Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond Read Free Book Online Page B

longer than he had bargained for, especially as he was trying to do it as quietly as possible, and it wasn’t until he looked around for something he could tie the other end to that he realized Mr. Curry’s front garden was like the proverbial desert. There wasn’t a sign of a convenient shrub, let alone a tree.
    Paddington was about to go back home and ask Jonathan’s advice when the door suddenly opened.
    “Who’s that rattling my letter box?” barked Mr. Curry.
    “I might have known!” he growled when he caught sight of Paddington hiding behind his pumpkin. “Up to your tricks again, bear?”
    “Oh, no,” said Paddington hastily. “They’re not my tricks, Mr. Curry. They’re in Mr. Gruber’s book…I mean…”
    The Browns’ neighbor stared at him suspiciously. “What’s that in your paw?” he demanded.
    “It’s my jack-o’-lantern,” explained Paddington. He held the pumpkin up for Mr. Curry to see. “It’s supposed to frighten off evil spirits, but it doesn’t seem to be working very well—” He broke off as he caught sight of the look on the other’s face.
    “I meant, what’s in your other paw?” barked Mr. Curry. “The one behind your back.” And before Paddington could stop him, he had grabbed hold of the cord.
    “I wouldn’t pull it if I were you, Mr. Curry,” said Paddington anxiously.
    “Nonsense!” barked the Browns’ neighbor. “There’s only one way to find out where something goes; that’s to give it a good tug.” And without further ado he wound the cord around his other hand and pulled.
    There was a loud bang as his door slammed shut. It was followed almost immediately by a sound oftinkling as a metal object landed on the path at their feet.
    Mr. Curry stared at it. “That looks like a doorknob,” he growled. “Have you any idea how it got there, bear? It might have caused a nasty accident.”
    Paddington held out his lantern and took a closer look. “I don’t think it’s one of ours, Mr. Curry,” he said. “Mrs. Bird always keeps our doorknobs polished.”

    “That still doesn’t explain what it’s doing there,” growled Mr. Curry.
    “I was looking for a convenient tree,” explained Paddington.
    “I don’t have any trees,” growled Mr. Curry. “Nasty, untidy things, dropping their leaves everywhere.”
    “I know,” said Paddington unhappily. “That’s why the doorknob trick didn’t work properly. Yours must have fallen off by mistake. It wasn’t meant to.”
    “I’ll give you tricks, bear,” barked Mr. Curry. “They ought not to be allowed. If I had my way I’d—” He broke off. “Would you mind repeating what you’ve just said?”
    Mr. Curry’s face had grown purple with rage. In fact, Paddington didn’t like the look of it at all, and he hastily lowered his lantern to be on the safe side.
    “If you don’t mind,” he said, “I’d rather not.”
    But the Browns’ neighbor was already doing it for him. “Are you trying to tell me that’s my doorknob, bear?” he spluttered.
    Clearly hardly able to believe his eyes, let alonehis ears, he gazed at his front door, then looked at the end of the cord tied around the knob.
    “Do you realize,” he bellowed, “you have locked me out of my own house?”
    “No, Mr. Curry,” said Paddington, glad to be on firm ground at last. “ I didn’t lock you out. You did it yourself. It’s what Mrs. Bird calls a self-inflicted wound. She often says you’re very good at those.”
    Raising his hat politely, he looked anxiously over his shoulder, but Jonathan and Judy were too well hidden to be of any help. “I think perhaps I’d better go now,” he said. “We’re having a Halloween party, and I don’t want to be late.”
    Mr. Curry paused from whatever it was he had been about to say, and a cunning gleam came into his eyes. “Is that so, bear?” he said. “I thought I saw you doing a lot of coming and going this morning.”
    “There was a lot to get ready,” said Paddington,