Grunge’s and placed the other ear pad in his ear. She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his. ‘Choose a nice song.’ She waited for the music to begin.
‘What’s this mean?’
Sky opened her eyes. Grunge was pointing to the screen. She sighed.
‘”Transport”,’ said Grunge. ‘What does that do?’
‘I don’t know. Try it.’
Grunge pressed the screen, right on the word “Transport”. Nothing happened. Grunge and Sky looked at each other, their noses touching.
‘Maybe they haven’t got that part right yet, whatever it is,’ said Sky. She really didn’t care. Grunge had such nice eyes …
‘Beadles!’ someone shouted nearby. ‘Isn’t that the Beadles’ bus?’
‘So it is,’ another voice confirmed. ‘I never …’
Grunge and Sky started at the yell, making the ear pads pop out. They turned. There, right in front of the Common, was the Beadles’ bus. Out stepped two Beadles. The first was a pleasant-looking young female Beadle. The second was a very unhappy-looking male Beadle.
*
At the same time as Grunge left the fire station, Beadleburg’s bus arrived in front of Brian’s square little house. Megan looked at her watch. It was eight o’clock precisely. Brian’s front door opened and Brian came out. He closed the door and waved to Megan as he walked over to the bus. Megan waited until Brian was six paces from the bus, then pushed the lever that opened the door. Brian walked straight onto the bus without missing a step.
‘Good morning, Brian,’ said Megan.
‘Good morning, Megan,’ replied Brian. He pointed to the front seat near the door. ‘Is it all right if I sit here?’ he asked.
‘Sure, Brian.’ Megan grinned. ‘No other passengers on this trip. It’s a VIP bus today.’
Brian sat down. He felt foolish and happy at the same time. He didn’t feel like a VIP but he was very glad to have Megan call him one.
The bus headed west along the road to Muddlemarsh. Megan was a very good driver and Brian admired the way she turned the steering wheel so easily and didn’t make the bus jolt when she changed gear. Megan and Brian talked while the bus rolled along the even, narrow road. Brian liked talking to Megan. He also found that he liked looking at her face.
‘It’s a nice face,’ Brian thought to himself. ‘It’s a kind face.’ And then surprised himself by thinking, ‘It’s a very pretty face, too.’ He wanted to tell Megan that her face was kind and pretty, but he couldn’t quite work up the courage to say it.
Riding in a bus makes short work of miles and it wasn’t long before they could see the coffee fields of Muddlemarsh ahead.
‘Fifty-eight minutes,’ Megan said proudly. ‘Right on schedule.’
Before long, they were approaching the bridge from which Patch had dropped Brian into the stream. Megan slowed the bus and drove carefully onto the bridge. The top of the bus almost touched the wooden roof. Megan glided the bus easily across the bridge. Brian kept a sharp eye out for goats.
‘Where to first?’ Megan asked. ‘We’ll be in Home in less than ten minutes.’
‘Slight told me that Wave was the Town Leader. I should speak to him first before speaking to Crimson. She’s their fire officer.’ Brian paused to think a moment. ‘Let’s go straight to the town centre. If Wave isn’t there we’ll have to look for him.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘I suppose there’ll be a lot of Muddles in the town. Being around just two caused enough trouble.’
The bus went on, past the fire station. Megan and Brian gave each other a quick glance as they slid by.
‘Well, that was neat enough. At least they take care of their fire station,’ she said, trying to encourage Brian. He was very glum and didn’t answer.
Megan thought Home was pretty. She decided it would be better not to say so to Brian, but she admired the flowers and the shop signs. ‘Not very practical, though,’ she decided. ‘So much to dust and polish.’
As the
‘What’s this mean?’
Sky opened her eyes. Grunge was pointing to the screen. She sighed.
‘”Transport”,’ said Grunge. ‘What does that do?’
‘I don’t know. Try it.’
Grunge pressed the screen, right on the word “Transport”. Nothing happened. Grunge and Sky looked at each other, their noses touching.
‘Maybe they haven’t got that part right yet, whatever it is,’ said Sky. She really didn’t care. Grunge had such nice eyes …
‘Beadles!’ someone shouted nearby. ‘Isn’t that the Beadles’ bus?’
‘So it is,’ another voice confirmed. ‘I never …’
Grunge and Sky started at the yell, making the ear pads pop out. They turned. There, right in front of the Common, was the Beadles’ bus. Out stepped two Beadles. The first was a pleasant-looking young female Beadle. The second was a very unhappy-looking male Beadle.
*
At the same time as Grunge left the fire station, Beadleburg’s bus arrived in front of Brian’s square little house. Megan looked at her watch. It was eight o’clock precisely. Brian’s front door opened and Brian came out. He closed the door and waved to Megan as he walked over to the bus. Megan waited until Brian was six paces from the bus, then pushed the lever that opened the door. Brian walked straight onto the bus without missing a step.
‘Good morning, Brian,’ said Megan.
‘Good morning, Megan,’ replied Brian. He pointed to the front seat near the door. ‘Is it all right if I sit here?’ he asked.
‘Sure, Brian.’ Megan grinned. ‘No other passengers on this trip. It’s a VIP bus today.’
Brian sat down. He felt foolish and happy at the same time. He didn’t feel like a VIP but he was very glad to have Megan call him one.
The bus headed west along the road to Muddlemarsh. Megan was a very good driver and Brian admired the way she turned the steering wheel so easily and didn’t make the bus jolt when she changed gear. Megan and Brian talked while the bus rolled along the even, narrow road. Brian liked talking to Megan. He also found that he liked looking at her face.
‘It’s a nice face,’ Brian thought to himself. ‘It’s a kind face.’ And then surprised himself by thinking, ‘It’s a very pretty face, too.’ He wanted to tell Megan that her face was kind and pretty, but he couldn’t quite work up the courage to say it.
Riding in a bus makes short work of miles and it wasn’t long before they could see the coffee fields of Muddlemarsh ahead.
‘Fifty-eight minutes,’ Megan said proudly. ‘Right on schedule.’
Before long, they were approaching the bridge from which Patch had dropped Brian into the stream. Megan slowed the bus and drove carefully onto the bridge. The top of the bus almost touched the wooden roof. Megan glided the bus easily across the bridge. Brian kept a sharp eye out for goats.
‘Where to first?’ Megan asked. ‘We’ll be in Home in less than ten minutes.’
‘Slight told me that Wave was the Town Leader. I should speak to him first before speaking to Crimson. She’s their fire officer.’ Brian paused to think a moment. ‘Let’s go straight to the town centre. If Wave isn’t there we’ll have to look for him.’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘I suppose there’ll be a lot of Muddles in the town. Being around just two caused enough trouble.’
The bus went on, past the fire station. Megan and Brian gave each other a quick glance as they slid by.
‘Well, that was neat enough. At least they take care of their fire station,’ she said, trying to encourage Brian. He was very glum and didn’t answer.
Megan thought Home was pretty. She decided it would be better not to say so to Brian, but she admired the flowers and the shop signs. ‘Not very practical, though,’ she decided. ‘So much to dust and polish.’
As the
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