Read Online Washy and the Crocodile by James Maguire - Free Book Online

surprise.
    Samantha’s parents had bought the old building a year ago, because her father had said it would be a good investment.
    Sam’s parents were called Mike and Betty; and they were very keen on good investments.
    The neighbourhood was bound to go up; they said, and it was: in flames.
    Evie drew in her breath in shock. Where was her best friend? Was she - Oh, no! Evie couldn’t bear to think about it. It was too horrible. She had read about fires, and they had practised fire escape drills at school, when Samantha had been bossily efficient: but the real thing was quite different.
    â€œLook up,” said Gentleman Jim, and Evie looked up.
    Samantha was leaning out of her bedroom window. She was on the third floor and there was no fire escape. She seemed very calm.
    â€œI told them,” she called down.
    â€œTold them what?” Shouted Evie.
    â€œThat we should have a fire escape,” answered her friend calmly, her words somehow clear above the roar of the flames. What a wonderful fire-fighter Sam would have made, thought Evie, with a voice like that! And she was so calm!
    â€œIt’s in all the manuals,” added Samantha. “It’s the law. You must have a fire escape. But Daddy didn’t want to put one in - he said the council was being petty, but actually I think he couldn’t afford it. And now I’m trapped and I shall die here and he’ll be very sorry, won’t he?”
    â€œNo, he won’t,” shouted her best friend from the ground.
    â€œWhy not?” Asked Samantha. “He does care about me: I know he does!” All of a sudden, her voice sounded a little doubtful: but then, she was trapped by a raging fire.
    â€œYou’re not going to die at all,” called her best friend with a display of confidence that she did not wholly feel. “We’ve come to rescue you.”
    â€œNot a chance,” answered Samantha promptly. “I know about all this - remember? The only cherry-picker is 30 miles away, and this building won’t last long enough for them to reach us, and the local fire brigade hasn’t trained for this, and-” she stopped suddenly. “What do you mean, we ? Who’s your new friend?”
    A touch of jealousy, faint but palpable, hung in the air between them.
    â€œThis is Jim,” called Evie, and patted his hump. “Gentleman Jim.” He grunted approvingly. “He told me about the fire. Otherwise you’d be in real trouble.”
    â€œThat was very nice of him... I suppose,” called her friend, a little grudgingly, and almost, thought her best friend disloyally, as if she had been rather enjoying the crisis all by herself.
    â€œWhat’s he going to do?” Asked Samantha, pulling her head back from a particularly virulent burst of flame that sizzled all around the window-sill. “This building isn’t going to last for ever!”
    â€œHang in there!” Shrieked Evie. “Jim’ll think of something!” She paused, and added reassuringly: “He’s had a lot of experience, you know!”
    â€œOf what?” Shouted Sam; and Evie, not having an answer to that, waved her hand encouragingly. “Don’t worry!” She called. “We’ll soon have you down!”
    â€œTime to go for it,” grunted the camel. “What the French call action directe, I gather.” Evie could feel his muscles shifting and tensing as he prepared himself. “Off you get.”
    â€œI didn’t know you spoke French,” she said as she slid gently to the ground.
    â€œJust le mot juste,” replied Jim with a certain modesty. “We camels don’t go in for that sort of thing. But Mrs Wombat likes to keep her hand in.” He spoke approvingly - camels might not have a lot of time for conversation classes, but he approved of Mrs Wombat’s interest - and at the same time lowered his head and charged right into the building in