Gatwick Bear and the Secret Plans by Anna Cuffaro Read Free Book Online Page B

around with the remote control. Gatwick was having fun trying to work out which light switch turned on which light. When he had understood that, he started tampering with the air-conditioning. “Is the air all right for you Little Sister, or would you like it cooler?” asked the ever-considerate Gatwick.
    Little Sister was watching Strictly Come Dancing. Oh, she did like those gowns. And, she just adored the way the dancers twirled and swirled about, so elegant and light-footed. Gatwick was still fiddling about with the air-conditioning. He thought he’d give up because, whatever he did, it didn’t seem to make any difference to the room temperature. So he tried opening the safe he’d found in one of the wardrobes. He pressed his ear against the dial and heard it clicking. He liked the sound. So he kept turning the dial backwards and forwards going faster and faster... until he heard a loud click of the lock and the safe sprang open.
    â€œOh, look, Little Sister there are some sparkling little stones in this box”.
    â€œLet me have a look”, she answered, a little irritated for having been interrupted while watching TV. “Mmm, very nice”, she said as she watched them twinkle in her paws. The stones were strung together in a round shape.
    â€œI think you’re supposed to put it around your neck. Miss Acid wore one which looked as if it was made of animals’ teeth”. With the help of Gatwick, Little Sister put on the diamond necklace and went back to watching TV.
    Â Then, Gatwick had an idea:
    â€œWhy don’t we go down to the swimming pool?”
    â€œWow! Yes, let’s go swimming”, shouted Little Sister in glee.
    So they got into the lift and went down. The pool was so big and blue. There was no-one else in it. They had it all to themselves! Gatwick went up the steps of the long slide. It was so high, it made him dizzy. He sat down and slid into the pool going “Whee!” all the way. He liked that and thought he’d do it all over again. After that, he tried the trampoline – that was even more fun. Little Sister, more cautious than Gatwick, took the steps into the pool one by one and backwards, but only after she’d put a paw in the water to test the temperature. Well, they had such fun splashing each other and diving and putting their heads under the water. They had got themselves very wet indeed. “Maybe we ought to go and dry out” Little Sister said to Gatwick, looking at his drenched waistcoat and fur.
    â€œYes, let’s go up and see if we can get the hairdryers to work”, said Gatwick.
    When they had blow dried themselves, after much messing around with the hairdryers, Little Sister thought it might be a swell idea to have some more chocolates. So, they had another box between them, and then each rolled over onto their own water bed, feeling well and truly sick, and fell asleep.
    Early next morning, Jet was looking for worms in the hotel’s landscaped garden. The bears were sitting on loungers on their balcony basking in the sun and having breakfast. They were having oak-smoked kippers, sliced-smoked Scottish salmon and Russian caviar, as well as warm butter cakes with lots of honey and marmalade, washing it all down with hot chocolate. The Red Vultures on the terrace next to them were having a similar breakfast, but they were drinking vodka instead of chocolate. All of a sudden Gatwick shouted out: “Jet!”
    Little Sister wondered why Gatwick should be so surprised. After all, they were near an airport.
    â€œNo, you don’t understand. It’s my best friend, my best friend: Jet the Raven from Gatwick Airport! Jet! Jet!”
    Jet turned around and looked up at the roof-garden. Oh, no, Gatwick had seen him. What now?
    â€œOh, watcha, Gatwick. How are you? Fancy meeting you here of all places”.
    â€œHow come you’re here? Have you just arrived? You know, I looked for you at the