Ceulemans Églantine - Safari Pug the dog who walked on the wild side

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney First published in Great Britain in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP First published in the USA in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books
1385 Broadway, New York, New York 10018 This electronic edition published in November 2017 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc www.bloomsbury.com BLOOMSBURY is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Text copyright Laura James 2017 Illustrations copyright glantine Ceulemans 2017 The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-1-4088-6640-5 (PB)
ISBN: 978-1-4088-6641-2 (eBook) To find out more about our authors and their books please visit www.bloomsbury.com where you will find extracts, author interviews and details of forthcoming events, and to be the first to hear about latest releases and special offers, sign up for our newsletter. For Lady Eliza Contents Chapter 1 I t was midnight at No. 10, The Crescent. Pug was sound asleep at the foot of the bed when a loud scream woke him.

Aaaaargh! It was Lady Miranda. She was sitting bolt upright. Puuuuug! Pug rushed over to her and tilted his head in enquiry. Pug, theres a lion in the bedroom! A lion? This was worrying. Pug was glad Lady Miranda had warned him. Wendy, Lady Mirandas housekeeper, came hurrying into the room.

Whatevers the matter, mlady? she asked. The sight of Wendy comforted Pug. Theres a lion, Wendy. A lion! Lady Miranda insisted, lifting her eye mask. Pug wondered how she could tell there was a lion in the room with it on. She must use her nose, he decided.

Oh dear, mlady. Wheres he hiding? asked Wendy. There! Over there! Lady Miranda pointed to her very large wardrobe. Crumbs! thought Pug. How did he get in there? Wendy took a look. Hes not in here, mlady.

Pug thought Wendy was incredibly brave. He must have moved! whispered Lady Miranda. Hes behind the curtain. Fearlessly, Wendy flung open the curtains. No lion. Hes under the bed! screamed Lady Miranda.

He certainly was a quick mover, this lion. Lady Miranda hugged Pug for comfort. Pug started to shake. Hed never met a lion before and, judging by Lady Mirandas reaction, he didnt want to. Wendy went to check under the bed. It took her a while, her knees not being what they once were.

Theres no lion, but theres a lot of crumbs under this bed, she said, looking at Pug. I wonder how they got there. Pug hid his head under the blanket. Never mind about the crumbs, said Lady Miranda. Wheres the lion? I suspect... began Wendy.

Yes, Wendy? I suspect you were having a nightmare. So were not in danger of being eaten? Not tonight, said Wendy, reassuringly. But Ill stand guard outside, just in case. Will that be all, mlady? Yes, thank you, Wendy. Pugs easily scared, you see. Wendy nodded.

Goodnight, mlady, she said. Night-night, Pug. Pug gave a little wag from under the blanket. Pug, whispered Lady Miranda as she put her eye mask back on, we need to show Wendy youre not a scaredy-cat. Pug wriggled round and rested his head next to hers on the pillow. Chapter 2 P ug didnt sleep a wink. Chapter 2 P ug didnt sleep a wink.

His hopes that Lady Miranda would forget about him meeting a lion were dashed when Wendy came in with the breakfast tray. Something about the way Wendy opened the curtains seemed to jolt Lady Mirandas memory. Wendy, said Lady Miranda, sitting up in bed. Ask Running Footman Will and Running Footmen Liam to have the sedan chair made ready. Please pack the camera, the binoculars and a picnic. Were going on safari.

Pug wants to meet a lion! Pug ducked back under the covers. It took a lot of persuading to get Pug into the sedan chair but eventually Running Footman Will, Running Footman Liam, Pug and Lady Miranda were off. The footmen were especially speedy that morning and, much to Lady Mirandas delight, they were first in the queue at the safari park. As they approached the ticket booth Lady Miranda leaned out of the sedan chair. Four tickets for the lion enclosure, please. You cant go into the lion enclosure in that thing! the ticket lady said, pointing at the sedan chair.

Why not? asked Lady Miranda. Its not a car, said the ticket lady. The lions are free range in the enclosure. Theyll have you for lunch in that flimsy old thing. Pug gulped. Its not a flimsy old thing! responded Lady Miranda.

Besides, Running Footman Will and Running Footman Liam are super-fast and they hardly ever break down. Im sure they are very fast and very reliable, said the ticket lady, but theyre not as fast as a pride of lions. I bet they are! said Lady Miranda. The ticket lady was about to accept that bet and give Lady Miranda the tickets when the park supervisor appeared and she decided not to. Perhaps, she said instead, youd like to see our Animal Adventure Land? But Pug wants to meet a lion, protested Lady Miranda. Thats simply not possible, said the ticket lady.