Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond Read Free Book Online

must say,” said Mrs. Bird. “I know one thing. Anyone who sits on a stool near our crossroads at midnight could well end up at the top of the list.”
    All the same, Paddington’s enthusiasm was infectious and as soon as the rest of the family finished their meal they gathered around his chair.

    “I’ve never been to a Halloween party,” he said wistfully. “I don’t think they have them in Darkest Peru.”
    Mrs. Brown caught her husband’s eye. “We haven’t had one for ages, Henry,” she said. “It might be fun.”
    “Please, Dad,” chorused Jonathan and Judy.
    Mr. Brown weakened. “Perhaps a small one,” he said. “Just for the family, but no more. It’s bad enough as it is with all those people ringing the front doorbell and calling ‘Trick or treat’ through the letter box. The only time I didn’t answer it last year, we lost our dustbin lid.”
    “It did get found in the canal,” said Jonathan.
    “I’ll get some chocolate bars in,” said Mrs. Brown hastily. “They always go down well.”
    Paddington turned over the page. “There’s a recipe for a witches’ brew,” he read.
    “It’s called stir fly, and it sounds very interesting.”
    “I think you must mean ‘stir fry ,’ dear,” said Mrs. Brown. “Unless, of course, it’s a misprint.”
    Jonathan took a closer look. “No,” he said firmly. “Paddington’s right. It is stir fly .”
    “It gives the recipe,” announced Paddington, reading from the book. “It’s a mixture of toenail clippings, bats’ blood, and dead flies.”
    “Charming,” said Mr. Brown. “I can’t wait!”
    “They’re not real,” piped up Judy, seeing the look on everyone’s faces. “You can make pretend toenail clippings out of pieces of chicory, and for the flies all you need are some old currants that have gone hard. Mix it all together with tomato ketchup, and Bob’s your uncle.”
    “Bob’s welcome to it, whoever he is,” murmured Mr. Brown. “I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer the real thing.”
    “Look,” said Jonathan, gazing over Paddington’s shoulder. “There’s something here about taking a kipper to bed with you.”
    “That’s another very good chapter,” said Paddington knowledgeably. “I read it under the eiderdown last night. It says if you take a kipper to bed and eat it before you go to sleep, the person you are going to marry will bring you a glass of water during the night to quench your thirst.”
    “Hmm,” said Mrs. Bird. “I hope whoever it turns out to be is prepared to wash the sheets in the morning, that’s all I can say.”
    “Anyway,” said Judy, “you’re not thinking of getting married, are you?”
    “I might be,” said Paddington darkly. “There is another way,” he continued. “It says here, if you cut the letters of the alphabet out of some newspaper headlines and float them in a bowl of water, they will spell out the name for you.”
    Mr. Brown pointedly glanced at his watch and then reached for his morning paper. “I think it’s time I went to the office,” he said. “It’s a bit early in the day for origami.”
    “What a bit of luck it’s half term,” said Jonathan after Mr. Brown had said his good-byes. “We can help get everything ready.”
    “If I were you, Paddington,” said Mrs. Bird, “I’d get down to the market as soon as possible. Once people begin to realize what day it is, there could be a run on pumpkins.” She reached for her handbag. “While you’re there you can get a box of night-lights to go inside them.”
    “Don’t forget we need some chicory for the toenails,” called Judy.
    Paddington made a note of it, and in no time at all he set off with his list, leaving Jonathan and Judy to start making the masks.
    “Very wise,” said Mrs. Bird approvingly when she saw what they were up to. “Speaking from experience, that bear and glue pots are best kept as far apart as possible. He can help me with the pumpkins when he gets back.”
    “You don’t