Bruce Bogtrotter and the Cake

           "Howcanshegetawaywithit?"LavendersaidtoMatilda."Surelythechildrengohomeandtelltheirmothersandfathers.IknowmyfatherwouldraiseaterrificstinkifItoldhimtheHeadmistresshadgrabbedmebythehairandslungmeovertheplaygroundfence."

           "No,hewouldn’t,"Matildasaid,"andI’lltellyouwhy.Hesimplywouldn’tbelieveyou."

           "Ofcoursehewould."

           "Hewouldn’t,"Matildasaid."Andthereasonisobvious.Yourstorywouldsoundtooridiculoustobebelieved.AndthatistheTrunchbull’sgreatsecret."

           "Whatis?"Lavenderasked.

           Matildasaid,"Neverdoanythingbyhalvesifyouwanttogetawaywithit.Beoutrageous.Gothewholehog.Makesureeverythingyoudoissocompletelycrazyit’sunbelievable.Noparentisgoingtobelievethispigtailstory,notinamillionyears.Minewouldn’t.They’dcallmealiar."

           "Inthatcase",Lavendersaid,"Amanda’smotherisn’tgoingtocutherpigtailsoff."

           "No,sheisn’t,"Matildasaid."Amandawilldoitherself.

           Youseeifshedoesn’t."

           "Doyouthinkshe’smad?"Lavenderasked.

           "Who?"

           "TheTrunchbull."

           "No,Idon’tthinkshe’smad,"Matildasaid."Butshe’sverydangerous.Beinginthisschoolislikebeinginacagewithacobra.Youhavetobeveryfastonyourfeet."

           TheygotanotherexampleofhowdangeroustheHeadmistresscouldbeontheverynextday.DuringlunchanannouncementwasmadethatthewholeschoolshouldgointotheAssemblyHallandbeseatedassoonasthemealwasover.