inventors cottage.docx

inventors cottage.docx

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inventorscottage

Inventor’scottage

DaddroppedusoffwithoursuitcasesatauntAgatha’s.Hekissedusanddroveawaysofastthatthewheelsofthecarskiddedupthedrivemakingthegravelfly.He’salwaysinahurry.

MylittlesisterLauralookedupatthesignabovethedoor.Itsaid,’Inventor’scottage’.

Wewerebothreallypleasedtobeseeingourauntandallherinventionsagain:

thehard-boiledeggbreaker,thetoast-butteringmachineandtheautomaticfacecloth…

WerangthebellseveraltimesandatlastAuntAgathacametothedoor.

“DarlingoneandDarlingtwo!

”shecriedandhuggedustight.“it’ssolovelytoseeyou!

Comein!

Edgarwilltakeyourthingsup.”

Edgartherobot-butlerappearedinthehall.Hetookourcasesandstartedtoclimbthestairs.

“Edgar,don’tuseyourrightarm!

”shoutedAuntAgatha.“youknowperfectlywell…“

Shedidn’thavetimetofinishhersentence.Edgarletgoofoneofthesuitcases.Itslippedandbumpeddownthestairs.

“Edgar’srightarmgetsstuck,”explainedAuntAgatha.“Imustgetitrepaired.”

AuntAgathatookusintothesittingroom.Shefloppeddownonherelectricrockingchairwithabigsigh.Sheseemedtiredandonedge.

“What’swrong,AuntAgatha?

”Iasked.

“It’snothing,Amy.I’mjustabitoverworkedatthemoment.I’mpreparingforthe‘BigIdea’.It’sthemostimportantinventors’competitionoftheyear.ItstartsinthreedaysandI’mbehindwithmynewinvention.”

Laurasaid,”Wecanhelpyou!

”

“That’sverykindofyou,mydirlings,”saidAuntAgatha.”ButIdon’tevenknowifthreeofuswillmanageit.Theproblemisthatmymemoryisplayingtricksonme.

IputdownabottleinoneplaceandafewsecondslaterIcan’trememberwhereIputit.IthinkIorderedwashingpowderbypostbutthenIgetbubblebathinstead…Ithasreallyslowedmedown.”

“Whatareyouinventionforthecompetition?

”askedmysister.

AuntAgatha’seyeslitup.“It’scalledGGG,”shesaid.”That‘sshortfor“GrowGrowGrow”.It’sanewkindoftotallynaturalfertilizerthatmakesplantsgrowahundredtimesfasterthanusualandmakesthemmuchbigger.”

“Cool!

”Icried.”Wecan’twaittogiveyouahand!

”

AuntAgathalookedatherwatchandsaid,“Okay,butit’sdinnertimenow.Comeandhavesomehoneyandcabbagesoup.”

Lauramadeherworstuglyface.

Welovedouraunt’swildimagination,butnotwhensheuseditinhercooking!

Onthewaytothekitchen,Iwhispered,“Laura,don’tyouthinkitisabitweirdabouthermoney?

”

“Youareright,”saidmysister.”AuntAgathausuallyrememberseverything.”

“Weneedtokeepoureyespeeledforthenextfewdays…”Isaid.

Thenextmorning,whenweopenedourbedroomwindow,wesawMrs.Bradytheneighborrushingoutofthehouse.

Wewentdownstairsforbreakfast.

AuntAgathawasinastate.”I’mlookingforthekeytomyworkshop,”shetoldus.”Ihavelostitagain.ButI’msureIputitonthischestofdrawerslastnight.”

Iimmediatelysaid,“Wewillhelpyoufindit.Whatdoesitlooklike?

”

“It’saquiteeasytorecognize.Ithasatriangularhead.”

Wesearchedhighandlowbuttherewasnosignofthekey.

“Didanyonegonearthechestofdrawersthismorning?

”Iasked.

“OnlyMrs.Brady.Shehasjustleft.Shewantedtoseemynewcrumbdetector.”

AuntAgathathoughtforamoment.

“Mrs.Bradymusthavewalkedpastittwice.Sheforgotherbagandhadtocomebackforit.”

LauraandIglancedateachother.

AfterbreakfasttherewasstillnosignofthekeysoAuntAgathaaskedEdgartobreakinsideandunlockedthelatchonthedoor.

AuntAgathagaveussomeinstructions.“Firstwehavetoextractthejuiceofahundredbaobabshootsandmixthemwithfiftykilosofmushrooms.Thenweaddsunfloweroiltoproduceadangerouslyexplosivemixture.Thewholelothastobedistilled*inthatbigtuboverthere.That’sthemostdelicatepartoftheprocess.Ifitworks,wewillhaveseveralcentilitersofGGG.”

Itwasabittrickytofollowwhatshewassaying,butwecouldnotwaittoseetheresults.Wecollectedalltheingredientsweneededandstartedwork.

LauraandIhadtoliquidizethemushroomswhileAuntAgathatookcareofthebaobabshoots.Weworkedsohardthatbymiddayfeelingverypleasedwithourselves.

Edgarwasinthekitchen.

Hehadmadesomepancake-tossingmachine.Allwehadtodowaslaythetable.

Asthefirstpancakeshotuptowardstheceilinglikearocket,AuntAgathasaidinajollyvoice,“Ifwecarryonworkingatthisrate,wewillbefinishedbythisevening!

”

Attheendofthemealthebellrangandatall,thinmaninasuitpoppedhisheadroundthedoor.

“Ah!

Yourfamilyiswithyou!

IhavejustcometoseehowtheGGGisgoing.”

“Thisismyfriend,ProfessorMowitt,”saidAuntAgatha.“He’sthefamousinventoroftheremote-controlledlawnmower.”

Ourauntturnedtolookattheprofessor.“Haveyougottimeforacoffee,Professor?

Edgarhasjustmadesome.Mydearrobotisworkingalotbettersinceyouhelpedmemendhim.Althoughhestillhasaslightproblemwithhisarm.”

“Imustseetothatoneofthesedays,”saidtheprofessor.“Iwouldloveacoffeebytheway.”

AuntAgathatoldtheprofessorallaboutourhardworkthatmorning.

“Andhowisyourprojectcomingalong,Professor?

”Sheasked.

“I’mdesigningaremote-controlledhedge-cutteratthemoment,”heexplained.“Butit’snotquitefinished.”

Whenhehadgone,AuntAgathaexplainedthattheprofessorwasverygoodatelectronics.Butitwasoftenhardforhimtocomeupwithnewideas.

Thenwewentbacktotheworkshop.

Wegotanastysurprise.Thebottleofbaobabjuicehadbeenspilled.

“Whocouldhavedonethat?

”saidLaura.

“Oh,nobody!

”saidouraunt.”There’ssuchadraughtcomingthroughthatbrokenwindowthatthebottlecouldhavetippedoveragain!

”

“Itfeelslikesomeoneistryingtosabotageourwork,”Isaid.

“No…”shereplied.“Whocouldpossiblywanttodothat?

”

Byearlyevening,allwehadlefttodowastopourthesunfloweroilintothemixture.Itwasthenthatwenoticedthatthebottleofoilhaddisappeared…

“WhereontheearthdidIputit?

”grumbledAuntAgatha.

LauraandIglancedateachother.Icouldseewewerethinkingthesamething.AuntAgathawasnotlosinghermemory!

Theoilhaddefinitelybeenontheshelfthatmorning.

“Itmustbetheneighbor,”murmuredLaura.

“Whatdoyoumean?

”askedAuntAgatha.

Laurastuttered,”Er…Imean…maybeyourneighbourborrowedtheoil…”

WebothsuspectedMrs.Bradyhadgoneintotheworkshop.Weshouldgoovertoherhousetoborrowsomeoilandwatchherreaction.Thatwouldsoontellusifshewasthethief.

ButAuntAgathaexclaimed,“Mrs.Brady?

Shehasgoneawayfortwodays.Shecameroundthismorningtoaskmetowaterherplantsforher.”

AuntAgathalookedatherwatch.“Iwillgoandgetabottleofoilfromthegrocer’s.theyshouldstillbeopen.”

Assoonasmyaunthadgoneout,mysisterandIwenttotheendofthegardentocheckoutMrs.Brady’shouse.Italllookedprettyquietandheroldbangerwasstillparkedinfrontofthegarage.

“it’sabitoddtogoawayfortwodayswithoutyourcar,”Isaid.“Weneedtogettothebottomofthis…”

WhenAuntAgathacamebackfromtheshops,wewentstraighttowork.Byeighto’clock,wehadabucketfulofgreen,stickyliquid.

“Welldone,mydarlings!

Nowwejustneedtodistilit!

”criedAuntAgathainexcitement.Shepouredpartoftheliquidintothemachineandturnediton.

Atlast,attenintheevening,thefirstdropsofGGGdrippedoutofoneofthetubes.AuntAgathacollectedthepreciousliquidinaplantspraybottle.Wehad30centilitresinall.Itwasmorethanwehadhopedfor.Thensheopenedthewindowinthekitchenandgentlysprayedsomegeraniumplantsoutside.

Theresultwasimmediateandspectacular.Thegeraniumsgrewandgrew.Soontheywerethesizeofabushandtheirrootshadspilttheflowerpot!

“Fantastic!

”saidAuntAgatha.

“Weareboundtowinthecompetitionwithourmiraclespray.”

Weputthesprayinthefridgetokeepitattherighttemperature.

“YouaremywitnessesthattheGGGisinthefridge!

”saidAuntAgathalaughing.

“Right,timeforbed,everyone!

Wedeserveagoodnight’ssleep.”

Edgarwenttoourroomwithusandleanedovertokissus.Justthen,ametalobjectfellonthefloor.Hequicklypickeditup…butIhadtimetoseethatitwasakey…akeywithatriangularhead.

Whenwewereinthebedroom,Imadesuretherobotwasnotlisteningatthedoor.ThenItoldLauraaboutthekey.

“SoEdgarismakingAuntAgathathinksheislosinghermemory,”saidLaura.”Butwhywouldhetrytostophergettingonwithherwork?

Maybehe’shelpingMrs.Brady.”

“That’swhatweneedtofindout,”Isaid.IthinkIhaveanidea…”

“Buthangon!

”saidLaurasuddenly.”IfEdgaristryingtointerferewithAuntAgatha’sworkthen…theGGGisindanger!

”

Laurawasright.Wedecidedtogoandgetthespraybottleimmediatelyandgiveittoouraunt.Wetiptoedquietlydowntoouraunt.Wetiptoedquietlydowntothekitchen.ThenLauraopenedthefridgeandscreamed.

TheGGGhaddisappeared!

JustasLauraclosedthefridge,weheardanoiseoutsideonthegravelpath.

IhurriedovertothewindowandsawEdgardisappearinginthemoonlight.Therobotwasheadingforthegatewithsomethinginhishand.

“Quick,Laura!

”Igasped.”EdgarhastakentheGGG.Wemustgoafterhim!

”

Whenwegotoutside,thegardengatewashalfopen.

Lauraglanceddownthestreet.”He’sheadingforMrs.Brady’shouse,”shewhispered.

But,asIhadsuspected,Edgardidn’tstop.HecarriedonupCraneStreet.Hegottoalittersquareandsloweddown.Thenhewentupanalleyway.

Finally,Edgarstoppedinfrontofahugegatewhichopenedasheapproached.

“Let’sfollowhim,”sa