“Phew,” she said. “this is going to take a long time. I hope Daddy finishes his practice soon.”
She had just stuck the Junior Crow Bar into the third plank when Daddy appeared. He climbed up on top of the crate and the two of them slowly pried one of the slats away from the crate. They continued with the second slat, then the third. Then they climbed down to the ground and pulled one of the slats further away from the crate until it had been completely pulled away. The second slat soon came away and finally the third was removed.
Daddy carefully placed the slats on the ground so that the nails didn’t stick up. While Daddy was doing that, Addy looked inside the crate and saw that it covered the steel bars of a cage. No wonder the Post Office had to use a truck.
Daddy came and stood next to Addy and looked at the cage.
“Why is there a cage?” said Daddy, “I wonder what is in this cage.”
The two of them looked into the cage where they saw a very large tiger, asleep. Around its neck was tied a large cardboard sign which said MARMALADE.
“There seems to have been a mistake. I’ll go online and check,” said Daddy.
He went inside to check on his laptop.
Adelaide stared at the tiger as he opened one eye then the other. Suddenly he opened his mouth wide and… yawned very loudly. It was the biggest, loudest yawn that Addy had ever heard.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Hmmm?” replied the tiger.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“Hmmm,” said the tiger again.
“I’ll be right back,” said Addy.
Addy ran into the house, poured some milk into a bowl, ran back out and placed it in the cage. The tiger slowly pulled himself over to the bowl and lapped it up with one lap of his tongue. Addy ran back into the house, poured some water in a bowl, then ran back and placed it in the cage.
The tiger stretched his legs and lapped the water from the bowl. He looked at Adelaide and asked, “Do you have any game?”
Addy ran back in the house, opened a closet, stood on a stool and took down a trivial pursuit game, a monopoly game and a box of checkers. On her way out she told her Daddy the tiger is awake and wants to play games.
“Do you know how Marmalade was invented?” he asked.
Adelaide ran outside with the games.
“Do you know these games?” she asked.
“I’m hungry,” replied the tiger.
Addy placed the games on the ground and ran back into the kitchen. She opened the fridge, took out some cheese, bread and lettuce then ran back outside and placed the cheese, bread and lettuce in the cage.
The tiger sniffed at the cheese, bread and lettuce and said, “I don’t mean to be fussy, but I’m not a vegetarian. I like game: birds that land on the roof, links of sausage or beef on the hoof.”
