The following days were a huge amount of hard work for Ma with all the mending, washing and repairing of the scarecrows. Mr Badger finished mending Ma's roof and several neighbours popped round to mend her fences and trim some of her broken trees. Of course Ma then made them all tea and cakes as a thank you and introduced Jenny properly to all the neighbours. Everyone was so kind and friendly in Hod-me-dod-lee that Jenny felt like she had known then her whole life and not just a few weeks.
Creamy White was an angel again and took a lot of the scarecrows clothing home to wash and iron and Jenny made the most of the marmalade suppers all on her own. She thought it was lovely having all the scarecrows home together, as it gave her and Ooty a chance to get to know them all really well. The three Pole sisters let Jenny tie ribbons and lace in their new string hair to try and make them look pretty. It didn't help much though as they were still three very unattractive looking girls. Their eyes seemed a bit wonky and Polly Pole had a big nose like a parrots beak. Jenny, who couldn't be nasty if she tried, told them how beautiful they were anyway. The three Pole girls fought and bickered with each other constantly, just like real sisters often do, but mostly over who they though Jenny liked the best. Jenny told them all firmly.
'I like all of you the same but Ooty will always be my favourite.'
Minnie Mommet was soon besotted with Jenny too. When she wasn't throwing her dress over her head and showing her knickers to Salty Tam she hung on Jenny's arm or followed her around the barn. As Ma had said before, Minnie was the silliest of the lot. She was Drippy Mommet's little sister and called Minnie because she was the smallest scarecrow, except for Pinny Pipit of course who was tiny. Drippy Mommet was still missing, as was Tater Sack, but Minnie couldn't have cared less. Minnie and Drippy didn't like each other as sisters at all. Lolly Sticks had always been Minnie's best friend, but now Minnie decided she liked Jenny better instead.
‘Jen Jen Minnie’s bestist friend lubbly, not yous, and she only likes Minnie so you goes live in a ditch.’ Is all Minnie had to say to her once best friend Lolly.
Lolly Sticks didn't mind at all as she had someone else she now wanted to be her best friend anyway - Dickie Perch. Lolly seemed to be liking Dickie more and more since they had been shut up in barn. Ma and Jenny noticed that Lolly had started blushing whenever Dickie glanced in her direction, his gaze followed her around the barn whenever he thought she wasn’t looking.
The scarecrows were soon treating their time in the barn as a holiday, laughing, arguing and messing around, usually pushing each other over.
'I thought you might like the radio on.' said Jenny one morning.
She had carried Ma's big radio out to the barn and turned it on.
'Fancy a dance now you've got your leg back.' and she winked at Lolly Sticks.
Lolly Sticks, the Pole sisters and Jenny were soon all giggling and dancing around to the music. Minnie was just being Minnie and trying to hang constantly onto Jenny's arm. She was jealous and kept flicking up her dress and trying to pull Jenny away from Lolly. Dickie Perch was watching them, he was sure now that he liked Lolly Sticks a lot. He was really eager to dance with her but he was just too shy to attempt it. He watched her spinning around making her new lemon party dress fluff out like buttercup. Lolly loved the new dress that Ma had found for her, it was very flouncy just like Lolly herself.
'Pretty she is.' Dickie said nudging Tattie Bogle. ' I likes Pretty Lolly.'
Dickie Perch's head was made from a pale pink painted turnip but it began to turn into a dark pink turnip.
'No won't.' he said shyly.
'Me do it then.' said Tattie Bogle laughing, and he jumped up, grabbed hold of Lolly Sticks and pinned her to the barn floor with a big sloppy kiss.
'Get off ' Lolly screamed, wriggling underneath him. 'Smelly Bogle, stinks of mickies. 'elp Dickie. 'elp Lolly.'
Up like a rocket, Dickie Perch launched himself at Tattie Bogle, pulled him off of Lolly by his scarf and wrestled with him all around the barn. Off came the scarf. Off came Tattie Bogle's clean new jacket and off flew his great big boots as Dickie threw him up and over the bales of straw. All the scarecrows started cheering and jumping around shouting
'Fight fight. Bash 'im Dickie. Come on Tattie, knock 'is swede off.'
'Lolly is MY pretty she is.' said Dickie puffing out his chest as his face turned the colour of beetroot. 'Yous can't snogs 'er.' And with one last mighty effort he threw Tattie over his head and straight into the supper pram. All the scarecrows went crazy whooping, clapping and cheering, leaping about in excitement. Dickie then quietly walked over to a bale and sat down again. His face gradually went back to it's normal pink colour as he watched Lolly Sticks brushing the floor dust off of her new dress. Jenny ran over to the pram and tried to pull Tattie Bogle out by his legs. She was laughing so much, she pulled off Tattie Bogle's trousers instead and landed on her bottom. Ooty joined in to try and help, but he just ended up with a mouth full of leg straw. All the scarecrows fell around laughing and pointing at Tattie Bogle lying in the pram without his jaggys on. Tattie Bogle crossed his arms and sulked. The only ones not laughing, were Dickie Perch and Lolly Sticks. Dickie Perch had come to Lolly's rescue and he was now her hero. She strolled silently over to him, sat down and kissed him on his cheek. All the scarecrows erupted again making whooping noises and chanting
'Dickie an' Lolly gonna get 'itched. Pull 'is 'ead off. Chuck 'er in a ditch.'
Jenny thought that the song was silly, but she did think it was really sweet that Dickie and Lolly were quietly holding hands. Salty Tam was quietly watching them. He had been secretly planning to take Dickie Perch's sailor's hat for himself, but seeing how Dickie had easily beaten Tattie, who was the biggest scarecrow of the gang, Salty had quickly changed his mind and was sulking in a corner. Just then Ma arrived wondering what all the fuss and noise was about. She took Salty off behind the bales of straw for a private chat - she was carrying something long under her arm, it was wrapped in brown paper and looked heavy. Everyone went quiet and waited for them to come out again. When they did, a great cheer went up as Salty Tam stood proudly wearing a sailor's cap that said 'CAPTAIN' on the front in gold letters and better still, he now had a real polished wooden sailor's leg that had been purchased especially just for him. He was so thrilled he couldn't speak. Salty Tam bent over and kissed Ma on the top of her head. Everyone rushed forward to stroke his leg and examine the workmanship. Ma chuckled. She rolled up Salty's trouser leg so he could show it off properly.
'Peter Bun got it for me from the pawn shop in town.' she told Jenny.
'They said it once belonged to real pirate Captain and come all the way from Jamaica. I think Salty Tam deserves a treat. He's always been a well behaved mommet.'
With all the scarecrows mended it was soon time to return them to their work. Most were collected by the farmers and Ma and Jenny took a few back in the pram. Creamy White had kept an eye out for Drippy Mommet and Tater Sack on her milk round, but no one had seen them anywhere. Ma was very worried about them, it was keeping her awake at night.
'It's just not like Tater to go missing.' she said shaking her head. 'He’s always so sensible. Although nothing about Drippy will ever surprise me. Drippy by name Drippy by nature that one.'