CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Introduction by Michael Bond

Chapter One

Please Look After This Bear

Chapter Two

A Bear in Hot Water

Chapter Three

Paddington Goes Underground

Chapter Four

A Shopping Expedition

Chapter Five

Paddington and the âOld Masterâ

Chapter Six

A Visit to the Theatre

Chapter Seven

Adventure at the Seaside

Chapter Eight

A Disappearing Trick

By the Same Author

Copyright

About the Publisher

Introduction

Life is full of ups and downs, and one evening when I was doing some last-minute shopping in Londonâs Oxford Street and it began to snow so heavily I had to seek shelter in the nearest big store that was still open, it struck me as a good example of the latter: a definite downer, in fact.

It was Christmas Eve 1956 and I needed a âstocking fillerâ for my wife. By then I was getting rather desperate for ideas, and as I wandered disconsolately through an unusually deserted toy department, I caught sight of a small bear sitting all by itself on a glass shelf.

Had it been a doll I wouldnât have given it a second glance. Not that I have anything whatsoever against dolls, but as the famous actor and expert on these matters, the late Peter Bull, once said rather dismissively: âDolls are always wondering what they are going to wear next, whereas you feel your secrets are safe with a bear and you never know what they are thinking.â

He was quite right, of course. Bears are a thing apart from all other cuddly toys. Although, from the expression on its face, I think I had a very good idea what was uppermost in its mind at that particular moment.

He looked so lonely and forlorn, the thought of him being alone all through Christmas seemed out of the question, so acting on an impulse I bought him without any further ado.

I little knew what lay ahead.

The next day, looking very much at home, he took up residence on the mantelpiece of our one-room flat near the Portobello Road, and because I had always wanted to use the name Paddington in a story, thatâs what we called him, after our nearest main line railway station.

Names are important. Sometimes it is all a person has in their life, and I had been tempted to use it in a series of stories I wrote for the radio about an accident-prone uncle who was always getting into trouble. But a little voice inside me whispered âNoâ.

Writers should always obey âlittle voicesâ. They are invariably right and you disobey them at your peril. As things turned out I was doubly glad to have heeded the warning on this occasion, for it suited the bear down to the ground. It was important without being too grand, and it had a safe ring to it. Dignified, and reliable, it was the kind of name that would withstand the passage of time. Politeness would have been his middle name were it not for the fact that it was already encapsulated in the original.

We found ourselves talking to him. Bears have that kind of effect on people. You canât ignore them. And in no time at all he became an alter ego.

One spring morning the following year, I found myself sitting at my typewriter with a blank sheet of paper at the ready, fingers itching to go, only to realise with a sinking heart that I didnât have an idea in my head. Not so much a âwriterâs blockâ as a vast empty space with nothing, absolutely nothing in view.

In desperation I gazed around the room and as my glance fastened on the mantelpiece I found myself wondering what would happen if a real bear ended up on Paddington station; lost and friendless, with nowhere else to go. In order to get my brain working I typed the words: Mr and Mrs Brown first met Paddington on a railway platform. In fact, that was how he came to have such an unusual name for a bear, for Paddington was the name of the station.

And that was as far as I meant to go. After all, it was only a doodle to get my mind working. I had no intention of writing a chapter, let alone a book, and a childrenâs one at that. I didnât even know any children at that time in my life, although I count that as a plus because they hate being written down to and it is something I have always tried to avoid.

On the other hand â¦ something in the words caught my fancy.

Who were Mr and Mrs Brown? How had they suddenly popped into the picture? And what were they doing on Paddington station? As for Paddington himself, where was he lurking? Somewhere safe from the crowd probably; a dark corner near the Lost Property Office? Half wanting somebody to come to his rescue, the other half hoping nobody would find him.

To say that my fingers were racing to and fro over the keyboard would be a misnomer, because Iâm self-taught. But by the evening I had what turned out to be the first chapter of a book on my hands.

Ten days later A Bear Called Paddington contained the answers to all the aforementioned questions.

Luckily I wouldnât change a word of it. Paddington has his own unique outlook on the world and, as he says, âThings happen to me. Iâm that sort of bear.â

Some years and several books later, I received a letter from a small boy to the effect that he was now so used to Paddington being the name of a bear it seemed a funny name for a station.

I know just what he meant!

Michael Bond

2013

Chapter One

Please Look After This Bear

MR AND MRS Brown first met Paddington on a railway platform. In fact, that was how he came to have such an unusual name for a bear, for Paddington was the name of the station.

The Browns were there to meet their daughter Judy, who was coming home from school for the holidays. It was a warm summer day and the station was crowded with people on their way to the seaside. Trains were humming, loudspeakers blaring, porters rushing about shouting at one another, and altogether there was so much noise that Mr Brown, who saw him first, had to tell his wife several times before she understood.

âA bear? On Paddington station?â Mrs Brown looked at her husband in amazement. âDonât be silly, Henry. There canât be!â

Mr Brown adjusted his glasses. âBut there is,â he insisted. âI distinctly saw it. Over there â near the bicycle rack. It was wearing a funny kind of hat.â

Without waiting for a reply he caught hold of his wifeâs arm and pushed her through the crowd, round a trolley laden with chocolate and cups of tea, past a bookstall, and through a gap in a pile of suitcases towards the Lost Property Office.

âThere you are,â he announced triumphantly, pointing towards a dark corner, âI told you so!â

Mrs Brown followed the direction of his arm and dimly made out a small, furry object in the shadows. It seemed to be sitting on some kind of suitcase and around its neck there was a label with some writing on it. The suitcase was old and battered and on the side, in large letters, were the words WANTED ON VOYAGE.

Mrs Brown clutched at her husband. âWhy, Henry,â she exclaimed. âI believe you were right after all. It is a bear!â

She peered at it more closely. It seemed a very unusual kind of bear. It was brown in colour, a rather dirty brown, and it was wearing a most odd-looking hat, with a wide brim, just as Mr Brown had said. From beneath the brim two large, round eyes stared back at her.

Seeing that something was expected of it the bear stood up and politely raised its hat, revealing two black ears. âGood afternoon,â it said, in a small, clear voice.

âErâ¦ good afternoon,â replied Mr Brown, doubtfully. There was a moment of silence.

The bear looked at them inquiringly. âCan I help you?â

Mr Brown looked rather embarrassed. âWellâ¦ no. Erâ¦ as a matter of fact, we were wondering if we could help you.â

Mrs Brown bent down. âYouâre a very small bear,â she said.

The bear puffed out its chest. âIâm a very rare sort of bear,â he replied importantly. âThere arenât many of us left where I come from.â

âAnd where is that?â asked Mrs Brown.

The bear looked round carefully before replying. âDarkest Peru. Iâm not really supposed to be here at all. Iâm a stowaway!â

âA stowaway?â Mr Brown lowered his voice and looked anxiously over his shoulder. He almost expected to see a policeman standing behind him with a notebook and pencil, taking everything down.

âYes,â said the bear. âI emigrated, you know.â A sad expression came into its eyes. âI used to live with my Aunt Lucy in Peru, but she had to go into a home for retired bears.â

âYou donât mean to say youâve come all the way from South America by yourself?â exclaimed Mrs Brown.

The bear nodded. âAunt Lucy always said she wanted me to emigrate when I was old enough. Thatâs why she taught me to speak English.â

âBut whatever did you do for food?â asked Mr Brown. âYou must be starving.â

Bending down, the bear unlocked the suitcase with a small key, which it also had round its neck, and brought out an almost empty glass jar. âI ate marmalade,â he said, rather proudly. âBears like marmalade. And I lived in a lifeboat.â

âBut what are you going to do now?â said Mr Brown. âYou canât just sit on Paddington station waiting for something to happen.â

âOh, I shall be all rightâ¦ I expect.â The bear bent down to do up its case again. As he did so Mrs Brown caught a glimpse of the writing on the label. It said, simply, PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR. THANK YOU.

She turned appealingly to her husband. âOh, Henry, what shall we do? We canât just leave him here. Thereâs no knowing what might happen to him. Londonâs such a big place when youâve nowhere to go. Canât he come and stay with us for a few days?â

Mr Brown hesitated. âBut Mary, dear, we canât take himâ¦ not just like that. After allâ¦â

âAfter all, what?â Mrs Brownâs voice had a firm note to it. She looked down at the bear. âHe is rather sweet. And heâd be such company for Jonathan and Judy. Even if itâs only for a little while. Theyâd never forgive us if they knew youâd left him here.â

âIt all seems highly irregular,â said Mr Brown, doubtfully. âIâm sure thereâs a law about it.â He bent down. âWould you like to come and stay with us?â he asked. âThat is,â he added, hastily, not wishing to offend the bear, âif youâve nothing else planned.â

The bear jumped and his hat nearly fell off with excitement. âOooh, yes, please. I should like that very much. Iâve nowhere to go and everyone seems in such a hurry.â

âWell, thatâs settled then,â said Mrs Brown, before her husband could change his mind. âAnd you can have marmalade for breakfast every morning, and â â she tried hard to think of something else that bears might like.

âEvery morning?â The bear looked as if it could hardly believe its ears. âI only had it on special occasions at home. Marmaladeâs very expensive in Darkest Peru.â

âThen you shall have it every morning starting tomorrow,â continued Mrs Brown. âAnd honey on Sunday.â

A worried expression came over the bearâs face. âWill it cost very much?â he asked. âYou see, I havenât very much money.â

âOf course not. We wouldnât dream of charging you anything. We shall expect you to be one of the family, shanât we, Henry?â Mrs Brown looked at her husband for support.

âOf course,â said Mr Brown. âBy the way,â he added, âif you are coming home with us youâd better know our names. This is Mrs Brown and Iâm Mr Brown.â

The bear raised its hat politely â twice. âI havenât really got a name,â he said. âOnly a Peruvian one which no one can understand.â

âThen weâd better give you an English one,â said Mrs Brown. âItâll make things much easier.â She looked round the station for inspiration. âIt ought to be something special,â she said thoughtfully. As she spoke an engine standing in one of the platforms gave a loud wail and a train began to move. âI know what!â she exclaimed. âWe found you on Paddington station so weâll call you Paddington!â

âPaddington!â The bear repeated it several times to make sure. âIt seems a very long name.â

âQuite distinguished,â said Mr Brown. âYes, I like Paddington as a name. Paddington it shall be.â

Mrs Brown stood up. âGood. Now, Paddington, I have to meet our little daughter, Judy, off the train. Sheâs coming home from school. Iâm sure you must be thirsty after your long journey, so you go along to the buffet with Mr Brown and heâll buy you a nice cup of tea.â

Paddington licked his lips. âIâm very thirsty,â he said. âSea water makes you thirsty.â He picked up his suitcase, pulled his hat down firmly over his head, and waved a paw politely in the direction of the buffet. âAfter you, Mr Brown.â

âErâ¦ thank you, Paddington,â said Mr Brown.

âNow, Henry, look after him,â Mrs Brown called after them. âAnd for goodnessâ sake, when you get a moment, take that label off his neck. It makes him look like a parcel. Iâm sure heâll get put in a luggage van or something if a porter sees him.â

The buffet was crowded when they entered but Mr Brown managed to find a table for two in a corner. By standing on a chair Paddington could just rest his paws comfortably on the glass top. He looked around with interest while Mr Brown went to fetch the tea. The sight of everyone eating reminded him of how hungry he felt. There was a half-eaten bun on the table but just as he reached out his paw a waitress came up and swept it into a pan.

âYou donât want that, dearie,â she said, giving him a friendly pat. âYou donât know where itâs been.â

Paddington felt so empty he didnât really mind where it had been but he was much too polite to say anything.

âWell, Paddington,â said Mr Brown, as he placed two steaming cups of tea on the table and a plate piled high with cakes. âHowâs that to be going on with?â

Paddingtonâs eyes glistened. âItâs very nice, thank you,â he exclaimed, eyeing the tea doubtfully. âBut itâs rather hard drinking out of a cup. I usually get my head stuck, or else my hat falls in and makes it taste nasty.â

Mr Brown hesitated. âThen youâd better give your hat to me. Iâll pour the tea into a saucer for you. Itâs not really done in the best circles, but Iâm sure no one will mind just this once.â

Paddington removed his hat and laid it carefully on the table while Mr Brown poured out the tea. He looked hungrily at the cakes, in particular at a large cream-and-jam one which Mr Brown placed on a plate in front of him.

âThere you are, Paddington,â he said. âIâm sorry they havenât any marmalade ones, but they were the best I could get.â

âIâm glad I emigrated,â said Paddington, as he reached out a paw and pulled the plate nearer. âDo you think anyone would mind if I stood on the table to eat?â

Before Mr Brown could answer he had climbed up and placed his right paw firmly on the bun. It was a very large bun, the biggest and stickiest Mr Brown had been able to find, and in a matter of moments most of the inside found its way on to Paddingtonâs whiskers. People started to nudge each other and began staring in their direction. Mr Brown wished he had chosen a plain, ordinary bun, but he wasnât very experienced in the ways of bears. He stirred his tea and looked out of the window, pretending he had tea with a bear on Paddington station every day of his life.

âHenry!â The sound of his wifeâs voice brought him back to earth with a start. âHenry, whatever are you doing to that poor bear? Look at him! Heâs covered all over with cream and jam.â

Mr Brown jumped up in confusion. âHe seemed rather hungry,â he answered, lamely.

Mrs Brown turned to her daughter. âThis is what happens when I leave your father alone for five minutes.â

Judy clapped her hands excitedly. âOh, Daddy, is he really going to stay with us?â

âIf he does,â said Mrs Brown, âI can see someone other than your father will have to look after him. Just look at the mess heâs in!â

Paddington, who all this time had been too interested in his bun to worry about what was going on, suddenly became aware that people were talking about him. He looked up to see that Mrs Brown had been joined by a little girl, with laughing blue eyes and long, fair hair. He jumped up, meaning to raise his hat, and in his haste slipped on a patch of strawberry jam which somehow or other had found its way on to the glass table-top. For a brief moment he had a dizzy impression of everything and everyone being upside down. He waved his paws wildly in the air and then, before anyone could catch him, he somersaulted backwards and landed with a splash in his saucer of tea. He jumped up even quicker than he had sat down, because the tea was still very hot, and promptly stepped into Mr Brownâs cup.

Judy threw back her head and laughed until the tears rolled down her face. âOh, Mummy, isnât he funny!â she cried.

Paddington, who didnât think it at all funny, stood for a moment with one foot on the table and the other in Mr Brownâs tea. There were large patches of white cream all over his face, and on his left ear there was a lump of strawberry jam.

âYou wouldnât think,â said Mrs Brown, âthat anyone could get in such a state with just one bun.â

Mr Brown coughed. He had just caught the stern eye of a waitress on the other side of the counter. âPerhaps,â he said, âweâd better go. Iâll see if I can find a taxi.â He picked up Judyâs belongings and hurried outside.

Paddington stepped gingerly off the table and, with a last look at the sticky remains of his bun, climbed down on to the floor.

Judy took one of his paws. âCome along, Paddington. Weâll take you home and you can have a nice hot bath. Then you can tell me all about South America. Iâm sure you must have had lots of wonderful adventures.â

âI have,â said Paddington earnestly. âLots. Things are always happening to me. Iâm that sort of bear.â

When they came out of the buffet Mr Brown had already found a taxi and he waved them across. The driver looked hard at Paddington and then at the inside of his nice, clean taxi.

âBears is extra,â he said gruffly. âSticky bears is twice as much again.â

âHe canât help being sticky, driver,â said Mr Brown. âHeâs just had a nasty accident.â

The driver hesitated. âAll right, âop in. But mind none of it comes off on me interior. I only cleaned it out this morning.â

The Browns trooped obediently into the back of the taxi. Mr and Mrs Brown and Judy sat in the back, while Paddington stood on a tip-up seat behind the driver so that he could see out of the window.

The sun was shining as they drove out of the station and after the gloom and the noise everything seemed bright and cheerful. They swept past a group of people at a bus stop and Paddington waved. Several people stared and one man raised his hat in return. It was all very friendly. After weeks of sitting alone in a lifeboat there was so much to see. There were people and cars and big, red buses everywhere â it wasnât a bit like Darkest Peru.

Paddington kept one eye out of the window in case he missed anything. With his other eye he carefully examined Mr and Mrs Brown and Judy. Mr Brown was fat and jolly, with a big moustache and glasses, while Mrs Brown, who was also rather plump, looked like a larger edition of Judy. Paddington had just decided he was going to like staying with the Browns when the glass window behind the driver shot back and a gruff voice said, âWhere did you say you wanted to go?â

Mr Brown leaned forward. âNumber thirty-two, Windsor Gardens.â

The driver cupped his ear with one hand. âCanât âear you,â he shouted.

Paddington tapped him on the shoulder. âNumber thirty-two, Windsor Gardens,â he repeated.

The taxi driver jumped at the sound of Paddingtonâs voice and narrowly missed hitting a bus. He looked down at his shoulder and glared. âCream!â he said, bitterly. âAll over me new coat!â

Judy giggled and Mr and Mrs Brown exchanged glances. Mr Brown peered at the meter. He half expected to see a sign go up saying they had to pay another fifty pence.

âI beg your pardon,â said Paddington. He bent forward and tried to rub the stain off with his other paw. Several bun crumbs and a smear of jam added themselves mysteriously to the taxi driverâs coat. The driver gave Paddington a long, hard look. Paddington raised his hat and the driver slammed the window shut again.

âOh dear,â said Mrs Brown. âWe really shall have to give him a bath as soon as we get indoors. Itâs getting everywhere.â

Paddington looked thoughtful. It wasnât so much that he didnât like baths; he really didnât mind being covered with jam and cream. It seemed a pity to wash it all off quite so soon. But before he had time to consider the matter the taxi stopped and the Browns began to climb out. Paddington picked up his suitcase and followed Judy up a flight of white steps to a big green door.

âNow youâre going to meet Mrs Bird,â said Judy. âShe looks after us. Sheâs a bit fierce sometimes and she grumbles a lot but she doesnât really mean it. Iâm sure youâll like her.â

Paddington felt his knees begin to tremble. He looked round for Mr and Mrs Brown, but they appeared to be having some sort of argument with the taxi driver. Behind the door he could hear footsteps approaching.

âIâm sure I shall like her, if you say so,â he said, catching sight of his reflection on the brightly polished letterbox. âBut will she like me?â

Chapter Two

A Bear in Hot Water

PADDINGTON WASNâT QUITE sure what to expect when Mrs Bird opened the door. He was pleasantly surprised when they were greeted by a stout, motherly lady with grey hair and a kindly twinkle in her eyes. When she saw Judy she raised her hands above her head. âGoodness gracious, youâve arrived already,â she said, in horror. âAnd me hardly finished the washing up. I suppose youâll be wanting tea?â

âHallo, Mrs Bird,â said Judy. âItâs nice to see you again. Howâs the rheumatism?â

âWorse than itâs ever been,â began Mrs Bird â then she stopped speaking and stared at Paddington. âWhatever have you got there?â she asked. âWhat is it?â

âItâs not a what,â said Judy. âItâs a bear. His nameâs Paddington.â

Paddington raised his hat.

âA bear,â said Mrs Bird, doubtfully. âWell, he has good manners, Iâll say that for him.â

âHeâs going to stay with us,â announced Judy. âHeâs emigrated from South America and heâs all alone with nowhere to go.â

âGoing to stay with us?â Mrs Bird raised her arms again. âHow long for?â

Judy looked round mysteriously before replying. âI donât know,â she said. âIt depends on things.â

âMercy me,â exclaimed Mrs Bird. âI wish youâd told me. I havenât put clean sheets in the spare room or anything.â She looked down at Paddington. âThough judging by the state heâs in perhaps thatâs as well.â

âItâs all right, Mrs Bird,â said Paddington. âI think Iâm going to have a bath. I had an accident with a bun.â

âOh!â Mrs Bird held the door open. âOh, well in that case youâd best come on in. Only mind the carpet. Itâs just been done.â

Judy took hold of Paddingtonâs paw and squeezed. âShe doesnât mind really,â she whispered. âI think she rather likes you.â

Paddington watched the retreating figure of Mrs Bird. âShe seems a bit fierce,â he said.

Mrs Bird turned. âWhat was that you said?â

Paddington jumped. âIâ¦ Iâ¦â he began.

âWhere was it you said youâd come from? Peru?â

âThatâs right,â said Paddington. âDarkest Peru.â

âHumph!â Mrs Bird looked thoughtful for a moment. âThen I expect you like marmalade. Iâd better get some more from the grocer.â

âThere you are! What did I tell you?â cried Judy, as the door shut behind Mrs Bird. âShe does like you.â

âFancy her knowing I like marmalade,â said Paddington.

âMrs Bird knows everything about everything,â said Judy. âNow, youâd better come upstairs with me and Iâll show you your room. It used to be mine when I was small and it has lots of pictures of bears round the wall so I expect youâll feel at home.â She led the way up a long flight of stairs, chattering all the time. Paddington followed closely behind, keeping carefully to the side so that he didnât have to tread on the carpet.

âThatâs the bathroom,â said Judy. âAnd thatâs my room. And thatâs Jonathanâs â heâs my brother, and youâll meet him soon. And thatâs Mummy and Daddyâs.â She opened a door. âAnd this is going to be yours!â

Paddington nearly fell over with surprise when he followed her into the room. Heâd never seen such a big one. There was a large bed with white sheets against one wall and several big boxes, one with a mirror on it. Judy pulled open a drawer in one of the boxes. âThis is called a chest of drawers,â she said. âYouâll be able to keep all your things in here.â

Paddington looked at the drawer and then at his suitcase. âI donât seem to have very much. Thatâs the trouble with being small â no one ever expects you to want things.â

âThen we shall have to see what we can do,â said Judy, mysteriously. âIâll try and get Mummy to take you on one of her shopping expeditions.â She knelt down beside him. âLet me help you to unpack.â

âItâs very kind of you.â Paddington fumbled with the lock. âBut I donât think thereâs much to help me with. Thereâs a jar of marmalade â only thereâs hardly any left now and what there is tastes of seaweed. And my scrapbook. And some centavos â theyâre a sort of South American penny.â

âGosh!â said Judy. âIâve never seen any of those before. Arenât they bright!â

âOh, I keep them polished,â said Paddington. âI donât spend them.â He pulled out a tattered photograph. âAnd thatâs a picture of my Aunt Lucy. She had it taken just before she went into the home for retired bears tin Lima.â

âShe looks very nice,â said Judy. âAnd very wise.â Seeing that Paddington had a sad, far-away look in his eyes, she added hastily, âWell, Iâm going to leave you now, so that you can have your bath and come down nice and clean. Youâll find two taps, one marked hot and one marked cold. Thereâs plenty of soap and a clean towel. Oh, and a brush so that you can scrub your back.â

âIt sounds very complicated,â said Paddington. âCanât I just sit in a puddle or something?â

Judy laughed. âSomehow I donât think Mrs Bird would approve of that! And donât forget to wash your ears. They look awfully black.â

âTheyâre meant to be black,â Paddington called indignantly, as Judy shut the door.

He climbed up on to a stool by the window and looked out. There was a large, interesting garden below, with a small pond and several trees which looked good for climbing. Beyond the trees he could see some more houses stretching away into the distance. He decided it must be wonderful living in a house like this all the time. He stayed where he was, thinking about it, until the window became steamed up and he couldnât see out any more. Then he tried writing his name on the cloudy part with his paws. He began to wish it wasnât quite so long, as he soon ran out of cloud and it was rather difficult to spell.

âAll the sameâ â he climbed on to the dressing-table and looked at himself in the mirror â âitâs a very important name. And I donât expect there are many bears in the world called Paddington!â

If heâd only known, Judy was saying exactly the same thing to Mr Brown at that very moment. The Browns were holding a council of war in the dining-room, and Mr Brown was fighting a losing battle. It had been Judyâs idea in the first place to keep Paddington. In this she not only had Jonathan on her side but also her mother. Jonathan had yet to meet Paddington but the idea of having a bear in the family appealed to him. It sounded very important.

âAfter all, Henry,â argued Mrs Brown, âyou canât turn him out now. It wouldnât be right.â

Mr Brown sighed. He knew when he was beaten. It wasnât that he didnât like the idea of keeping Paddington. Secretly he was just as keen as anyone. But as head of the Brown household he felt he ought to consider the matter from every angle.

âIâm sure we ought to report the matter to someone first,â he said.

âI donât see why, Dad,â cried Jonathan. âBesides, he might get arrested for being a stowaway if we do that.â

Mrs Brown put down her knitting. âJonathanâs right, Henry. We canât let that happen. Itâs not as if heâs done anything wrong. Iâm sure he didnât harm anyone travelling in a lifeboat like that.â

âThen thereâs the question of pocket money,â said Mr Brown, weakening. âIâm not sure how much pocket money to give a bear.â

âHe can have a pound a week, the same as the other children,â replied Mrs Brown.

Mr Brown lit his pipe carefully before replying.

âWell,â he said, âweâll have to see what Mrs Bird has to say about it first, of course.â

There was a triumphant chorus from the rest of the family.

âYouâd better ask her then,â said Mrs Brown, when the noise had died down. âIt was your idea.â

Mr Brown coughed. He was a little bit afraid of Mrs Bird and he wasnât at all sure how she would take it. He was about to suggest they left it for a little while when the door opened and Mrs Bird herself came in with the tea things. She paused for a moment and looked round at the sea of expectant faces.

âI suppose,â she said, âyou want to tell me youâve decided to keep that young Paddington.â

âMay we, Mrs Bird?â pleaded Judy. âPlease! Iâm sure heâll be very good.â

âHumph!â Mrs Bird put the tray down on the table. âThat remains to be seen. Different people have different ideas about being good. All the same,â she hesitated at the door, âhe looks the sort of bear that means well.â

âThen you donât mind, Mrs Bird?â Mr Brown asked her.

Mrs Bird thought for a moment. âNo. No, I donât mind at all. Iâve always had a soft spot for bears myself. Itâll be nice to have one about the house.â

âWell,â gasped Mrs Brown, as the door closed. âWhoever would have thought it!â

âI expect it was because he raised his hat,â said Judy. âIt made a good impression. Mrs Bird likes polite people.â

Mrs Brown picked up her knitting again. âI suppose someone ought to write and tell his Aunt Lucy. Iâm sure sheâd like to know heâs safe.â She turned to Judy. âPerhaps it would be a nice thought if you and Jonathan wrote.â

âBy the way,â said Mr Brown, âcome to think of it, where is Paddington? Heâs not still up in his room, is he?â

Judy looked up from the writing-desk, where she was searching for some notepaper. âOh, heâs all right. Heâs just having a bath.â

âA bath!â Mrs Brownâs face took on a worried expression. âHeâs rather small to be having a bath all by himself.â

âDonât fuss so, Mary,â grumbled Mr Brown, settling himself down in the armchair with a newspaper. âHeâs probably having the time of his life.â

Mr Brown was fairly near the truth when he said Paddington was probably having the time of his life. Unfortunately it wasnât in quite the way he meant it. Blissfully unaware that his fate was being decided, Paddington was sitting in the middle of the bathroom floor drawing a map of South America with a tube of Mr Brownâs shaving cream.

Paddington liked geography. At least, he liked his sort of geography, which meant seeing strange places and new people. Before he left South America on his long journey to England, his Aunt Lucy, who was a very wise old bear, had done her best to teach him all she knew. She had told him all about the places he would see on the way and she had spent many long hours reading to him about the people he would meet.

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