The Silky Seal Pup Read Online Free PDF Page A

both into action!
    “We’ll start first thing tomorrow morning, Meep,” Zoe whispered eagerly. “There’s no time to lose!”

Chapter Seven
Zoe and Meep Get to Work!
    On Sunday, Zoe and Meep ran to Higgins Hall after breakfast. They couldn’t wait to see what the Rescue Zoo’s owner thought of their ideas!
    “Great-Uncle Horace?” called Zoe, pushing open the enormous oak front door. “It’s me!”
    Higgins Hall was hundreds of years old. It had once been a grand house, with huge paintings on every wall, an enormous library and even a maze in the garden. But when Great-Uncle Horace had started the Rescue Zoo, he’d turned every room into a home for different animals. The great white pelicans lived in the swimming pool, and in every bathroom there was a different type of lizard. Great-Uncle Horace had only kept the cosy attic for himself and Kiki.
    “Zoe? I’m in the butterfly room, my dear,” called a cheerful voice.
    The butterfly room had once been a beautiful ballroom. Now it was warm and steamy, with trees and tropical flowers growing in huge pots all around. When Zoe and Meep walkedin, Great-Uncle Horace was standing in the middle of the room, with colourful butterflies perched along his arms and on his head. Hundreds more fluttered above him. Zoe felt something tickling her cheek as a pretty purple butterfly came to say hello. She held up her hand and the butterfly settled on her finger.

    “It’s nice to see you both so early,” said Great-Uncle Horace, beaming at them. “But is everything all right, Zoe? You look rather anxious.”
    Zoe suddenly felt like crying. She’d been brave for all the animals, but now she gave a big sob. “I know the zoo is in trouble,” she sniffled. “I listened to the meeting in Mr Pinch’s office yesterday.”
    “Oh, Zoe, you don’t need to worry,” Great-Uncle Horace sighed, putting his arm round her shoulders and giving her a comforting hug. “I’d hoped you wouldn’t find out, my dear, because I didn’t want you to get upset. I promise everything will be all right.”
    Zoe dried her eyes as she looked at Great-Uncle Horace. His kindly eyes twinkled as he gave her a big smile.“Now, why don’t you come and see my chrysalises…”
    Zoe frowned as Great-Uncle Horace wandered across the room, chattering excitedly about the chrysalises.
    She looked at the three papery packets hanging from a tree branch, but her mind was full of the money-making ideas the animals had come up with. They had to save the zoo! Turning to Meep, she whispered, “Let’s go and talk to Mum instead.” She said a hurried goodbye to Great-Uncle Horace and slipped back outside.
    On their way to find Lucy, they stopped to peer into the seal enclosure. Zoe felt even more worried when she saw Star’s tired face. While the other seals played in the water, Star was lying on a rocksleepily. The little seal explained that she hadn’t felt afraid of the dark when she was in the parrot enclosure, with so much friendly chatter around her. But she’d woken up once she was back in her enclosure, and had felt frightened again. She hadn’t managed to sleep another wink all night.
    Zoe felt so sorry for her. “I promise I’ll find a way to help you,” she told the sad little seal. “But first I have to help save the zoo.”
    Zoe and Meep found Lucy in Oscar’s enclosure. She was halfway up a ladder, rubbing special cream into one of the elephant’s huge, flapping ears. “Hi, Zoe!” she called. “Poor Oscar scratched his ear on a branch this morning, so I’m making sure it doesn’t get sore.”

    Zoe waited for her mum to climb back down the ladder. “Mum,” she said as Lucy reached the bottom, “I know the Rescue Zoo needs money.”
    “Oh, Zoe, I didn’t want you to worry about the zoo closing down. We’re goingto do everything we can to save it. We’re going to have a big fundraiser and raise lots of money.”
    Zoe felt her heart lift at the thought of a fundraiser. As soon as