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to their feet and scrambled in all directions. It
was as if someone had thrown a cat into a chicken coop. Sam grabbed Gerald by the
elbow and dragged him towards where Ruby and Felicity had been sitting.
    ‘Ow!’ Gerald protested. ‘Easy on the arm pulling.’
    In the mad jostling of bodies Gerald lost sight of Ruby. He finally spotted Felicity,
who was up on her tiptoes and waving her arms above her head at them. Gerald and
Sam pushed past a cluster of girls who were negotiating with Kobe and Charlie about
pack-carrying duties.
    ‘Where’s Ruby?’ Sam asked, searching for her face among the crowd. ‘I thought she
was with you.’
    ‘She was,’ Felicity said. ‘But she got waylaid.’
    ‘Waylaid?’ Gerald said. ‘By what?’
    Felicity nodded towards a group of bodies. ‘Not by what,’ she said. ‘By whom.’
    Gerald looked to where Felicity had gestured and saw Ruby talking with Alex Baranov.
He pressed his lips together and pushed his way towards them.
    ‘Ruby?’ Gerald said, making a point of shouldering his way between her and Alex.
‘What’s going on?’
    Ruby blinked up at him and her voice caught in her throat. ‘Oh, Alex was just asking
me something,’ she said, somehow avoiding looking Gerald in the eye.
    ‘Asking you what?’ Gerald said.
    Alex Baranov fixed Gerald with an electric stare. ‘I’ve asked Ruby to join my team
for the Triple Crown, Wilkins. I was just telling her that my friend Owen is an orienteering
champion. He can read a map and compass better than anyone I know. This first challenge
will be a doddle for my team.’
    Gerald’s mouth fell open. ‘Join your team? You’re too late. Ruby’s on my team.’
    Ruby pulled her shoulders back and jutted out her chin. ‘I don’t believe I’ve agreed
to be on anyone’s team yet,’ she said. ‘Alex had the good manners to actually ask
me.’
    ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’ Gerald said. ‘Obviously you’re on my team.’
    Ruby straightened even further. ‘You’ve made that decision for me, have you?’
    Gerald realised he might have gone a step too far. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I would never
do that.’
    ‘Because you know how much that would annoy me, don’t you,’ Ruby said, narrowing
her eyes.
    ‘Yes, of course,’ Gerald said, backpedalling as fast as he could manage. ‘I never
meant to annoy you.’
    Mr Beare’s voice cut through the hubbub in the hall, ‘Two minutes, everyone!’
    A calculating smile settled on Ruby’s lips. She looked first to Alex, then to Gerald.
    ‘If I was to join your team,’ she said, ‘what would the team motto be?’
    ‘Our what?’ Gerald said.
    ‘Our motto. Our slogan,’ Ruby said. ‘What would be the guiding principle that defined
our team?’
    Alex puffed out his chest. ‘Simple,’ he said. ‘It would be the same as the Baranov
family crest: Victoria Super Omnia : Victory above All.’
    Ruby considered this for a second. ‘Strong,’ she said. ‘I like it.’ She turned to
Gerald. ‘What do you have for me?’
    Gerald started to perspire. ‘Uh, I don’t know. I’d have to ask Sam and Felicity.’
    ‘One minute!’ Mr Beare called.
    Ruby raised an eyebrow. ‘You better hurry,’ she said.
    Gerald’s forehead was awash. If he couldn’t convince Ruby there would be no time
to find another teammate: he, Sam and Felicity would be disqualified and out of the
Triple Crown.
    ‘Uh— Ruby Is Always Right ,’ Gerald said in a rush.
    Ruby pricked up her ears. ‘Say that again,’ she said.
    Gerald blinked. ‘Ruby Is Always Right.’
    ‘Hmmm,’ Ruby said. ‘I like the sound of that.’ She pondered for a moment,
    ‘Thirty seconds!’ Mr Beare called.
    Again, Ruby looked from Gerald to Alex. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘I choose…Gerald’s
team.’
    Gerald pumped his one good fist just as Mr Beare called time.
    Ruby put a hand on Alex’s forearm. ‘I’m sorry, Alex,’ she said. ‘Does that mean you
don’t have a full team?’
    Alex did not look at