by Jenny Dale
The woman waved at Mr Chapman. “Hello, we’re your new neighbours!” she called. “I’m Sue Bourne, and these are my children, Mark and Emily.”
“Hello,” Mr Chapman called back. “I’m Ron Chapman. And this is my kitten Snuggles.” He held up the cat basket.
Snuggles looked at the new people, feeling a bit nervous. They seemed friendly, he thought.
“Oh, I love cats!” said Mark. He hurried over to get a closer look at Snuggles. “Hello,” he said. He reached through the bars of the basket to tickle Snuggles’s head.
“Hello,” Snuggles purred back.
“Do you have a cat, Mark?” Mr Chapman asked.
Mark shook his head. “No. But I used to go to my best friend Paul’s house and play with his kitten after school. And Mum and Dad have said I can have my own cat when Emily’s a bit older,” he added eagerly.
“Pussy-cat!” said Emily. She leaned over and tried to grab Snuggles’s basket.
“Well, Mark, you’re welcome to come and play with Snuggles,” Mr Chapman said, smiling.
Mark’s face lit up. “Thanks, Mr Chapman.”
Snuggles was pleased too. Mark seemed very friendly.
“And you must come and have tea with us, when we’ve settled in,” Mrs Bourne said to Mr Chapman.
“Can Snuggles come too, Mum?” Mark asked quickly.
“Of course!” his mum agreed.
CRASH!
Snuggles almost leaped out of his basket as one of the removal men dropped a box onto the pavement. He wriggled under his blanket and lay there out of sight, shaking with fear.
“Oh dear!” Mrs Bourne groaned. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Mr Chapman.” She hurried out of the garden to inspect the box.
“And nice to meet you too, Snuggles!” Mark added.
Snuggles gingerly poked his head out to mew goodbye.
“Well, the Bournes seem very friendly, don’t they, Snuggles?” Mr Chapman remarked. He carried Snuggles into the house, then let him out of his basket. “It’ll be nice to have someone living next door again.”
But Snuggles wasn’t listening. He trotted into the living room and curled up on the rug.
By the time Mr Chapman had made himself a cup of tea, the kitten was fast asleep again. “Oh, Snuggles!” Mr Chapman sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”
Chapter Three
“And you be careful with those boxes!” Super-Snuggles the Wonder Cat miaowed. He kept a stern eye on the removal men going in and out of the house next door. “They belong to my friend Mark, and I’ll be very cross if you drop them!”
The removal men were carrying the boxes very slowly and carefully into the house.
“Good!” Super-Snuggles purred. “Just remember that I’m watching you . . .”
“Snuggles, you’ll have to get off my lap.”
Snuggles opened his eyes to find Mr Chapman gently lifting him up.
“There’s someone at the door,” Mr Chapman went on, putting the kitten down on the carpet.
Snuggles yawned. “I was having a brilliant dream,” he mewed sleepily. “I really made those removal men behave themselves!”
Mr Chapman went to answer the door.
Snuggles padded after him, and saw their new neighbour standing on the doorstep. “Hello, Mark!” he purred happily.
“Hello, Mr Chapman,” Mark said. “We were wondering if you and Snuggles would like to come round and have tea with us.”
“Well, that’s very kind of you,” Mr Chapman said, looking very pleased.
Mark beamed. “Can I carry Snuggles over to my house, please?” he asked hopefully.
Mr Chapman nodded. So Mark carefully scooped the kitten into his arms.
Snuggles cuddled nervously against his new friend. He didn’t really like going outside the house.
As they walked down Mr Chapman’s path, a dog in one of the nearby houses began to bark loudly.
Snuggles stiffened in alarm. “Uh-oh!” he hissed. “It’s big Barney! I’ve seen him walk past our garden – he’s really fierce!” He tried to scramble down the neck of Mark’s sweatshirt.
“That’s Barney the Alsatian,” Mr Chapman explained to Mark. “He belongs to Mr Gordon at Number 21. I’m afraid Snuggles is a bit scared of him.”
“No, I’m not!” Snuggles mewed indignantly. “Well, maybe just a tiny bit . . .”
When they were safely inside Mark’s house, Snuggles felt much happier. He looked around curiously. All the furniture was in place now, but there were still lots of cardboard boxes to be unpacked.
“Let’s play in the garden, Snuggles,” Mark suggested. “We’ve got time before tea.”
“The garden?” Snuggles mewed, his eyes wide. Go into that scary, dark, overgrown garden? He wasn’t sure he liked that idea very much . . .
Mark unlocked the back door and carried Snuggles outside. He gently put the kitten down on the path, then ran off down the overgrown lawn. “Come on, Snuggles!” he called, taking a small rubber ball from his pocket. “Bet you can’t get to the ball before I do!” He threw the ball across the garden.
“I bet I can!” Snuggles miaowed. Without thinking, he raced into the grass – which was almost as tall as he was. He found the ball and pounced down on top of it, so that it was hidden under his fat, furry little tummy.
Mark laughed. “That’s cheating, Snuggles!”
“Oh, all right,” Snuggles mewed, and stood up. But when Mark bent down to pick the ball up, Snuggles batted it smartly with his paw. The ball rolled away across the grass, out of Mark’s reach.
“Snuggles, stop it!” Mark laughed. This time he grabbed the ball before the kitten reached it, and threw it across the lawn again.
Snuggles rushed after the ball so quickly he did a somersault, and landed SPLAT! on his bottom.
“Oh, Snuggles, you’re so funny!” Mark grinned.
“Maybe, but I’ve got the ball!” Snuggles purred, batting it away from Mark again with his paw.
Snuggles was quite amazed. The garden wasn’t as scary as he’d thought! It was a bit dark and overgrown, but he didn’t feel frightened – because Mark was playing in it too.
Mark took Snuggles to explore the wild patch at the bottom of the garden. They hid behind trees and jumped out at each other. They even rolled around in a big pile of grass cuttings. Then Mark fetched some empty cardboard boxes. He built a big tower and helped Snuggles to climb all the way to the top.
Snuggles really enjoyed playing with his new friend. But after a while he began to feel a bit strange – as though he had forgotten something important . . .
Then he remembered. “Oh!” he mewed. “My afternoon nap!”
The kitten began to make his way back up the garden, towards the house.
“Snuggles?” Mark called, puzzled. “What’s the matter?”
“I almost forgot to have my afternoon Super-Snuggles adventure!” Snuggles mewed. He went through the open back door and into the Bournes’ living room.
Mr Chapman was sitting on the sofa, talking to Emily, who was in her playpen. Mrs Bourne was laying out cups and plates for tea.
Snuggles leaped up onto his owner’s lap, then settled down and closed his eyes.
“I see what you mean about Snuggles sleeping a lot, Mr Chapman!” Mark’s mum said, smiling.
Mr Chapman sighed as he stroked his kitten’s head.
“Where’s Snuggles?” Mark asked, coming into the living room. “Oh!”
Snuggles was almost asleep by now, but he could hear that Mark sounded a bit disappointed.
“We were having a great game,” Mark went on.
Yes, we were, thought Snuggles sleepily. He liked playing with Mark. In fact, playing with Mark was almost as much fun as a Super-Snuggles dream . . .
Chapter Four
Super-Snuggles stood outside Number 21, his tail waving angrily from side to side. Inside the house, a dog was barking loudly
“That Barney!” Super-Snuggles hissed crossly. “He’s always
barking. It’s time someone sorted him out!”
The garden gate was shut. It was quite high, but that didn’t stop Super-Snuggles. He leaped over it, and strolled up the garden path. The front door of Number 21 was shut, but a window at the side of the house was open. Super-Snuggles jumped onto the windowsill and looked inside.
Barney the Alsatian was standing in the kitchen. “In case anyone has forgotten, I’M in charge around here,” he barked. “This is MY—” Barney stopped when he saw Super-Snuggles glaring at him through the window. “Er . . . hello, Super-Snuggles,” he woofed – much more quietly. “Is something wrong?”
“There certainly is,” Super-Snuggles miaowed coolly. He stepped through the window and onto the draining board, his whiskers twitching.
Barney looked a bit nervous. “What?” he woofed.
“There’s an annoying dog in my street who never stops barking!” Super-Snuggles hissed, staring hard at Barney.
The big dog bared his teeth.
“Grr! You tell me who’s annoying you, Super-Snuggles, and I’ll see him off!” he growled.
Really! Super-Snuggles thought. Dogs are so stupid! “The dog’s name is Barney, and he lives at Number 21,” he miaowed.
“Right!” Barney barked. Then he looked puzzled. “Hang on a minute, that’s me, isn’t it?”
Super-Snuggles jumped down onto the kitchen floor, stalked over to the Alsatian and looked him in the eye. “Yes, it is,” he miaowed.
Barney’s ears and tail drooped. “Sorry. I’ll never bark loudly again, Super-Snuggles!” he whimpered. “I promise . . .”
“That’s Mark at the door!”
Hearing this, Snuggles left Super-Snuggles telling Barney off, and woke up. He jumped off Mr Chapman’s lap and raced down the hall.
It was a few days since Snuggles and Mr Chapman had gone to tea at the Bournes’ house. And Mark had called in to play with the kitten every afternoon when he got home from school.
Snuggles really enjoyed the lively games they played. Kind old Mr Chapman had the comfiest lap in the world, but he couldn’t run around the garden with Snuggles like Mark did.
“Hello, Mark,” Snuggles purred, as Mr Chapman opened the door. The kitten launched himself at Mark and pounced on the laces of his trainers. It was one of his favourite games.
“Hi, Mr Chapman,” Mark grinned. “Can I have my laces back, please, Snuggles? I need them to keep my trainers on!”
“Why?” Snuggles grabbed one of the laces in his teeth and shook it from side to side. “I don’t know why people wear such smelly shoes anyway!”
“Snuggles, behave yourself!” Mr Chapman laughed. “Come in, Mark.”
“Race you to the back door, Mark!” Snuggles miaowed happily. And he shot off down the hall, with Mark chasing after him.
When Mr Chapman had unlocked the back door, Snuggles and Mark ran out into the garden. Snuggles had almost forgotten that he’d ever been scared of going outside. Now he and Mark went out whenever the weather was fine.
It was a crisp, bright autumn day. Red and gold leaves were falling gently from the trees onto the lawn.
“Come on, Mark!” Snuggles mewed. “Let’s catch the leaves for a while!” He jumped up at a leaf as it floated down towards him and batted it with his paw.
“Well done, Snuggles!” Mark called. Then he looked around the garden. “I feel like climbing a tree,” he said.
Snuggles’s heart sank. “I’m too scared to climb trees,” he mewed quietly. “Only Super-Snuggles can do that.”
Mark pointed at the tallest tree in Mr Chapman’s garden. “Come on, Snuggles. Let’s climb that one!”
Snuggles looked nervously at the tree. It was so tall, it seemed to go on for ever. Even Super-Snuggles hadn’t climbed it yet. Snuggles was sure he’d never be able to climb the tree. Not even with Mark’s help.
“I’ll give you a hand, Snuggles.” Mark picked up the kitten and, standing on tiptoe, placed him on one of the lower branches. “Now just wait there while I climb up to you.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Snuggles mewed in a scared voice. “Help!” The kitten was very frightened indeed. He felt as though he was going to fall off any minute. He didn’t like it at all.
“Mark, your mum’s here,” Mr Chapman called from the back door. Snuggles was very relieved.
“OK,” Mark called back. He lifted Snuggles off the branch. “The tree will have to wait until tomorrow,” he said. Then he gave the kitten a cuddle as he carried him back into the house.
Snuggles was still feeling a bit shaky, so he decided to go and have a nap. A Super-Snuggles adventure would make him feel better.
Mr Chapman was busy in the kitchen, so the kitten curled up on the rug in front of the fire. What would Super-Snuggles do today? he wondered. He’d have to wait and see . . .
Super-Snuggles the Wonder Cat sat on the front garden fence, watching all the dogs in the street walking up and down. They hardly made a sound.
“Hello, Super-Snuggles,” Barney woofed very softly, trotting up to him. “I’ve told all the other dogs not to bark loudly any more, because it annoys you.”
“Thanks, Barney,” Super-Snuggles miaowed.
The Alsatian wagged his tail happily.
Super-Snuggles sat and watched all the dogs woofing to each other really, really quietly. It was great fun!
Or was it?
“Just a minute,” Super-Snuggles mewed, feeling rather miserable. “Something’s not quite right here . . .”
Snuggles stirred in his sleep, beginning to wake up. What is the matter with Super-Snuggles? he thought drowsily. Why does he feel so fed up?
“Snuggles, wake up.” Mr Chapman came into the living room carrying a sandwich and a cup of tea. “Were you asleep again? I sometimes wonder what you dream about!”
“Oh, I always have great dreams, Mr Chapman,” Snuggles miaowed, yawning. “Being Super-Snuggles the Wonder Cat is the most fun ever!” But then he sat up and thought hard. His dream hadn’t felt quite so exciting today.
Snuggles felt a bit upset. He could hardly eat any of the tuna that Mr Chapman offered him.
What was the matter with him? He always loved being Super-Snuggles in his dreams. So why hadn’t he enjoyed this dream? What had changed?
The kitten decided to go back to sleep. Maybe he could find out.
Chapter Five
Super-Snuggles bounded over the fences into every garden in the street. At Number 21, Barney was waiting for him.
“Hello, Super-Snuggles,” Barney woofed quietly. “Welcome to my garden. I’ve got a big fish for you from my owner’s fridge.”
“Thanks.” Super-Snuggles ate the fish and then leaped over the fence into the next garden.
Mrs Foster’s Boxer, Jason, was sitting there with a whole roast chicken in front of him. “I hope you like it, Super-Snuggles,” he woofed politely.
“It will do,” Super-Snuggles miaowed. And he ate the whole lot. Then he jumped over two more fences into the garden of Number 27, where Mr Lane’s mongrel, Sally, had a pork chop waiting for him.
“You’re my hero, Super-Snuggles,” Sally woofed, wagging her tail at him.
“Hang on a minute.” Super-Snuggles sat down. “Something’s not right here,” he mewed miserably.
“Oh no! It’s happening again!” Snuggles miaowed as he woke up. It had been a great dream – all the scary dogs in the street giving Super-Snuggles his favourite food!
But Super-Snuggles just wasn’t enjoying himself any more. And Snuggles didn’t know why.
“Snuggles, what’s wrong?” Mr Chapman put down his newspaper and gently scratched the kitten’s head. “You don’t look very happy.”
“I’m not!” Snuggles mewed miserably. No matter what Super-Snuggles did, the dreams weren’t so exciting. They didn’t feel very real.
But Snuggles was determined not to give up. “Maybe I should sleep even more,” he mewed. “Then I might be able to get my lovely, exciting dreams back!”
Snuggles thought that this was a really good idea. So he curled up on Mr Chapman’s lap again.
“Oh, Snuggles, you’re not going to sleep again!” Mr Chapman exclaimed. “You’ve only just woken up!”
Just then the doorbell rang.
“Aren’t you coming to see who it is, Snuggles?” Mr Chapman asked. He lifted the kitten off his lap and slowly stood up. “It might be Mark.”
“I can’t,” Snuggles miaowed, keeping his eyes tightly shut. “I have to have a really good dream . . .”
“Hi, Mr Chapman.”
Snuggles recognised Mark’s voice. The kitten longed to rush into the hall and say hello. But he stayed where he was.
“Mum wants to know if you and Snuggles would like to come to lunch today,” Mark went on.
“We’d love to,” Mr Chapman agreed. “If I can wake Snuggles up, that is!”
“Oh, is he asleep again?” said Mark, coming into the living room.
Snuggles kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep, even when Mark crouched down to stroke him.
“Don’t you want to play, Snuggles?” Mark sounded very disappointed.
Snuggles felt guilty about not getting up to play with his friend. But he didn’t move.
“Never mind, Mark,” said Mr Chapman. “You’ll be able to play with Snuggles when we come over for lunch.”
“OK,” said Mark. But he still sounded upset. “Mum says to come over at about one o’clock.” Then he went back next door.
Snuggles felt very mean. He didn’t want to make Mark unhappy. He loved Mark nearly as much as he loved Mr Chapman, now.
The kitten decided that he would play with Mark all afternoon to make it up to him. “But now I must get to sleep,” he sighed.
Super-Snuggles stood looking up at the huge tree. Its branches stretched right up into the sky. It was a long way to the top, but Super-Snuggles knew he could do it.
