Charlie Bone and the Wilderness Wolf (Children of the Red King, Book 6) by Jenny Nimmo Page B
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
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head to foot. Yes, even purple shoes with big bows on them, and what a hat! Grapes galore. Looked like a fruit salad."
The image of Grandma Bone's long face beneath bunches of purple grapes caused Charlie to choke on his snack, and then the whole table was laughing, Uncle Paton loudest of all.
Charlie thought of visiting Benjamin after tea, but the view from the kitchen window wasn't encouraging. The houses across the street were buried in darkness and fog. All that could be seen were tiny pinpricks of light from the cars making their way slowly down the street.
Billy peered wistfully through the window. He longed to fetch his pet rat but didn't dare to suggest it on such an unfriendly night.
"We'll get Rembrandt first thing tomorrow," Charlie promised. "And we'll take Benjamin and Runner Bean with us."
Sometime during the night, the fog slowly rolled away. A full moon appeared high in the sky, and a hard frost covered the city. Every roof glittered as though it were dusted with silver. In the wilderness across the river, a captive creature began its melancholy howl.
Sunday morning greeted the boys with bright sunshine and an icy blue sky. They made their own breakfast - cereal, toast, and milk - before anyone else was up. But Maisie struggled downstairs in her curlers and pink bathrobe, just as they were finishing.
"You make sure you're back by lunchtime or I'll come after you," she said. "Piminy Street is right behind the cathedral, near Ingledew's bookstore. If you want to stop at the shop for lunch, give me a ring."
"We won't be going there," Charlie said awkwardly.
Maisie tilted her head to one side. "Had a fight with one of your girlfriends?"
"I don't have a girlfriend," Charlie said heatedly, "and I haven't had a fight with anyone."
On their way out, the boys noticed a very large, colorful hat sitting on the hall chair. It did look like a fruit salad. The sight gave Billy a fit of the giggles, and Charlie immediately felt better.
Benjamin was always ready for an expedition, and Runner Bean was beside himself with joy when his leash was taken from its hook in the hall.
Benjamin's parents were already hard at work * when the three boys left number twelve. Being private detectives meant that weekends could be just as busy as weekdays. Today they weren't actually out on a case, they were in the kitchen devising yet another set of cunning disguises. They had to renew their disguises frequently when they were "shadowing a subject," as they put it. Sometimes, even Benjamin failed to recognize them. They were always very pleased when this happened, although Benjamin wasn't.
"Can I have lunch at your place?" Benjamin asked as they headed toward the cathedral.
Charlie was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Brown relied on Maisie to give their son good, wholesome meals on the weekends. Course you can," he said.
"And shall we go to the Pets' Cafe for a snack when Billy's got Rembrandt?" Benjamin said eagerly.
"No," said Charlie rather quickly.
Benjamin came to a halt. "Why not?"
"Let's just say that Emma and Olivia might be there, and they might not be too happy to see me."
"Why?" asked Benjamin.
Charlie told him about Dagbert.
"But you've got to put it right between you," Benjamin insisted. "You can tell them it was all a terrible mistake."
"It's not that easy," said Billy as Charlie strode ahead. "You see, Dagbert has made us all on edge. He called me a freak."
Runner Bean dragged Benjamin after Charlie. Benjamin panted, "I think you should make up with them."
"Well, I don't." Charlie walked even faster. "And that's that."
It wasn't true. Charlie did want to make it up with Emma and Olivia. He just couldn't think of a way to do it. He hadn't realized that he would have to pass the end of Cathedral Close on the way to Piminy Street.
Ingledew's bookstore lay in Cathedral Close. It stood in a row of old half-timbered houses in the shadow of the great cathedral. Charlie glanced up the cobblestone alley that led to the
The image of Grandma Bone's long face beneath bunches of purple grapes caused Charlie to choke on his snack, and then the whole table was laughing, Uncle Paton loudest of all.
Charlie thought of visiting Benjamin after tea, but the view from the kitchen window wasn't encouraging. The houses across the street were buried in darkness and fog. All that could be seen were tiny pinpricks of light from the cars making their way slowly down the street.
Billy peered wistfully through the window. He longed to fetch his pet rat but didn't dare to suggest it on such an unfriendly night.
"We'll get Rembrandt first thing tomorrow," Charlie promised. "And we'll take Benjamin and Runner Bean with us."
Sometime during the night, the fog slowly rolled away. A full moon appeared high in the sky, and a hard frost covered the city. Every roof glittered as though it were dusted with silver. In the wilderness across the river, a captive creature began its melancholy howl.
Sunday morning greeted the boys with bright sunshine and an icy blue sky. They made their own breakfast - cereal, toast, and milk - before anyone else was up. But Maisie struggled downstairs in her curlers and pink bathrobe, just as they were finishing.
"You make sure you're back by lunchtime or I'll come after you," she said. "Piminy Street is right behind the cathedral, near Ingledew's bookstore. If you want to stop at the shop for lunch, give me a ring."
"We won't be going there," Charlie said awkwardly.
Maisie tilted her head to one side. "Had a fight with one of your girlfriends?"
"I don't have a girlfriend," Charlie said heatedly, "and I haven't had a fight with anyone."
On their way out, the boys noticed a very large, colorful hat sitting on the hall chair. It did look like a fruit salad. The sight gave Billy a fit of the giggles, and Charlie immediately felt better.
Benjamin was always ready for an expedition, and Runner Bean was beside himself with joy when his leash was taken from its hook in the hall.
Benjamin's parents were already hard at work * when the three boys left number twelve. Being private detectives meant that weekends could be just as busy as weekdays. Today they weren't actually out on a case, they were in the kitchen devising yet another set of cunning disguises. They had to renew their disguises frequently when they were "shadowing a subject," as they put it. Sometimes, even Benjamin failed to recognize them. They were always very pleased when this happened, although Benjamin wasn't.
"Can I have lunch at your place?" Benjamin asked as they headed toward the cathedral.
Charlie was aware that Mr. and Mrs. Brown relied on Maisie to give their son good, wholesome meals on the weekends. Course you can," he said.
"And shall we go to the Pets' Cafe for a snack when Billy's got Rembrandt?" Benjamin said eagerly.
"No," said Charlie rather quickly.
Benjamin came to a halt. "Why not?"
"Let's just say that Emma and Olivia might be there, and they might not be too happy to see me."
"Why?" asked Benjamin.
Charlie told him about Dagbert.
"But you've got to put it right between you," Benjamin insisted. "You can tell them it was all a terrible mistake."
"It's not that easy," said Billy as Charlie strode ahead. "You see, Dagbert has made us all on edge. He called me a freak."
Runner Bean dragged Benjamin after Charlie. Benjamin panted, "I think you should make up with them."
"Well, I don't." Charlie walked even faster. "And that's that."
It wasn't true. Charlie did want to make it up with Emma and Olivia. He just couldn't think of a way to do it. He hadn't realized that he would have to pass the end of Cathedral Close on the way to Piminy Street.
Ingledew's bookstore lay in Cathedral Close. It stood in a row of old half-timbered houses in the shadow of the great cathedral. Charlie glanced up the cobblestone alley that led to the
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