Free Vacation Dreams by Sue Bentley Page B

seriously. Do you like computers, honey?”
    “They’re okay. But I get bored sitting down all the time,” Becky replied. “I usually prefer being outside and doing stuff.”
    “An action girl, eh? Sounds likeyou’ll be good for Leon!”
    Becky smiled, hoping he was right. But things didn’t look too promising. Leon hadn’t shown much interest in spending any time with her so far.
    Uncle Den began reading the classifieds. A kitchen clock ticked loudly in the silence.
    Becky finished her toast. She leanedforward and propped her cheek on one hand, wondering what she might do next.
Is it worth going upstairs and trying to persuade Leon to come exploring with me or should I just go on my own?

    “There will be no elbows on the table, young lady, if you don’t mind!” A stern voice spoke close to her ear as Mrs. Kelly reached for Becky’s empty plate.
    Becky almost jumped out of her skin. “Um…sorry.”
    She blushed as she quickly leaned back and put her hands in her lap. No one minded about stuff like that at home.
    Uncle Den put down his magazine and stood up. “Don’t worry about Mrs. Kelly. She has very high standards. Buther bark’s a lot worse than her bite,” he said, winking at her. “Well—I have a rabbit problem to look into. The little devils have been playing havoc with my crops and I have got to take some serious action. You and Leon have a good day. If you need anything, just ask Mrs. Kelly.”
    “Okay. See you later,” Becky said.
    Mrs. Kelly was now sliding a floor mop under the table. As it almost whisked across her sneakers, Becky leaped up out of her chair and headed into the back garden. The housekeeper was seriously scary.
    It had been raining earlier, but the sun was shining now and everything smelled fresh. Becky made her way around the side of the house. One ofthe farm workers was driving a tractor across the farmyard and another was coming out of the barn. They smiled and waved at her so Becky waved back.
    She spotted a gate that led into a field with a duck pond. She went through and wandered over the damp grass.
    There were a number of wild rabbitshopping about in the next field, their white cottontails flashing.

    “Watch out! Uncle Den will be after you if you get into his crops!” she warned them.
    Suddenly, there was a bright flash and a shower of crystal dust drifted toward her in a twinkling cloud.
    “Oh!” Becky narrowed her eyes, trying to peer through it. As the dust slowly cleared, she spotted a fluffy pale coffee-colored bunny on the grass right in front of her.
    “Can you help me, please?” it asked in a scared little voice.

Becky’s jaw dropped and she stared at the cute little bunny in total amazement. Perhaps it was someone’s pet. She didn’t know a lot about pet bunnies, but she was pretty sure that they couldn’t talk.
    She laughed at herself. Just because Leon wouldn’t talk to her, it didn’t mean a rabbit would!
    The pale brown bunny’s little pink nose twitched nervously and it looked up at her with huge eyes like chocolate drops.

    Becky edged closer and slowly bent down, trying not to frighten it.
    “Hello. Aren’t you sweet?” she crooned. “You don’t seem all that scared of me. Do you want to be friends?”
    “Yes. I would like that very much,”the bunny said in a trembly little voice.
    “Whoa!” Becky gasped in shock. She lost her balance and sat down hard on the damp grass. “You…you really can talk!”
    “Yes. All of my warren can talk. I am Arrow, guardian of Moonglow Meadow,” the cute bunny told her, his long floppy ears lifting proudly. “What is your name?”
    “Um…Rebecca. Rebecca Hodge. But everyone calls me Becky. This is my uncle’s farm. I’m staying here while my mom and aunt are away on business.” She noticed that Arrow’s deep-brown eyes seemed to be glimmering with tiny rainbows.
    The bunny bowed his head. “I am honored to meet you, Becky.”
    “Me too.” Becky moved onto her knees, wondering if she