Safari Pug Page 2

  Lady Miranda scanned the crowds. It was difficult, but eventually her eyes fell on the lone figure of Arlene von Bling with her bag.

  She was taking the most direct route out of the safari park and heading straight for the lion enclosure!

  Finally the bumping stopped and Pug and Florence peered out of the bag.

  Arlene von Bling was standing next to a really high fence. She started to climb but her pointy shoes and enormous bag were making it difficult.

  Then suddenly Pug and Florence felt themselves flying through the air.

  Arlene von Bling had thrown them over the fence!

  Pug was terrified. He waited for the horrible landing but instead they started swinging gently.

  The strap of Arlene von Bling’s bag had become caught on the branch of a tree.

  Pug and Florence looked out.

  It was a long way down.

  Arlene von Bling was climbing down the other side of the fence. She had nearly reached the bottom.

  Pug barked at her but much to his surprise it seemed to come out as a . . .

  Pacing below them was a very angry-looking lion. It was Florence’s mother.

  Arlene von Bling rapidly began to climb back up the fence as the rest of the pride of lions drew near.

  Florence wanted her mother. She gave Pug one last lick, then climbed out of the bag and down the trunk of the tree. Pug looked on anxiously, but he needn’t have worried: Florence was a natural climber.

  Pug hung precariously from the tree whilst the lions circled underneath. They looked very hungry. Some of them were trying to climb the fence to get a closer look at Arlene von Bling. She threw one of her pointy shoes at them in disgust.

  Pug was just hoping that Florence was telling them that pugs don’t really taste nice when, unexpectedly, the bag started to slip . . . !

  Chapter 6

  Beep beep!

  Pug looked down. In the nick of time, speeding towards him, came Lady Miranda, standing on top of one of the safari vehicles.

  ‘Jump, Pug, jump!’ she shouted as they screeched to a halt under the tree. Running Footman Will and Running Footman Liam tried to distract the circling lions with the leftovers from Wendy’s picnic.

  Pug was surrounded. He couldn’t even see Florence any more. She was lost amongst the bigger lions.

  Then Pug looked at Lady Miranda. He’d known she would come to rescue him.

  The bag slipped again. It was now hanging from the tiniest tip of the branch. He was running out of time. Pug scrambled out of the bag, shut his eyes and . . . bravely . . . let go!

  Laaaaaady Miraaaaaanda!

  . . . he thought as he tumbled through the air, hoping for the best.

  Ooof!

  ‘Got you!’ Lady Miranda exclaimed happily. Pug had landed safely in her arms.

  ‘What about me?!’ shouted Arlene von Bling, still stuck.

  ‘Why should we rescue you? How do we know you won’t try to steal Pug again? Or any other animals?’ asked Lady Miranda.

  ‘I won’t go near another animal,’ promised Arlene von Bling.

  ‘Not ever?’ asked Lady Miranda.

  ‘Not EVER!’ replied Arlene von Bling weakly, throwing her other shoe at an approaching lion.

  ‘Drive up to the fence,’ Lady Miranda ordered Running Footman Will.

  From the back of the safari vehicle Lady Miranda lifted the sedan chair and propped it up against the fence like a ladder. Pug helped to secure it at the bottom.

  ‘Climb down,’ Lady Miranda instructed.

  Arlene von Bling hurried down the makeshift ladder.

  The curious lions were getting closer and closer. Just as a lion reached out with his paw, Arlene von Bling fell into the back of the safari vehicle.

  ‘Step on it, Running Footman Will!’ shouted Lady Miranda.

  Running Footman Will did as he was told and they drove off at high speed with the pride of lions charging after them.

  ‘Give them more picnic!’ shouted Lady Miranda.

  Pug did his best to help. In the distance, he could see Florence by her mother’s side. Pug hoped she liked jam tarts. He was going to miss her.

  Lady Miranda took a quick photograph so that Pug would have a souvenir.

  * * *

  Back at No. 10, The Crescent, Wendy was busy mending the sedan chair.

  ‘How on earth did these claw marks get here?’ she asked.

  ‘We met a lion,’ said Running Footman Will.

  ‘Several actually,’ said Lady Miranda. ‘Pug was very brave.’

  Pug wagged his tail.

  ‘We also met Arlene von Bling,’ said Running Footman Liam, putting the picnic hamper back in the cupboard.

  ‘From that antiques programme?’ asked Wendy.

  ‘Not any more,’ said Running Footman Will. ‘She’s been fired!’

  ‘She tried to steal Pug, Wendy,’ said Lady Miranda. ‘She wanted to sell him.’

  ‘Did she, m’lady?’ asked Wendy. ‘That wasn’t very nice of her.’

  ‘I promise I won’t make you meet any more lions, Pug,’ Lady Miranda whispered in his ear. ‘The safari life isn’t for you. And besides, I don’t want you having any more nightmares.’

  Pug was relieved to hear this. He did enjoy a good night’s sleep.

  ‘I’ll just have to think of something else you can be,’ she added, patting him on the head.

  Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney

  First published in Great Britain in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

  First published in the USA in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

  1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018

  This electronic edition published in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  www.bloomsbury.com

  BLOOMSBURY is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  Text copyright © Laura James 2017

  Illustrations copyright © Églantine Ceulemans 2017

  The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

  All rights reserved

  You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN: 978-1-4088-6640-5 (PB)

  ISBN: 978-1-4088-6641-2 (eBook)

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  Laura James, Safari Pug

 

 

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