Paddington Novels 1-3

sunshade with the other. Out of the corner of her eye she could already see a number of people staring in their direction.
    In the back of the boat Paddington pulled hard on the two ropes tied to the rudder. He wasn’t quite sure whether Mr Brown had meant his, Mr Brown’s, left, or his own left, so he pulled both just to make certain. Everyone waited expectantly while Mr Brown strained on the oars.
    “I should have thought, Henry,” said Mrs Brown, after a few moments had gone by, “it would have been much easier if you’d untied the boat from the landing stage first.”
    “What!” exclaimed Mr Brown. He mopped his brow and looked crossly over his shoulder. “Hasn’t anyone done that yet?”
    “I’ll do it, Mr Brown,” called Paddington importantly, as he clambered along the side of the boat. “I’m in charge of ropes.”
    The Browns waited patiently while Paddington examined the rope. He wasn’tvery good at knots because they were rather difficult with paws, but eventually he announced that all was ready.
    “Right!” shouted Mr Brown, as he braced himself once more. “Here we go. Cast off, Paddington. Hold on, everyone!”
    “Do what, Mr Brown?” cried Paddington, above the splashing of the water. Having a picnic on the river was much more complicated than he had expected. There were so many ropes to pull he was getting a bit confused. First of all Mr Brown told him to untie the rope. Now he had shouted to everyone to hold on.
    Paddington closed his eyes and held on to the rope with both paws as tightly as he could.
    He wasn’t quite sure what happened next. One moment he was standing on the boat -the next moment it wasn’t there any more.
    “Henry!” shouted Mrs Brown, as there was a loud splash. “For goodness’ sake! Paddington’s fallen in the water!”
    “Bear overboard!” cried Jonathan, as the boat shot away from the bank.
    “Hold on, Paddington!” called Judy. We’re coming.
    “But I did hold on,” cried Paddington, ashe came up spluttering for air. “That’s how I fell in.”

    Mrs Brown lunged into the water with her sunshade. “Do hurry, Henry,” she cried.
    “I’m sure Paddington can’t swim,” said Judy.
    “What did you say?” called Paddington.
    “She said ‘you can’t swim’,” yelled Mr Brown.
    When he heard what Mr Brown said Paddington began waving his paws wildly in the air and there was a gurgle as he promptly sank.
    “There now, Henry,” exclaimed Mrs Brown. “Now look what you’ve done. He was all right until you spoke.”
    “I like that!” said Mr Brown, giving his wife an expressive look.
    “It’s all right,” shouted Jonathan. “Someone’s thrown him a lifebelt!”
    By the time the Browns reached the landing stage Paddington had already been rescued and he was lying on his back surrounded by a large crowd. Everyone was staring down at him making suggestions while the man in charge of the boats pulled his paws back and forth, giving him artificial respiration.

    “Thank goodness he’s safe,” exclaimed Mrs Brown thankfully.
    “Don’t see why ’e shouldn’t be,” said the man. “If ’e’d layed ’isself down it’d only ’ve come up to ’is whiskers. The water’s only about nine inches deep just ’ere. Probably a lot less now – judging by the amount ’e’sswallowed. Kept ’is mouth open when ’e went under, I dare say.”
    Judy bent down and looked at Paddington. “I think he’s trying to say something,” she said.
    “Grrr,” said Paddington as he sat up.
    “Now just you lay still for a moment, young feller-me-bear,” said the boatman, pushing Paddington back down again.
    “Grrr,” said Paddington. “ITHINKI’VELOSTMYHAT.”
    “ITHINKI’VELOSTMYHAT,” repeated the man, looking at Paddington with renewed interest. “Are you one of them foreign bears? We get a rare lot of overseas visitors at this time of year,” he said, turning to the Browns.
    “I come from Peru,” spluttered Paddington, as he got his breath back. “But I live at number thirty-two Windsor Gardens in London, and I think I’ve lost my hat.”
    “Oh dear,” said Mrs Brown, clutching her husband’s arm. “Did you hear that, Henry? Paddington’s lost his hat!”
    The Brown family stared at each other in dismay. They often grumbled about Paddington’s hat – usually when he wasn’t listening – because it was so old. People had a habit of pointing at it when they were out andit made them feel embarrassed. But all the