The Treasure of Mr Tipp Read Online Free

Captain Cross-eyed.
    Tiger
?
    A large cat with a stripy tail slid out of the long grass and wound himself round the captain’s leg.

    â€œDr Sphinx has a lot of cats, but Tiger’s my favourite.”
    More and more cats appeared until the captain and I were surrounded. Then the undergrowth rustled again and a man emerged. He wore jodhpurs, a shirt with lots of pockets, and a strange kind of hat.
    â€œDr Sphinx,” said Captain Cross-eyed. “This is my young friend, Jonny Smith, and we need your help.”
    â€œAlways happy to help,” said Dr Sphinx, and listened to our story.
    â€œIt will be a pleasure to sign the petition,” he said. “When Inca lost one of her legs in a car accident, Mr Tipp made her a new one. Look…”
    I looked, and noticed for the first time that one of the cats had an artificial leg with a little wheel on the end.

    â€œCool,” I said.
    â€œInca thinks so,” smiled Dr Sphinx. He signed his name with a squiggle then disappeared back the way he had come.
    It was the same at every house – the neighbours were very happy to sign their names. Even Miss King, with the very neat garden at number 57, agreed. None of them had complained about Mr Tipp’s messy garden.
    â€œSo Mr Gripe told Mr Tipp a lie,” I said. “My teacher says lying’s very, very bad.”
    â€œIt is,” agreed Captain Cross-eyed. “Unless there’s a very good reason for it.”
    â€œWhat reason could there possibly be?” I asked.
    I was about to find out.

Chapter Seven

    The next morning, I took the petition round to Mr Tipp.
    â€œIt’s bound to cheer him up,” I said to Mum and Dad, as I grabbed an apple and jumped on my bike.
    But it didn’t.
    â€œIt was very nice of the neighbours to sign this, Jonny,” he said sadly. “But it’s too late. This has just arrived.”
    He handed me a letter.
    â€œIt says my house is a danger to health and safety,” he explained. “The council want to pull it down and put me in an old people’s home. They don’t think I can look after myself properly any more.”
    â€œBut that’s crazy,” I said. “Anyway, you’ve got Charlie and Ben and Alice to help you…”
    â€œTry explaining that to the council.”
    â€œI will,” I said. “Or at least my dad will. Just you wait and see.”
    Mr Tipp smiled, but I could see he wasn’t convinced.
    Dad wasn’t convinced, either. “If he really does need looking after, Jonny,” he said quietly. “I don’t think this petition will work.”
    â€œSometimes they do,” said Gran, who had come over for tea. “The one we signed the other day did. I heard from my friend, Mrs Bone, that we’re going to get more bins in the town centre. Pity that won’t help the mess the chewing gum makes on the pavements, though. Costs the council a fortune to clean
that
up.”
    â€œMrs Bone?” I said. “Haven’t I met her?”
    Gran nodded. “She often presents the prizes at your school summer fête. Her husband owns the sweet factory.”
    That’s when it hit me.
    â€œGran,” I yelled. “You’re a genius. I must get my genius genes from you!”

    Thanks to Gran, I had just had another of my brainwaves.
    I explained it to my family at length.
    â€œHmm, it might just work,” said Dad. “Mr Bone’s always on the look-out for new ideas. Shall we give it a try?”
    â€œAnything to help Mr Tipp,” I nodded, and crossed my fingers, my toes and my eyes.
    Dad phoned Mr Bone and told him all about the Boomerang chewing gum. Mr Bone was very interested, and said he would like to meet Mr Tipp. So Dad phoned Mr Tipp and a meeting was arranged at number 34 and a half the next afternoon.
    â€œCan I come, too?” I asked.
    â€œOf course,” said Dad. “It’s all
your
idea.”

    After