A Whirlwind Vacation Read Free Page B

shook her head. “No. That’s not it.” She hopped off the bench.
    â€œWhere are you going?” Katie asked her.
    â€œTo find out who he is.”
    Katie knew better than to talk to strangers. “That’s a bad idea,” she said.
    Annabelle didn’t care. She got up and walked straight toward the mystery man.

    Katie couldn’t let her do that alone. It was too dangerous. “Annabelle, wait!” she cried out as she ran after her.

Chapter 5
    Annabelle was quick. By the time Katie caught up to her, she was already seated next to the man on the bench.
    â€œDo I know you?” Annabelle asked.
    The man pulled his baseball hat farther down his face. “I doubt it,” he said in a thick English accent.
    Annabelle stared even harder. “You’re that guard from Buckingham Palace!” she exclaimed. “The one I made laugh.”
    The man sat up suddenly. He glared at Annabelle. “That was you ?”
    Annabelle nodded proudly. “Don’t you remember me?”
    The man frowned. “I guess so. It’s all kind of foggy.”
    â€œWhat was it about me that made you laugh when no one else could?” Annabelle asked him.
    â€œI don’t know. I didn’t ...” he began.
    â€œYes, you did,” Annabelle told him. “Everyone saw you.”
    â€œDon’t remind me,” the man answered her.
    â€œDid you get in trouble?” Katie asked nervously.
    â€œYou can’t make mistakes when you’re guarding the Queen,” he answered with a sigh. “I’m on desk duty from now on. No more fancy uniforms. No more marching. It’s not the way I wanted to go out.”
    â€œGo out?” Katie asked.
    â€œI’m almost finished with my time in the guard,” he explained.
    â€œOh,” Katie said. “So what are you going to do next?”
    â€œI don’t know,” the guard told her. “I don’t think anyone would hire me. I’m a real laughingstock.”
    At that moment, Vicki came over. “Girls, you shouldn’t just disappear like that,” she scolded them. “I think you know better than to talk to strangers. Come on, girls. Let’s go.” She handed the girls their ice-cream cones.
    â€œHe’s not a stranger,” Annabelle told her. “This is the guard from the palace. The one I made laugh.”
    â€œOh. I see.” The tour guide held out her hand. “I’m Vicki.”
    â€œTim Becker,” the guard replied.
    â€œHe’s going to leave the guard soon,” Katie told Vicki. “We’re talking about the jobs he could have.”
    â€œGirls,” Vicki said. “I don’t think ...”
    But Katie really wanted to help Tim. She had to. “Wasn’t there something you wanted to do before this all happened?”
    Tim thought for a moment. “Well, there was one thing. But ... oh, never mind. You’ll think I’ve gone bonkers.”
    â€œNo, we won‘t,” Katie insisted.
    â€œWell,” Tim said slowly, “I’ve always wanted to be a stand-up comic. All my mates say I’m the funniest bloke they know.”
    â€œHave you ever tried doing stand-up comedy?” Vicki asked him.
    â€œNot really,” Tim answered. “Although everyone’s laughing at me now, anyway.”
    Katie frowned. She felt just awful about that.
    Then, suddenly she got one of her great ideas. “If everyone’s laughing anyway, why don’t you do an act in a club?”
    â€œIt’s not that easy,” Tim told her. “You can’t just walk into a club and say you want to go onstage.”
    â€œActually you can,” Vicki told him. “There’s a place right near Piccadilly Circus that has amateur night. Anyone can try to be a comic there.”
    â€œBut I don’t have an act,” Tim said.
    â€œSure you do,” Katie told him. She was getting excited now. “You could