Smudge the Stolen Kitten by Holly Webb Read Free Book Online

that morning. “He must be stuck somehow, he’s trying to get out.”
    Olivia pushed her way past him, and crouched down by the garage wall. “He’s here somewhere. Smudge… Smudge…”
    A little grey paw suddenly stuck out from a hole in the concrete wall, where it had been patched together.
    “He’s there! I saw him. Oh, Smudge, we’ve missed you!” Olivia stroked the grubby little paw. “Look, his claws are all torn where he’s been trying to get out.” She sniffed, choking back sudden tears.
    “How are we going to get him out?” Ben asked. “That hole isn’t nearly big enough.”
    “What about this?” Rob held up a thick stick, which he’d found lying on the grass. “Couldn’t we use it to pull that metal away a bit more?” He banged gently on the metal sheet, and the paw shot back inside as Smudge jumped back in fright.
    “Don’t scare him!” Olivia snapped.
    Rob shook his head. “I had to, Olivia. If he was right behind the metal, I might hurt his paws with the stick.”
    “Oh.” Olivia nodded.
    Rob hooked the stick into the hole, and pulled. There was a creaking noise, and the thin metal bent a little.
    “It’s getting bigger! Here, I’ll pull too.” Ben added his weight to the stick, and Olivia knelt down by the hole.
    “Don’t be scared, Smudge, you’ll beout of there in a minute.”
    “There!” Ben said triumphantly. “That must be big enough. Good plan, Rob!”
    Inside the garage, Smudge blinked at the hole, his whiskers quivering excitedly. He could hear Olivia. He edged forward, squeezing himself tightly against the concrete block, and suddenly tumbled forward out of the hole, and into Olivia’s hands.

    “Oh, Smudge, we’ve been looking everywhere.” Olivia snuggled the kitten up against her chin, laughing and crying at the same time.
    “Hey! You’ve found him!” Olivia’s dad came running up the alley, with all the others hurrying behind him.
    “He’s fine,” Olivia told them. “Just a bit dirty. He was stuck in that garage.”
    “We moved that bit of metal,” Ben explained. “It was Rob who thought of it.”
    “But he wouldn’t have run off and got stuck if I hadn’t taken him first,” Rob muttered. “I’ll never do anything that stupid again, I promise.”
    “You’re just lucky that you found him,” his dad pointed out grimly.
    “I know it was all my fault,” Robmuttered. “I said I’m really sorry, Dad.”
    “I think you’d better give some of your pocket money to the Rescue Centre by way of apology,” his mum suggested, and Rob nodded.
    Olivia looked over at Rob. “He only did it because he really wants a cat of his own,” she murmured.
    Rob’s dad sighed. “Well, maybe when he proves he can be sensible enough to look after a kitten, he can have one. Which will take a long time!”
    Olivia turned to Rob. “Rob, do you want to stroke Smudge too?”
    Rob ran a gentle finger down the back of Smudge’s head.
    “Thanks,” he whispered.
    Now she had Smudge snuggled up and purring in her arms again, Oliviafelt like she could forgive anything. Smudge pressed closer against her, looking nervously at Rob.
    “It’s OK, Smudge.” She tickled him under the chin. “Rob’s not going to hurt you.” She smiled at Rob, only a small smile, but she got a huge one back.
    Lucie reached out to rub Smudge’s ears. “He’s gorgeous. You’re so lucky, Olivia!”
    Olivia smiled. She was. Lucky to have Smudge – and even more lucky to have him back safe.
     

Other titles by Holly Webb:
    Lost in the Snow
    Lost in the Storm
    Alfie all Alone
    Sam the Stolen Puppy
    Max the Missing Puppy
    Sky the Unwanted Kitten
    Timmy in Trouble
    Ginger the Stray Kitten
    Harry the Homeless Puppy
    Buttons the Runaway Puppy
    Alone in the Night
    Ellie the Homesick Puppy
    Jess the Lonely Puppy
    Misty the Abandoned Kitten
    Oscar’s Lonely Christmas
    Lucy the Poorly Puppy
    Smudge the Stolen Kitten
    The Rescued Puppy
    The Kitten Nobody Wanted
    The Lost Puppy
    The Frightened