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    Paddington at Large
    Paddington at Large
    Paddington at Large
    Ebook132 pages1 hour

    Paddington at Large

    By Michael Bond and Peggy Fortnum

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    • Adventure

    • Family

    • Friendship

    • Humor

    • Survival

    • Fish Out of Water

    • Amateur Detective

    • Gentleman Thief

    • Coming of Age

    • Space Opera

    • Mistaken Identity

    • Lost World

    • Hidden Depths

    • Survival Against the Odds

    • Misunderstood Protagonist

    • Exploration

    About this ebook

    Ever since Paddington started working in the garden, it’s been a bit quieter in the Brown household. But with Paddington around, things never stay quiet for long. From a paw-sticking toffee disaster to a slight scorching of Father Christmas’s beard, Paddington brings a splash of adventure to every day.

    Paddington at Large is the fifth novel by Michael Bond, chronicling the adventures of this classic character. Paddington has warmed the hearts of generations of readers with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures. This brand-new paper-over-board edition of the classic novel contains the original text by Michael Bond and illustrations by Peggy Fortnum.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJan 5, 2016
    ISBN9780062312259
    Author

    Michael Bond

    Michael Bond began chronicling Paddington’s adventures in his first book, A Bear Called Paddington, published in 1958. Fortunately, bears don’t need much encouragement, and Paddington has since filled the pages of twelve further novels, a variety of picture books, and many other projects written for the young at heart.

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      Book preview

      Paddington at Large - Michael Bond

      CONTENTS

      1. Paddington Breaks the Peace

      2. Mr. Gruber’s Outing

      3. Goings On at Number Thirty-two

      4. Paddington Hits the Jackpot

      5. A Sticky Time

      6. Trouble in the Bargain Basement

      7. Paddington and the Christmas Pantomime

      Excerpt from Paddington Marches On

      Back Ad

      Books by Michael Bond

      Credits

      Copyright

      About the Publisher

      Chapter One

      PADDINGTON BREAKS THE PEACE

      I know I keep on saying it, exclaimed Mrs. Brown as she placed an extremely large vegetable marrow on the kitchen scales, but I’m sure Paddington must have been born with green paws. Have you seen this one? He’s beaten his best by over half a pound.

      Hmm, said Mrs. Bird. Well, I’ll grant you one thing; green paws are better than idle ones, and at least gardening keeps him busy. We haven’t had an upset for weeks now.

      The Browns’ housekeeper hastily touched wood as her eyes followed the progress of a small brown figure clad in a shapeless hat and an equally disreputable-looking duffle coat as it made its way down the garden path before disappearing into a potting shed behind the raspberry canes.

      Mrs. Bird was never very happy about any of Paddington’s activities which took him out of her sight for too long a time, and Paddington’s interest in gardening had lasted much too long for her peace of mind.

      All the same, even Mrs. Bird had to admit that for some time past things had been remarkably peaceful at Number thirty-two Windsor Gardens.

      It had all started when Paddington arrived home from the market one day carrying a giant packet of assorted seeds which he’d bought for the bargain price of five pence. At the time it had seemed such good value for money that Mr. Brown had been only too pleased to let him have a corner of the garden, and for several evenings afterwards Paddington had been kept very busy counting the seeds, making sure none of them were stuck to his paws as he sorted them into separate piles in order of size before he planted them.

      Only Mrs. Bird had been full of forebodings. Woe betide the man in the shop if they don’t all come up, she remarked when she noticed the seed packet had been marked down from fifteen pence. I can see there’ll be some nasty scenes.

      But despite Mrs. Bird’s misgivings, within a week or two the first of the seeds began to sprout, and in no time at all Paddington’s Patch was such a blaze of color it soon put the rest of the garden to shame.

      From that moment on Paddington spent most of his spare time out of doors, and when he began supplying the household with vegetables as well as flowers, everyone had to agree with Mrs. Brown that he must have been born with green paws.

      I must say, the garden is a picture at the moment, she continued as she turned to help Mrs. Bird with the washing-up. Even Mr. Curry called out this morning and said how nice it looks.

      If I know Mr. Curry, said Mrs. Bird darkly, he was probably after something. He doesn’t say things like that without a very good reason.

      Perhaps he wants some cheap vegetables, said Mrs. Brown. You know how mean he is.

      He’ll be lucky with that bear, replied Mrs. Bird. And quite right, too, seeing the state his own garden’s in. It’s a disgrace.

      Mr. Curry’s lawn was very overgrown with weeds, and Mrs. Bird held strong views about the way the seeds blew over the fence whenever there was a strong wind.

      Funnily enough, said Mrs. Brown, I think he was just getting his lawn mower out when he spoke to me. Perhaps he’s going to make a start.

      Not before time, snorted Mrs. Bird. And I shall believe it when I see it. He’s much more likely to give the job to some poor bob-a-job-week scout than do it himself.

      Mrs. Bird gave the washing-up several nasty jabs with her mop; but if she had been able to see Mr. Curry as she spoke, she would probably have snorted even louder, for at that moment the Browns’ neighbor was peering over the fence at Paddington with a very cunning expression on his face.

      Unaware of the danger he was in, Paddington was sitting on a patch of ground behind the raspberry canes busy with his accounts. Mrs. Bird paid him strict market rates for all his vegetables; and although she kept a careful note of all his sales, Paddington wasn’t the sort of bear to take chances, and he liked to make doubly sure by keeping his own record. He had just finished entering the words MARROWS—VERRY LARGE—ONE in his notebook when Mr. Curry’s voice shattered the morning air.

      Bear! he roared. What are you doing, bear? Resting on your laurels?

      Paddington jumped up in alarm at the sound of Mr. Curry’s voice. Oh, no, Mr. Curry, he exclaimed when he had recovered from the shock. I was only sitting on my begonias.

      Mr. Curry looked at him suspiciously, but Paddington returned his gaze very earnestly.

      The cunning expression returned to Mr. Curry’s face as he looked round Paddington’s garden. I’m glad to see you’re all up to date, bear, he said. I was wondering if you would like to earn yourself five pence if you’ve a few moments to spare.

      Er . . . yes, please, Mr. Curry, said Paddington doubtfully. From past experience he felt sure that any job for which Mr. Curry was willing to pay five pence would take far longer than a few minutes, but he was much too polite to say so.

      Are you any good at climbing trees? asked Mr. Curry.

      Oh, yes, said Paddington importantly. Bears are good at climbing things.

      That’s good, said Mr. Curry, waving a hand in the direction of a large tree near his house. In that case perhaps you’d like to pick a few apples for me.

      Thank you very much, Mr. Curry, said Paddington, looking most surprised at the thought of being paid five pence just for picking a few apples.

      Oh, and while you’re up there, said Mr. Curry casually, there’s a dangerous branch that needs cutting down. I’m afraid I have to go out, but it’s very kind of you to offer, bear. Very kind indeed.

      Before Paddington had time to open his mouth, Mr. Curry produced a saw and a length of rope from behind his back and pointed to the branch in question.

      Now don’t forget, he said as he handed the bits and pieces over the fence, "you tie one end of this rope to the branch then you loop the other end over the top of the tree and tie it back down to something heavy on the ground. That’s most important, otherwise the branch might fall down too quickly and cause a nasty accident. I don’t want to come back and find any broken windows.

      And if you finish before I get back, continued Mr. Curry, "perhaps you’d like to cut my grass. I’ve put the mower all

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