Selby Snowbound Read Online Free PDF Page A

quickly.’
    ‘What are we going to do?’ Mrs Trifle asked. ‘The Paddle-Pup’s battery is flat.’
    ‘Thank goodness for that,’ Selby thought.
    ‘I’ve got a brilliant idea!’ Dr Trifle said, snapping his fingers the way he did when he got brilliant ideas. ‘We’ll use the spare battery from the car! Quick, grab Selby and strap him on again. We can run him around the shore a couple more times.’
    ‘Not on your life!’ Selby thought. ‘I’m not going back on that rattle trap for all the plants in the world!’
    ‘Goodness!’ Mrs Trifle cried. ‘What’s got into him? He’s barking and growling and baring his teeth at us! I’ve never seen him act like this before.’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Selby thought as he jumped free and broke into a run, ‘but there are times when even a faithful loving dog just has to say no. If they want that maniac metal monster to punch some more holes then they can ride it themselves!’

SELBY’S SURPRISE
    ‘Do you remember my clever little two-part plan?’ Mrs Trifle asked Dr Trifle.
    ‘Plan? Who, me?’ said Dr Trifle as he looked up from his workbench.
    ‘You know, the one about Jetty’s birthday.’
    ‘Oh,
that
clever little two-part plan. No, I’ve completely forgotten.’
    ‘Today’s her birthday and part one of the plan is me taking her out to a restaurant. Billy is away on a camp but Willy will be coming here if you don’t mind looking after him.’
    ‘Will he?’ Dr Trifle asked looking back at his latest invention.
    ‘Yes, Willy. Are you going deaf or something?’
    ‘No, I said “will he?”, not
Willy.
Will he be coming to stay?’
    ‘Just for the night. Is that okay with you?’
    ‘I don’t mind but the last time he was here he used some disgraceful language. I warned him once but when it happened again, I had to give him a good spanking. Also, I don’t like the way he treats Selby. He can be rather rough, you know.’
    ‘Jetty says that he’s not like that anymore. She says he’s grown up a lot recently. He doesn’t use naughty words and I’m sure he’ll be good to Selby.’
    ‘Grown up, schmown up,’ Selby thought. ‘That little monster won’t be grown up when he’s ninety! He may grow taller but he’ll never ever grow
up
!’
    ‘I don’t mind looking after him if he behaves himself,’ Dr Trifle said.
    ‘Good. Now I’d better get to work on part two of my clever little plan. I’ve got a lot of Jetty’s friends to ring.’
    ‘And I’m outta here,’ Selby thought as he crept out to the back yard and crawled into his favourite hiding bush.
    Selby lay there in the dark.
    ‘I can’t keep from thinking terrible thoughts about Willy. I know it’s not nice — but I can’t help myself.’
    Just then Selby heard Aunt Jetty’s voice. A few minutes later he heard the two women drive away and there was a terrifying stillness in the air.
    ‘I don’t like this,’ Selby thought. ‘It’s too quiet. It’s like the calm before the storm. I know that kid is around here somewhere and I know he’ll be after me. I wonder what he’s up to?’
    Suddenly Selby heard the crackle of breaking branches and there was Willy only a leg’s length away. Selby got ready to run.
    ‘Don’t run away,’ Willy pleaded. ‘I won’t hurt you. Please, I wanna be your friend.’
    ‘Friend?’ Selby thought. ‘Did he say friend? Who is this kid trying to kid?’
    ‘I won’t hurt you anymore. Shake hands with Willy. I know you can talk but I won’t tell nobody. Come on, doggy. Be my friend.’
    ‘This has got to be a trick,’ Selby thought, looking around for hidden cameras or tape recorders that would catch him talking.
    ‘Please,’ Willy said putting his hand out further.
    ‘Back off, brat!’ Selby whispered. ‘One step closer and I’m out of here and over the back fence. You won’t see me again!’
    Willy pulled his hand back. Selby could see tears forming in the boy’s eyes.
    ‘Don’t be mean to me,’ Willy whimpered.
    ‘What’s