby? Are you there? '

*Get him to meet you and I'll film it,' Fergus instructed, under his breath. *With my mobile.'

* Hello? Toby? '

*Hang on,' I told Reuben, before covering the mouthpiece again. *What's wrong with you?' I squeaked. *This guy's a head case, remember? If he finds out I'm having him on, he might go for me!'

Fergus, however, flapped my objections aside as if they were mosquitoes. *You'll be fine. I told you, I'll film it. Me and Amin can hide in the bushes, so if anything happens, it'll be three against one.'