Fabulous Five 031 - The Fabulous Five Together Again Read Online Free PDF

"Let's start a pillow
fight."
    Jana laughed. "Great idea. I'll take Katie, you get
Beth, and then we'll both jump Melanie!"

CHAPTER 6
    "There they are," said Christie. Phoebe, Nicki,
and Eleanore were waiting at the Green Park exit to the Underground. Christie
looked at the three of them closely as she and The Fab Five approached. Had
they gotten over their irritation at her, Melanie, and Beth?
    "What kept you?" asked Nicki. "We've been
standing here so long, I've grown moss on my north side."
    Christie grinned. Nicki was back to her old self.
    "We stayed up late last night talking and had trouble
getting up this morning. Sorry we kept you waiting."
    "I'm excited about seeing Buckingham Palace," said
Melanie. "I hope we get a chance to see Princess Di."
    "Whoop-de-do," replied Nicki, circling one finger
in the air.
    Melanie looked at her with a puzzled expression.
    "Don't mind Nicki," volunteered Phoebe. "She's
just not into castles. Her favorite things to see are the torture chambers in
the Tower of London and Madame Tussaud's."
    "Do you want to go by St. James's Palace before we go
to Buckingham?" asked Eleanore. "It's on the way, and the changing of
the guard is at eleven-thirty. We've got time."
    "What's at St. James's Palace?" asked Beth.
    "It's where the Queen Mum lives when she's in London,"
Eleanore told her.
    "The Queen Mum?" asked Katie, looking confused.
    "The Queen's mother," explained Christie.
    "Well, why don't the British just say that ,
instead of Queen Mum?" asked Beth.
    Christie held her breath as Nicki opened her mouth to say
something, and then closed it. Whew, she thought, flashing her British friend a
grateful smile. Nicki is on good behavior. Maybe everyone will get along
a little better today.
    "Unless Princess Di's visiting or something, I'm not
interested in seeing St. James's Palace," decided Melanie.
    "It might be fun," Jana said. "Maybe we could
go there quickly."
    "No," protested Beth. "Let's head for
Buckingham Palace—"
    "What's all the argie-bargie about, anyway?"
interrupted Nicki. "If no one wants to see St. James's Palace, we won't
go."
    "It was just a suggestion," said Eleanore.
    "It was a good one," Jana piped up quickly. "But
I guess we'll skip it."
    As they walked along in the direction of Buckingham Palace,
Melanie glanced down a side street. "Oh, look. There's one of those cute
soldiers in the red uniforms and big, black hats. Can we go see him? I want
someone to take my picture standing beside him." She headed down the side
street before anyone could respond. The others followed.
    "Hi," called Melanie, approaching the guard. "Can
I have my picture taken with you, please?" The young soldier didn't
respond. In fact he gave no indication that he even knew she was there.
    Melanie looked up into his face, which was partially hidden
under his tall bearskin hat. "What's wrong with him, anyway?" she
asked.
    Beth looked at the young man closely. "Maybe he's dead
and just hasn't fallen down yet."
    "No, he's not," said Eleanore, laughing. "The
guards aren't supposed to talk to anyone."
    "Do you think it would be all right if I stood next to
him and had my picture taken?" Melanie asked.
    "Sure," said Phoebe. "Tourists do it all the
time."
    "Be careful," cautioned Nicki, smirking. "If
you make him smile or move, they'll put you in the dungeon at the Tower of
London."
    "Here," said Melanie, eyeing Nicki warily and
handing her camera to Christie. "Would you take my picture?"
    Melanie stood close to the soldier and smiled broadly. Just
as Christie was about to snap the photo, the soldier raised his knee almost
chest high and slammed his foot down.
    Melanie jumped back out of the way, a look of fear and
amazement on her face. "Wha . . . ?"
    The soldier slapped his rifle, shifted it to the other side,
and stamped his foot again.
    The London girls roared with laughter at the look on Melanie's
face. Nicki bent over, holding her stomach. Between peals of laughter, she
managed to say, "I've got to have a