Pelican Chase PDF

ROSIE IS MY SAUSAGE DOG. She can swing like a slinky on my arm. Her ears catch the wind when her head is outside the car window. And Rosie loves Flick. Flick is the smallest dog I have ever seen. He lives next door with Mr White, Dad's boss, and Mrs White. He can fit in Mr White's hat and in Mrs Wh...

ROSIE IS MY SAUSAGE DOG. She can swing like a slinky on my arm. Her ears catch the wind when her head is outside the car window. And Rosie loves Flick. Flick is the smallest dog I have ever seen. He lives next door with Mr White, Dad's boss, and Mrs White. He can fit in Mr White's hat and in Mrs White's apron pocket. When we have a barbecue, Rosie and Flick share the meat, and cross paws while they look at the stars. One evening an awkward pelican with unblinking eyes flew down and sat on our fence. Mr White said it was good luck to have a pelican on our fence. My dad said it was good luck. The pelican stared at Flick. Rosie barked and scared the pelican away. Mr White was angry. 'Keep that dog quiet!' he ordered. 'Be quiet, Rosie!' said Dad. The pelican landed on the fence again and stared at Flick. Rosie barked and scared the pelican away. Mr White was angry. 'Do something about that dog!' he ordered. So Dad took Rosie inside. The pelican returned and stared at Flick. Mr White was happy and Dad was happy. 'It must be good luck to have a pelican on our fence,' said Mr White. The pelican hopped off the fence and waddled around the barbecue. 'It must be good luck,' Dad repeated. The pelican leapt into the air, darted forward, and in one quick snap, Flick was inside its bill. After Mrs White fainted in the vegetable patch, Mum pulled lettuce leaves out of her hair, and the pelican flew away. 'Help!' called Mr White. 'Help!' called Dad. 'Who can we call?' I couldn't call the police. I couldn't call the fire department. Who could I call? I could call Rosie. I ran to the house and opened the door. Rosie shot out like a flash. Down the steps! Along the path! Under the gate she went, chasing the pelican, with Mr White, Dad and me following. The pelican flew across the street and landed on the roof of the house where Hook, the sinister cat lived. No dog ever went into that yard. No person ever went into that yard. Hook was mean and black, with sharp, pointy claws. Rosie saw Hook dozing on the mat but didn't slow down. She ran straight towards that bad cat. As Hook yawned, Rosie leapt onto her head, onto a crate and up to the roof. Hook had never been leapt onto before. She rolled, arched her back, and hissed. She leapt onto the crate and up to the roof. Mr White, Dad and I stopped running, jumped backwards, and stayed out of Hook's yard. Rosie almost reached the pelican. Hook almost reached Rosie. The pelican flapped its wings and glided down into the middle of a lake. Hook dived at Rosie but was too late. Rosie had leapt off the roof and onto a trampoline that bounced her over the fence. Hook chased her. Down towards the lake they went. No dog ever went into that lake. No person ever went into that lake. There was icy water, hissing swans and nipping tortoises. Rosie saw the water, and the swans, and the tortoises. But she didn't slow down. She dived into the lake, going straight through those swans and tortoises. Hook was so angry she dived into the lake too, forgetting she hated water! Also forgetting the hissing swans and nipping tortoises. She meowed loudly and dragged herself back to shore. Rosie was almost at the middle of the lake, but the pelican saw her and flew away. Up! And up! The pelican landed right on top of a streetlight, high above the freeway where cars sped left and right. Rosie swam to the shore and shook herself dry ... all over Hook. Hook meowed. Rosie dashed to the freeway. Hook chased her. I chased her. Mr White and Dad chased her. The pelican saw Rosie coming, but was so tired it yawned, and out jumped Flick. Just for a moment, it seemed as if Flick might be able to balance on top of the light pole. But he slipped and fell. Down! Towards the speeding cars. Rosie jumped the freeway fence. The pelican flew after its food, and Hook chased after Rosie. Down! Cars screeched left and right. Rosie ran between them. Down! Flick was almost at the ground. Rosie dived. The Pelican dived. Hook dived. Flick landed on Rosie's back, safe and sound! There was no sign of Hook anywhere. The pelican flew towards the middle of the lake with something squirming inside its bill. When we got home, we had a barbecue, and Flick and Rosie shared the meat and crossed paws while they looked at the stars.