NOVEL

Newspaper boy by john escott

I

(beginner level)

Thieves in the Shop

I

t was Friday morning in Desember. It was dark and it was snowing.

Toby was working. He was doing his newspaper round. Every morning he delivered newspaper to people’s houses. Tobby got off his bicycle  in William Street. He put his bike against the wall. He was taking newspapers to Mr Spry lived alone above his shop. Mr spry sold sweets and cigaretts. It was six-thirty in the morning. Mr spry was always asleep at this time.

But this morning, Toby got a surprise. There was a light under  Mr Spry’s back door. Toby went slowely up to a window. There were curtain inside. The curtain were closed. He saw nothing. There was another window. It was a high window and it was very small. But there were no curtains over it. There were some empty boxes under the small window. He stood on it.

The box was not very strong. The wood broke and Toby fell. He cnoked over some empty milk bottles. One of the bottles broke. There was a loud noise. Suddenly, the door opened. A man held Toby. ‘inside,’ said the man. The man pulled Toby into the back room and shut the door.

‘let go of my arm,’ Toby shouted. ‘you’re hurting me. The man didn’t let go. Toby looked at him. The man was tall and heavy. He was wearing a short black coat. There was a noise on the stairs behind Toby. Toby lokeed round. Mr spry was pushed down the stairs into the room. A youth with long, yellow hair was holding him.

‘Toby,’ Mr Spry said in surprise. I saw a light,’ said Toby.’And he looked throught the window,’ the big man said. ‘that was a mistake.’ The big man held on Toby,s arm.

‘what – what are they doing here?’ Toby asked Mr Spry.’ They are thieves, Toby,’ said Mr Spry. ‘ they’ re robbing my shop.’

  

2

An Accident

The big man pushed Toby into the corner. Toby and Mr Spry stood together. ‘Stay there,’ said the big man. ‘Don’t move.’He turned to the youth with yellow hair. ‘watch them carefully. I’ ll fill the bags.’

The big man went into the shop. ‘ I am sorry Mr Spry ,’ Toby said. ‘ I made a noise.’

‘Never mind, Toby,’ replied the old man. Yellow head watched them.

‘Is that a paper ]?’ he asked. He was lokking  at Mr Spry newspapers. Toby had them inside his coat. Toby nodded. He gave Yellowhead the daily paper. But he kept the local paper In his hand. The local paper gave people news about their own town. Yellowhead opened the daily paper. Toby watched him. ‘What can I do?’ he thought. Suddenly Toby had an idea.

Th3 Bindwell 3cho

Politician

I was late this morning.

Were you?

Yes, there was an accident.

What accident?

What’s wrong? An accident.

Where?

Up the hill. A lorry skidden in the snow. It turn over.

What about the police?

They’re stopping all the traffic.

Then we can’t go up the hill. The police will se us.

3

Opening the Gates

Toby listened. These men were thieves. The police were looking for  them. The big man was speaking. We can’t go down the hill.it is one-way street. Traffic can only go up the hill. And there will be a police car at the bottom.