Franklin walked as fast as his turtle legs could walk. He hurried through the fields and along the path. He was almost at the bridge when he heard a rustle in the grass and saw a patch of reddish fur. It was Fox, hiding in the brush.
“Do you want to play with me?” asked Fox.
“I have to hurry,” said Franklin. “I’m on my way to Bear’s house!”
“It’s not very far,” said Fox. “Just over the bridge and across the berry patch. Come and play hide and seek.”
Franklin hesitated. Hide and seek was his favourite game.
“Ready or not?” asked Fox.
Franklin shouted, “Ready!” And he was just about to step off the path when he remembered it was a very special day and he couldn’t be late.
“I can’t play,” said Franklin. “I have to hurry.”
Franklin rushed along the path and over the bridge. He was in such a hurry that he almost stepped on Snail.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” asked Snail, who was even slower than Franklin.
“I’m on my way to Bear’s house,” said Franklin. “I have to hurry. I can’t be late. Being late would ruin everything.”
Snail began to cry.
“What’s wrong?” asked Franklin.
“I’ll never get to Bear’s house on time,” sobbed Snail.
“It’s not very far,” said Franklin. “Just across the berry patch.”
It seemed very far to Snail, and he sobbed even harder.
“Don’t worry,” said Franklin bravely. But even Franklin was worried. It was farther than he thought. It was a very big berry patch. He wished he hadn’t played with Rabbit. He wished he hadn’t played with Otter. He wished he hadn’t wasted so much time talking to Fox. Then he remembered it was Bear’s special day. There was no time to cry. He had to hurry.
“Come along, Snail,” said Franklin, helping Snail slide onto his back.
“Please hurry,” whispered Snail. But Franklin needed no urging. He moved surely and steadily. He hurried past the blackberries. He hurried past the gooseberries. He even hurried past the raspberries. And he was almost at Bear’s front gate when he remembered something important.
He stopped right there at the edge of the berry patch and started picking handfuls of the ripest, plumpest, juiciest blueberries in the berry patch.
“We don’t have time to pick berries,” said Snail. “You know we can’t be late.”
Franklin whispered into Snail’s right ear. And soon Snail was helping too. They picked until the bush was clean.
“Hurry up,” said Snail. “Please hurry up, Franklin.”
He hurried up Bear’s path, through the front door, across the kitchen and into Bear’s living room.
Rabbit was there. Otter was there. Fox was there. Everyone was there. Franklin and Snail had made it just in time to shout:
“Surprise! Have a Happy Birthday, Bear!”
And he did.
Franklin's Baby Sister, Franklin's Class Trip, and Hurry Up, Franklin Page 2
