The Dragonsitter to the Rescue Read online

  I was suggesting everyone should calm down when the sprinklers started. It was like standing under a waterfall. In seconds we were all soaked.

  Now we’re waiting in the parking lot in our wet pajamas while the firemen check all the rooms.

  Dad is talking to the people who own the hotel. They want us to leave immediately, but we don’t have anywhere to go.

  Dad says the whole thing is your stupid dragon’s fault and if you had a scrap of decency you’d come straight back from Tibet and look after her yourself.

  I thought you probably couldn’t do that, Uncle Morton.

  But do you think maybe you could?

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Friday, April 21

  Subject: Hotel Hoxton

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Don’t worry about coming back from Tibet. Everything is fine. We’re in a new hotel.

  It’s quite nice here. The TV in the room is even bigger than the last one, and they left two free chocolates on our pillows.

  Ziggy seems to like it, too. She ate both the chocolates, then fell asleep on the carpet.

  I don’t know why she isn’t more worried about Arthur. Perhaps she’s forgotten all about him. Dad said some mothers are like that.

  She’s actually very lucky to be here at all. There was a big sign outside the hotel that said NO PETS ALLOWED.

  Dad asked if they could make an exception for dragons.

  They laughed and said dragons could stay free of charge, which was very nice of them.

  They tried to change their minds when they saw Ziggy, but Dad said a deal is a deal, so they let us all in.

  There’s only one problem. Arthur doesn’t know where we are. If he goes to the other hotel, he won’t be able to find us.

  Do you think I should go back there and wait for him?

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Saturday, April 22

  Subject: Our last day

  Attachments: The Eye

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Today is our last day in London.

  We’re going home tomorrow.

  There’s still no sign of Arthur.

  I want to stay here until we find him, but Dad says that’s just not possible. Apparently this hotel is costing him “an arm and a leg.” Also, we have school next week, and he has to go back to Wales.

  Dad asked us how would we like to spend our last day in London.

  I said I wanted to look for Arthur. Emily said she wanted to go on the London Eye.

  Dad said we’ve been looking for Arthur every day this week and it was about time we did something a bit more interesting. So we’re going to the London Eye.

  Apparently Julie has never been on it, even though she’s lived in London her whole life.

  Emily can’t stop smiling. I don’t know why. Doesn’t she even care about your dragon?

  I can’t believe we’re wasting our last day sightseeing when we could be looking for Arthur.

  But everyone is ignoring me.

  Eddie

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Saturday, April 22

  Subject: Good news!!!!!!

  Attachments: Transport for London Report

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  We have found Arthur!

  Well, we’ve almost found him.

  We know where he is, anyway.

  Today, we went on the London Eye. I didn’t really want to be there, but it was actually quite amazing. From the top we could see the whole city.

  I looked in every direction, but I couldn’t see any dragons.

  When we came down again, Julie had a chat with one of the guards, who suggested we try the Lost Property Office at Baker Street Station. He said lost things in London often end up there.

  He was right!

  We took the subway to Baker Street and talked to the duty officer at the Lost Property Office. He said maybe he could help us.

  He looked through his files and pulled out a piece of paper and said, “Does this sound like what you’re looking for?”

  Unfortunately, Arthur wasn’t there anymore. He’s been taken away by the Westminster Animal Rescue Service.

  Dad said they’re welcome to keep him. But he was only joking.

  We’re going there now to get him back.

  Eddie

  L​O​S​T​

  P​R​O​P​E​R​T​Y​

  R​E​P​O​R​T​

  Lost Property Office, Baker Street Station

  Item

  One creature. Species unknown. Small, green, possibly dangerous.

  Location

  The item was found on a Circle Line subway train traveling clockwise between Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington.

  Description

  At approximately 8 p.m. last night, a passenger boarded a Circle Line train at Gloucester Road and noticed the item on the next seat. The carriage was not crowded, and there was no sign of an owner nearby.

  The passenger alerted a member of staff, who summoned the British Transport Police. They placed the item in a cardboard box and brought it to the Lost Property Office at Baker Street.

  The Duty Officer examined the creature, but could not find a collar or any evidence of a microchip.

  However, the creature does possess very sharp teeth, which it has already used to bite two Transport for London staff members. Luckily, both of them were wearing thick boots.

  The Lost Property Office has very limited resources for livestock or pets, so the Duty Officer placed the item in the Umbrella Room for safekeeping.

  I have reported the matter to the Westminster Animal Rescue Service. I hope they will arrive soon. The item has already destroyed six umbrellas and is currently working its way through a seventh.

  Andy Malik

  Andy Malik, Deputy Duty Officer, Baker Street Lost Property Office

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Saturday, April 22

  Subject: Your overgrown newt

  Attachments: WARS Report

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  The Westminster Animal Rescue Service doesn’t have Arthur anymore. They’ve taken him to the zoo.

  We’re on our way.

  Love,

  Eddie

  The Westminster Animal Rescue Service

  Report by Monika Pielowska, Senior Warden

  I was contacted by the Deputy Duty Officer in Baker Street Station, who informed me of a situation at the Transport for London Lost Property Office. I was at an address nearby, so I made my way directly to Baker Street.

  The Duty Officer told me that a small creature, species unknown, was handed in last night and placed in the Umbrella Room.

  The Duty Officer claimed that the creature was extremely dangerous, although it seemed perfectly harmless to me.

  The creature does have very sharp teeth and an unusual habit of breathing smoke through its nostrils.

  One of the Duty Officers suggested it might be a dragon, but I assured him that such things do not exist. I am not an expert on lizards, but it looks like an overgrown newt to me.

  Whatever it might be, the creature was clearly very hungry. It had already tried to eat every umbrella in the place, without much success. So I lured it into a cage with a bait of raw steak.

  Once it was safely locked inside the cage, I carried the creature to my van and brought it to London Zoo, where it will be properly identified by an expert.

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Saturday, April 22

  Subject: Proof

  Attachments: Zoo Admission Sheet

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  We’ve found Arthur! He’s in the zoo.

  The only problem is they won’t let him go.

  They want proof we are his registered
owners. Do you have any proof, Uncle Morton?

  If so, please send it to us ASAP. Otherwise, Arthur will be sent to another zoo for tests, and then how are we supposed to get him back?

  Love,

  Eddie

  The Zoological Society of London

  NEW ADMISSION INFORMATION SHEET

  Species: Unknown.

  Habitat: Unknown.

  Diet: Unknown.

  Sex: Unknown.

  Age: Unknown.

  Previous owner: Unknown.

  Place of origin: the Circle Line.

  Notes: Three of our foremost lizard experts have examined this unusual creature, trying to determine its species, but they remain baffled.

  One of them suggested it may be a rare form of the Jamaican chameleon. Another has agreed to consult his colleagues at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. The third suffered minor burns and is currently in the emergency room of the Royal Free Hospital. The creature has not been disturbed again.

  It will be tranquilized on Monday morning and transferred to Whipsnade Zoo for further examination.

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Sunday, April 23

  Subject: The Zoo

  Attachments: Picnic; Takeoff; Gorillas; Cages

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Don’t worry about sending the proof. We’ve got Arthur. We rescued him ourselves.

  Actually, Ziggy did. She was amazing!

  We were supposed to be going straight home today, but I asked if we go to the zoo on our way, and Dad said if we had to.

  I think he was just sad because Julie isn’t coming with us. She went to have Sunday lunch with her mom and dad in Ipswich, and we weren’t invited.

  Dad doesn’t know when he’s going to see her again.

  I asked why doesn’t he invite her to stay in Wales, and he said maybe he will.

  Anyway, we packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. They gave us some more chocolates as a going-home present. Then Dad drove us to the zoo.

  It’s in the middle of a nice park. That was where Dad made us wait while he talked to whoever was in charge.

  We had to promise not to move an inch. And we didn’t. While Dad went into the zoo, we sat on the grass, eating chocolates.

  Suddenly, Ziggy lifted her head into the air and looked around. Somehow she must have sensed Arthur was nearby.

  She flapped her wings.

  Faster and faster.

  Just before she took off, I jumped on her back.

  Emily was shouting at me to get off. She grabbed Ziggy’s tail and clung on.

  With one shake, Ziggy sent her flying across the grass. Then she flapped her wings again and we were in the air.

  All around the park I could see people shouting and pointing at us. I wanted to wave back, but I knew what would happen if I let go.

  The zoo is surrounded by a huge metal fence covered with spikes and barbed wire. That didn’t stop Ziggy. She just flew over the top and swept past the cages.

  The animals went wild.

  Parrots shrieked. Monkeys screamed. The lions threw back their heads and roared, telling us to get lost.

  Only the gorillas wanted to stand and fight.

  They ran across the grass and into the middle of their enclosure, then beat their fists against their chests.

  Ziggy ignored them all. She just flew this way and that, following her nose, searching for Arthur.

  Suddenly, she flipped around in midair and headed for some gray buildings at the back of the zoo where visitors aren’t even allowed.

  Ziggy seemed to know exactly where she was going. She flew straight toward a big window on the fifth floor. On the other side of the glass, I could see a room filled with about twenty cages, each of them holding a different animal. There was a monkey and a chimp and a wolf and a marmoset and a goose and a small dragon, all going wild, beating their paws and their claws against the bars.

  Ziggy breathed a great gust of fire and the glass exploded. Another gust and the bars melted on half the cages.

  The wolf howled. The monkey lost his eyebrows. The goose almost went up in flames.

  Arthur took off. He sped across the floor and through the window, his little wings flapping like a hummingbird’s. Then he landed beside me on his mom’s back.

  Through the window, I could see a zookeeper staring at us, his mouth wide open, his clothes smoking.

  I wanted to say sorry, but there wasn’t time before Ziggy whirled around and flew across the zoo.

  The gorillas went wild again. The lions roared. I could see all the penguins staring up at us, and the giraffes, too. I would have liked to dive down and have a better look, but Ziggy wanted to get out of there ASAP.

  She soared over the fence and plunged down to land on the grass beside Emily.

  Dad was already running toward us. He must have seen what was happening. He bundled us into the car, and we drove straight home.

  When we got here, Arthur ate seven hot dogs, two baked potatoes, and half a bar of chocolate, then fell asleep in front of the TV.

  I think he’s going to be fine.

  Dad has gone back to Wales. He says next time he’d rather it was just us and no dragons. Maybe they could stay with Mom and Gordon instead.

  Love,

  Eddie

  From: Morton Pickle

  To: Edward Smith-Pickle

  Date: Monday, April 24

  Subject: Re: The Zoo

  Dear Eddie,

  What wonderful news about Arthur!

  Congratulations on rescuing him from the zoo. It’s actually extremely fortunate that you did, because I don’t have any proof that I own him.

  In fact, I don’t own him. Nor do I own Ziggy. Dragons are not like dogs, cats, gerbils, or any other ordinary pet. They cannot really have an owner because they own themselves. Ziggy and Arthur are simply staying with me until they decide to move elsewhere.

  All is well here in Tibet. I am currently staying in a village high in the Himalayas. We still do not have a confirmed sighting of the yeti, but today we did find what might have been one of his footprints in the snow. We are going to search for him again first thing tomorrow morning.

  I’m so pleased that the dragons are in such good hands while I’m away. Thanks again for looking after them so well.

  With love from your affectionate uncle,

  Morton

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Monday, March 24

  Subject: Home

  Attachments: The Eiffel Tower

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Will you please send me some pictures of the footprints? I’ve always wanted to see a yeti.

  If you find one, will you bring it home? Do you think it will be friends with the dragons?

  They’re both fine, by the way.

  We had fish sticks for dinner. Arthur ate seven, and Ziggy had nine. Now they’re dozing in front of the TV.

  Mom would like to know when you’re planning to come and get them. She says it’s very nice having the dragons stay, but she’d like to have the house to herself again.

  I think she’s just feeling a bit grumpy because Gordon’s gone home. Apparently, they had the best time ever in Paris.

  Emily asked if we could go next time, too, and Mom said, “We’ll see.”

  I’m feeling a bit grumpy, too, because I had to go back to school today.

  It was okay, but being on vacation was much more fun.

  Love,

  Eddie

  P.S. The egg still hasn’t hatched. I’ve put it back in my sock drawer for now.

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  What’s next for Eddie, Ziggy & Arthur?

  Don’t miss their seventh adventure!

  Turn the page for a sneak peek.

  COMING SOON

  From: Edward Smith-Pickle

  To: Morton Pickle

  Date: Tuesday, October 24

  Subject: Halloween

  Attachments: Ghost and monster

  Dear Uncle Morton,

  Can I borrow your dragons?

  Next week there is a costume competition at the Halloween Parade.

  The first-place prize is a new computer, which is exactly what we need.

  Our computer is Dad’s old one. He left it behind when he moved out, and that was four years ago. It was already ancient then.

  Also, Emily spilled a glass of milk on the keyboard and now the keys only work if you press them really hard.

  All our problems would be solved if we won that prize.

  Unfortunately, we don’t have very good costumes.