The Complete Adventures of Curious George (11 page)

So the three of them got into the cab and drove off. "Maybe you could play a fanfare while you ride your bike in the show," the director said. "I have a bugle for you right here, and later on you'll get a green coat and a cap just like Bob's."

On the show grounds everybody was busy getting things ready for the show. "I must do some work now," said the director. "Meanwhile you may have a look around and get acquainted with all the animals—but you must not feed them, especially the ostrich because he will eat anything and might get very sick afterwards."

George was curious: would the ostrich really eat anything? He wouldn't eat a bugle—or would he? George went a little closer to the cage—and before he knew it

the ostrich had snatched the bugle and tried to swallow it. But a bugle is hard to swallow, even for an ostrich; it got stuck in his throat. Funny sounds came out of the bugle as the ostrich was struggling with it, all blue in the face.

George was frightened.

Fortunately the men had heard the noise. They came rushing to the cage and got the bugle out of the ostrich's throat just in time.

The director was very angry with George. "We cannot use little monkeys who don't do as they are told," he said. "Of course you cannot take part in the show now. We will have to send you home."

George had to sit on a bench all by himself and nobody even looked at him. He was terribly sorry for what he had done but now it was too late. He had spoiled everything.

Meanwhile the ostrich, always hungry, had got hold of a string dangling near his cage. This happened to be the string which held the door to the cage of the baby bear. As the ostrich nibbled at it the door opened—and the baby bear got out.

He ran away as fast as he could and made straight for a high tree near the camp.

Nobody had seen it but George—and George was not supposed to leave his bench. But this was an emergency, so he jumped up, grabbed the bugle and blew as loud as he could. Then he rushed to his bicycle.

The men had heard the alarm and thought at first that George had been naughty again. But when they saw the empty cage and the ostrich nibbling at the string, they knew what had happened.

George raced toward the tree, far ahead of the men.

By now the bear had climbed quite high—and this was dangerous because little bears can climb up a tree easily but coming down is much harder; they may fall and get hurt. The men were worried. They did not know how to get him down safely. But George had his plan: