The Wombles Go round the World Read Free

course, I shall do most, if not all, of the writing concerning what has happened to us Wimbledon Wombles. We have had so many adventures one way and another, but they will only be a part of Vol. Ten . You see, if a great many exciting things have occurred here , it must follow that Wombles all over the world will also have thrilling stories to tell. Don’t you agree?’
    There was a buzz of agreement after everybody had thought this over.
    â€˜Therefore,’ said Great Uncle Bulgaria, when all the nodding and muttering and whispering had died down, ‘I think, I believe, I know that it is up to some of us Wimbledon Wombles to collect all those exciting stories – from burrows everywhere.’
    â€˜Oh dear, oh lor,’ muttered Tobermory. ‘ Now what?’
    Madame Cholet passed him three bracken buns and a mug of hot acorn juice and went, ‘ Shhh .’
    â€˜So,’ went on Great Uncle Bulgaria, ‘this is my Important Announcement. I want four Womble volunteers to travel round the world and find out what has been happening to all the other Wombles. It will be interesting, it will be exciting and it may even be dangerous. Well?’
    There was a moment’s silence and then Bungo and Tomsk put up their paws, followed closely by Wellington. Orinoco, who had dozed off for a second, wondered sleepily if anybody was being asked if they would like another bun and put up his paw.
    â€˜Bungo, Tomsk, Wellington, Orinoco,’ said Great Uncle Bulgaria. ‘Congratulations. You are about to start on the Greatest Womble Adventure of your lives. Report to my study at nine o’clock sharp tomorrow morning. Tobermory, I’d like a word with you.’
    .
    * See The Wombles.
    ** See The Wandering Wombles.
    *** See The Wombles at Work.

.

    Chapter Two
    Back to School
    â€˜I wish you’d told me what was happening,’ grumbled Orinoco. ‘I thought Great Uncle Bulgaria was asking if anybody wanted another bun. I didn’t know he was talking about going to foreign countries and if I’d known, I jolly well wouldn’t have said yes.’
    â€˜Well, you didn’t, he was and you have,’ replied Bungo, who was bursting with excitement and energy. He took a quick look round the Common to see if there were any Human Beings about but, as it was six o’clock on a cold, wet, grey morning, there wasn’t a sign of one. In fact, the only movement to be seen was a small, round figure jogging across the skyline.
    â€˜Tomsk doing his morning run,’ said Bungo, and he put down his tidy-bag and did a backward somersault out of sheer high spirits.
    â€˜I wish you wouldn’t do that,’ said Orinoco, who was in a really bad mood. ‘It makes me tired just watching you.’
    â€˜Shut your eyes then,’ said Bungo and did another one; but, because he wasn’t looking where he was going, he flipped straight into a bramble bush.
    â€˜Ouch, help,’ shouted Bungo, making a clutch for his cap which had been jerked off his head.
    â€˜You do look funny,’ said Orinoco, starting to laugh.
    â€˜Lend us a paw, there’s a good Womble,’ said Bungo, jumping up and down as he tried to grab his cap which was bobbing about just out of reach.
    â€˜He-he-he, ho-ho-ho, ha-ha-ha,’ wheezed Orinoco, clutching his stomach. ‘Go for it, Bungo.’
    â€˜And what do you think you’re playing at?’ asked a quiet voice, which made Orinoco stop laughing and Bungo stop bouncing in half a second flat.
    â€˜If you’ve quite finished wasting time, then kindly return to the burrow at once; Tobermory is waiting for you,’ went on Great Uncle Bulgaria and he reached up with his stick, tweaked the cap free and dropped it on to Bungo’s head. Then he held out the handle to Bungo and pulled that young Womble out of the bush with no trouble at all.
    â€˜Burrow!’ said Great Uncle Bulgaria and pointed in that direction.