“How are we going to save Gertrude?” asked Sid. “Neither of us are allowed back at the zoo, and they are planning to put her down today as soon as it closes. That’s just a few hours away now!”
“You will think of something, my Sidney and our Eric! I know it. And, while you do, I need to give these beauties their breakfast.”
“BREAKFAST” must have been a trigger word for the animals, because instantly all seven sped as fast as they could towards her.
“OOOHHH!” trilled the lady as she saw them all coming.
Parker the parrot flapped her one wing, flying round and round in circles.
SQUAWK!
Sassy the seal swept out of her tin bath and landed with a slap on the kitchen floor.
HONK!
Ernie the elephant charged, his stumpy trunk swinging to and fro.
HOO!
Florence the flamingo hopped on top of Totter the tortoise’s wicker shell, slowing them both down to a stop.
SCRAPE!
BOINK! BOINK! BOINK!
Colin the crocodile spun round, sweeping Florence off her foot.
DONK!
SNAP!
Botty the baboon leaped towards the lady with such gusto that she knocked her over like a skittle.
BASH!
Poor Bessie tumbled to the floor.
“WHOA!”
DOOSH!
Soon, all the creatures were crawling over her, and licking her face with their tongues.
“SLURP! SLURP!
“HELP!” she cried out.
“Come on now, my darlings!” ordered Sid, plucking them off one by one. “That’s enough of that!”
Then he and Eric heaved the lady back to her feet.
“Why, thank you, kind sirs,” cooed Bessie. She gathered herself together and announced, “I’ll bring them their—”
“Don’t say it!” urged Sid.
“B-R-E-A-K-F-A-S-T!” she spelled out. She knew the animals were smart but was pretty sure they couldn’t spell.
Then she went back out of the door into the garden.
“So how are we going to rescue Gertrude?” asked Eric.
“I don’t know, Eric. I really don’t know. It seems impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible!”
“Even if we do, where on earth are we going to keep her?” replied Sid, taking the weight off his tin legs by slumping down at the kitchen table.
“Here, of course!” exclaimed the boy.
“Oh my!” Sid’s face turned a deathly shade of pale. “That’s all I need now. A great big gorilla moving in!”
“She can sleep in my room!” said Eric.
“Oh yes! I forgot! You’re moving in too! And, by the way, when you say your room, there isn’t one! There’s just one little bedroom at the top of the stairs.”
“Well, I can sleep out there,” reasoned the boy, pointing through the window to the little brick building at the end of the garden.
“That’s the toilet!”
“Fine by me. If ever I need to go in the night, it couldn’t be more convenient!”
“Eric, have you ever tried sleeping upright?”
The boy thought for a moment. It really was just a moment because he was immediately sure that the answer was no. “I don’t think so, no.”
“Well, it’s not comfortable!”
Then the boy’s eyes widened with delight. “I’ve got it!” he exclaimed. “I’ve got it!”
“Got what?”
“An idea! I can sleep in here with Gertrude and all the other animals, and you can move in next door with Bessie!”
Now it was Sid’s turn to blush as red as a very red thing. “Well, I don’t know about that!”
“You like her, and she likes you.”
“Well, let’s not get too hasty…”
At that moment, they heard a chirp from next door: “BREAKFAST!”
Sid opened the back door. Immediately, all seven of his animal children scuttled out into the garden and next door to be fed.
“Please, Uncle Sid,” pleaded the boy. “Help me rescue Gertrude.”
“I want to! I love her too. But I just don’t know how we can.”
“If you won’t help me, I’ll do it on my own!”
“Not on your nelly!” exclaimed the old man. “I can’t let you sneak into the zoo alone after dark. Batter might shoot you!”
“So, you will help me?”
The old man sighed. “When there is danger and derring-do, Private Sidney Pratt reports for duty!” he said, saluting.
“YES!” exclaimed the boy.
“We’ll find room for a gorilla. But Gertrude has to be the absolute last one. I really can’t cope with any more animals. It’s like Noah’s ark in here!”
“Just Gertrude. I promise!”
“Good, good. Now, as with any military operation, we need to…
make a
plan!”