ee The Missing Chick a |For my daughter, Sasha, and my son, Kostya V.G. First published 2009 by Walker Books Lia 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 SHJ 24681097531 @ 2009 Valeri Garhachev ‘The right of Valeri Gorbachev to be identified as author illustrator of this work has been asserted by him tn sccordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 ‘This book has been typeset in Aunt Mildred Printed tn China. All sights reserved, No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored {man information retrieval ester in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic ‘or mechanical, including photocopying, taping 20d recording, without prior written permission from the publisher British Library Cataloguing in Publication Dats ‘catalogue reoord for this book is evailable from the British Library ISBN 978-1-4063- 2252-3 sev allercosaleThe Missing Chick Valeri Gorbachev (fe WALKER BOOKS 7 AND SUBSIDIARIESOne day Mother Hen and her chicks were hanging out the laundry. Along came Mrs Duck. “Hello,” said Mrs Dick. “I see that everyone is busy.” “Yes,” said Mother Hen. “My : : 0 d helpers i“But I only see six chicks,” said Mrs Duck.“Maybe we left one at home,” said Mother Hen.“He’s not here,” said Mother Hen. She looked under the table and under the chairs. cum Gy?She checked in all the beds. “He’s not here either.”; “Have you seen my chick?” she asked the neighbours. “No,” they said, “but we'll help you look for him.”the bushes. “He’s not here,” he said. Neighbour Sheep looked in the grass. “He’s not here,” she said. Neighbour Pig looked under the stairs. “He’s not here,” she said.“Where are you, Little Chick?” called Mrs Duck, hopping from one foot to the other.The police arrived. “One of my chicks is missing!” said Mother Hen. The police looked on the roof. They looked behind the chimney. They looked in the attic. “He’s not here,” they said.—— = - ——"The detective questioned the neighbours. He looked for footprints. ay if. Set *,He even talked to the little chick’s brothers and sisters. But no one had any idea where the missing chick was.The firefighters arrived in their big red engine. a j - a , os } » : 2. 8 “ | eThey looked in the trees. “He’s not here,” they said.They looked at the bottom of the hills. “He’s not here,” they said.“Where are you, Little Chick?” cried Mother Hen. “Where are you, Little Chick?” cried the police officer in the helicopter. “Where are you, Little Chick?” cried everyone. The missing chick was nowhere to be found! 2s ne 4 ‘iain sail uy. 4 yi os TE a ig. picsegglaglial ae ‘ Lp ptsiySuddenly Mrs Duck stopped. a Something had moved in the laundry basket.It was the missing chick!“What were you doing in there?” asked Mrs Duck. “Twas taking a nap,” said the little chick. “But it got so noisy I woke up.” “Here he is!” shouted Mrs Duck. “I’ve found the missing chick!”“You found him!” cried Mother Hen. “You found my missing chick! Thank you, Mrs Duck! Thank you very much!” “Hooray!” cheered the neighbours, the firefighters and the police. “The missing chick has been found!”“Now everything is as it should be,” Mrs Duck declared. “All seven chicks are helping their mother. Don’t get lost again, Little Chick!” ri “Oh, I won’t, Mrs Duck,” the little chick said, “I won’t!” AS