Free Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort by Belinda Murrell Page A

cocked her ears.
    â€˜Holidays, holidays – I love holidays,’ sang Rosie.
    She dragged the two dog mats along the floor. Jessie thought it was a game. She tried to jump on and off the mats as they were pulled along. She was much too heavy for Rosie to drag, so they made hippity-hoppity progress.
    â€˜Jessie, off ,’ commanded Lulu in her sternest tone.
    Jessie looked up at Lulu, then she slunk off the mat and sat by the door.

    Lulu and Rosie added the dog gear to the pile in the hall. Mum was carefully checking her list. She added an easel, a huge box of paints and four large canvases.
    â€˜Goodness, I don’t know how we’ll fit it all in the car,’ said Mum. ‘Lulu, could you pop next door and see if Dad’s finished yet? Remind him he needs to help pack everything into the car.’
    Lulu’s dad was a vet. A thick green door was all that separated their house from the vet hospital in front.
    Kylie, the vet nurse, smiled at Lulu as she came into the waiting room.
    â€˜All set?’ Kylie asked. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll feed all the animals while you’re away.’
    â€˜Thanks, Kylie,’ replied Lulu. ‘Is Dad finished yet? Mum says it’s time he started packing the car.’
    â€˜He’s just seeing his last client,’ said Kylie. ‘It’s a Labrador puppy that ate three pairs of socks. The poor thing has a nasty tummy ache.’
    Lulu couldn’t help laughing. ‘Labradors will eat anything ,’ she said.
    â€˜He’ll be all right,’ said Kylie, ‘but the poor owners will be watching him all Easter to make sure the socks come out the other end!’
    Lulu wrinkled her nose. ‘Eeew,’ she said. ‘I’m glad we won’t spend Easter that way. We’re going to have so much fun at the farm. We’ll go horseriding and swimming in the creek and we’ll sleep in a tent. And we’ll get to play with our cousins and feed the cows and the chickens. I hope Dad hurries up because I can’t wait another moment!’

Chapter 2
Where’s Billy?
    Lulu helped Dad pack the car. They pushed and heaved the bags around to make room for the dogs. Finally they were ready. Molly came over to say goodbye and wish them all a happy holiday. Everyone climbed into the car and snapped on their seatbelts.
    â€˜Righto,’ said Dad. ‘Off we go.’
    Dad steered the car down the driveway.
    â€˜No,’ shouted Gus. ‘Go back!’
    Dad stopped the car. Everyone turned around and looked at Gus. He started to cry.
    â€˜What’s wrong, honey bun?’ asked Mum, stroking his leg.
    â€˜Billy,’ shouted Gus. ‘Forgot Billy!’
    Lulu and Rosie exchanged glances and smiled a secret smile.
    â€˜Billy?’ asked Dad. ‘Who’s Billy?’
    Dad turned around and looked at the three children sitting along the back seat.
    Gus frowned and pouted.
    â€˜Billy is Gus’s friend,’ said Lulu. ‘Gus’s invisible friend.’

    â€˜Oh, for goodness sake,’ said Dad impatiently.
    Mum looked at Dad and raised her eyebrows.
    â€˜Come on, Gus,’ said Mum. ‘Let’s go back and get Billy.’
    Mum unclicked Gus from his booster seat and took him inside the house. A few minutes later they reappeared. Both of them were smiling.
    â€˜I can’t believe we had to go back for an invisible friend!’ whispered Dad.
    Lulu and Rosie giggled.
    Mum clicked Gus into his seatbelt and handed him his favourite puppy soft toy. Gus popped his thumb in his mouth.
    It was a long drive to the farm. Mum had packed a chilled picnic lunch. There were egg-and-lettuce rolls, crunchy green apples and frozen fruit juice boxes. Aftertheir meal, Gus and Rosie fell asleep while Lulu read.
    Three hours later, they finally crossed a clankety bridge and passed through the wooden gate of Uncle Nick’s farm. Gus and Rosie woke up and rubbed their eyes.
    It was