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through the monster’s neck, cutting off its shrieking victory cry.
    â€˜You did it!’ Max shouted to Finlay.
    Just as before, the head vanished as it flew through the air. The body collapsed to the floor and a few moments later, an emu was wriggling its way out.
    Finlay stared at it, torn between shock that he’d done it and delight. But he didn’t have time to stand still for long. The Man-Eating Bird’s shrieks had attracted the attention of the other birds and even as Max began to quickly and precisely gather up the skin, two more birds burst into the centre of the maze.
    â€˜Hi-yaah!’ Finlay yelled, charging to meet them.
    Thunk! Thwack!
    Two more heads flew into the air. A fourth bird appeared. Finlay swung towards it, but as he did so, it duckedand he lost his balance. The weight of the axe dragged him forward as the axe’s head bit into the ground.
    â€˜Finlay!’ Max yelled in alarm as the bird swung round and raised its beak over Finlay’s head. Grabbing the first thing that came to hand – the large empty paint pot from the workshop – Max chucked it at the bird. It landed perfectly on the bird’s head. The bird shook its head furiously, but Finlay had seen his chance. Yanking the axe out of the ground he swung it through the bird’s neck.
    â€˜Four down!’ he yelled to Max as the bird collapsed. ‘Four to go!’
    Trying to herd the emus away down to the escape gate, Max began to fold up the skins. It was hard to concentratewith so much going on around him but he kept his head down and focused on folding up the disintegrating skins. They had to get every last shred of them back to Juno or they would fail the whole task. Hearing another thunk, he looked up.
    â€˜Five down!’ Finlay shouted triumphantly as another bird fell to the ground. ‘Just three more!’
    â€˜And here they come!’ Max shouted as the three remaining Man-Eating Birds raced into the maze. They screeched as they saw Finlay with the axe. He hesitated for a second, unsure which one to go for first.
    In that second of hesitation they surrounded him. Their eyes gleamed as they raised their necks. Max saw Finlaylook round in alarm. He couldn’t possibly get all three at once. The birds opened their beaks…
    Max grabbed the pair of heavy metal pliers, turned on the spot and in the same movement chucked the pliers at one of the bird’s heads. It hit the bird with a heavy clunk. The bird slumped to the ground. Finlay quickly chopped its head off.

    The other two birds shrieked in fury. Finlay leapt towards one, the axe swinging straight for its neck.
    At the same moment the other bird began to run at Max. He looked round desperately. What could he use as a weapon? Suddenly he saw the wooden post they had unscrewed the metal discs from earlier and picked it up. Running forward to meet the bird he swung it upside down so the heavy metal base was pointing upwards. The bird bore down on him, flapping its wings. It looked huge – enormous. Its savage beak sliced downwards.
    Using all his strength, Max shoved the signpost upwards into the bird’s open mouth. His aim was perfect. The bird’s beak closed on the metal base with aloud clunk. For a moment its mouth was so full of metal that it couldn’t do anything, but then within seconds, it had ripped through the wood, shearing off the metal base. Spitting out the metal and wood, it shrieked in fury and slashed at Max again. Max dodged back in alarm but he wasn’t quite quick enough. The bird’s beak caught the top of his arm.
    He yelled in pain. The bird raised its head to strike again. Heart pounding, Max grabbed the wooden post from the ground. It was the only possible weapon to hand. What could he do? He looked down and saw the bird’s taloned webbed foot just centimetres away from his own. The bird’s beak was already stabbing down towards him.
    Max ducked and in the same