Paddington Novels 1-3

can give you a hand. It must be very difficult cooking for so many people.”
    “It is when you only have paws, Mr Gruber,” said Paddington gratefully.
    Mr Gruber sniffed. “I must say it all smells very nice. If we make some more dumplings quickly everything else should be just about ready.”
    As he handed Paddington the flour and suet Mr Gruber explained how dumplings became very much larger when they were cooked and that it really needed only a small amount of mixture to make quite large ones.
    “No wonder yours were so big, Mr Brown,” he said, as he lifted Paddington’s old dumpling into the washing-up bowl. “Youmust have used almost a bag of flour.”
    “Two bags,” said Paddington, looking over his shoulder. “I don’t know what Mrs Bird will say when she hears about it.”
    “Perhaps, if we buy her some more,” said Mr Gruber, as he staggered into the garden with the bowl, “she won’t mind quite so much.”
     
    “That’s odd,” said Mr Brown, as he stared out of the bedroom window. “There’s a big white thing suddenly appeared in the garden. Just behind the nasturtiums.”
    “Nonsense, Henry,” said Mrs Brown. “You must be seeing things.”
    “I’m not,” said Mr Brown, rubbing his glasses and taking another look. “It’s all white and shapeless and it looks horrible. Mr Curry’s seen it too – he’s peering over the fence at it now. Do you know what it is, Paddington?”
    “A big white thing, Mr Brown?” repeated Paddington vaguely, joining him at the window. “Perhaps it’s a snowball.”
    “In summer?” said Mr Brown suspiciously.
    “Henry,” said Mrs Brown. “Do come away from there and decide what you’re having for lunch. Paddington’s gone to a lotof trouble writing out a menu for us.”
    Mr Brown took a large sheet of drawing paper from his wife and his face brightened as he studied it. It said:
     
    MENUE
—
SOOP
—
FISH
OMMLETS
ROWST BEEF
Stew with Dumplings – Potatows
Brussle Sprowts Pees
Cabbidge – Greyvy
—
MARMALADE AND CUSTERD
—
COFFEY
     
    “How nice!” exclaimed Mr Brown, when he had finished reading it. “And what a good idea putting pieces of vegetable on the side as illustrations. I’ve never seen that done before.”
    “They’re not really meant to be there, Mr Brown,” said Paddington. “I’m afraid they came off my paws.”
    “Oh,” said Mr Brown, brushing hismoustache thoughtfully. “Hmm. Well, you know, I rather fancy some soup and fish myself.”
    “I’m afraid they’re off,” said Paddington hastily, remembering a time when he’d once been taken out to lunch and they had arrived late.
    “Off?” said Mr Brown. “But they can’t be. No one’s ordered anything yet.”
    Mrs Brown drew him to one side. “I think we’re meant to have the stew and dumplings, Henry,” she whispered. “They’re underlined.”
    “What’s that, Mary?” asked Mr Brown, who was a bit slow to grasp things at times. “Oh! Oh, I see… er… on second thoughts, Paddington, I think perhaps I’ll have the stew.”
    “That’s good,” said Paddington, “because I’ve got it on a tray outside all ready”
    “By Jove,” said Mr Brown, as Paddington staggered in breathing heavily and carrying first one plate and then another piled high with stew. “I must say I didn’t expect anything like this.”
    “Did you cook it all by yourself, Paddington?” asked Mrs Brown.
    “Well… almost all,” replied Paddington truthfully. “I had a bit of an accident with thedumplings and so Mr Gruber helped me make some more.”
    “You’re sure you have enough for your own lunch?” said Mrs Brown anxiously.
    “Oh, yes,” said Paddington, trying hard not to picture the kitchen, “there’s enough to last for days and days.”
    “Well, I think you should be congratulated,” said Mr Brown. “I’m enjoying it no end. I bet there aren’t many bears who can say they’ve cooked a meal like this. It’s fit for a queen.”
    Paddington’s eyes lit up with pleasure as he listened to Mr and Mrs Brown. It had been a lot of hard work but he was glad it had all been worth while—even if there was a lot of mess to clear up.
    “You know, Henry,” said Mrs Brown, as Paddington hurried off downstairs to see Mr Gruber, “we ought to think ourselves very lucky having a bear like Paddington about the house in an emergency.”

    Mr Brown lay back on his pillow and surveyed the mountain of food on his plate. “Doctor MacAndrew was right