Read Online Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian - Free Book Online Page A

stranger.
    ‘Mister Tom,’ he said. ‘Ain’t you goin’ to read from the Bible?’
    ‘Didn’t you like it from me head then, like last night?’
    ‘Yeh,’ said Willie, ‘yeh, I did.’
    ‘I shouldn’t think you’d understand all them long words anyways.’
    ‘No, Mister Tom,’ said Willie, feeling deeply relieved at not having to pretend any more. ‘Can I have Noah’s Ark again?’
    Tom related the tale for the second time and followed it with the daring exploits of Pecos Bill from the comic Willie had chosen.
    After a cup of cocoa Willie brushed his teeth over an aluminium bowl and then dashed out into the garden to the little wooden outhouse, wearing his mackintosh and a new pair of gumboots while Tom sheltered him with an umbrella.
    They carried the mattress upstairs between them. Tom placed a rubber sheet on it and made the bed over it, Willie helping him when he was able.
    ‘There,’ he said when they had finished. ‘You can wet the bed till Kingdom come.’
    ‘Mister Tom,’ whispered Willie. ‘Ain’t you angry wiv me?’
    ‘No,’ he grunted. ‘When I first had Sammy he peed all over the blimmin’ place. Takes time to settle into a new place and its ways.’
    He turned down the blankets and Willie climbed in between the sheets. Sammy sat on the bump where his feet were.
    ‘I put yer comic and library books on yer table.’
    ‘Thanks, Mister Tom,’ and he bent down to pick up the book with the marmalade cat in it. Tom watched him tracing words with his fingers.
    ‘Ten minutes.’
    But Willie didn’t hear. He was lost in the coloured pictures. A loud knocking came from downstairs. Sammy leapt off the bed and started barking. Tom quickly checked that the blacks were firmly on Willie’s window and disappeared down the ladder, holding a squirming Sammy in his arms. Willie raised his head for a moment to listen.
    ‘Good evenin’, Mrs Fletcher,’ he heard Tom say in a surprised tone. ‘Come in.’
    He turned back to his book and soon Tom reappeared to blow the lamp out. The room was blanketed in darkness until the blacks were removed.
    ‘Goodnight, William,’ he said, tousling Willie’s hair. ‘Pot’s by the bed if you wants it.’
    Willie was exhausted. His head whirled with the names and faces of all the people he had met that day. He was just thinking about the boy in the Post Office when he fell instantly into a deep sleep.

5
‘ Chamberlain Announces ’
    ‘Mornin’,’ said Tom, appearing at the trap-door.
    Willie opened his eyes and looked around. The sun was gliding in long flickering beams across the wooden floor.
    ‘Mornin’,’ he answered.
    ‘So you slept in the bed last night. Good.’
    Willie gave a tight smile which faded rapidly when he realized that the trousers of his new striped suit were soaking.
    Tom strode across the room. ‘Come and take a good sniff of this day,’ he said, pushing open the window. Willie blushed and clung on to the top of the blankets. ‘Never mind about them sheets and jarmers. I got a tub of hot water waitin’ for them downstairs.’ Willie climbed out of bed and joined him at the window.
    ‘Reckon that storm’s washed a few cobwebs away.’
    They rested their elbows on the sill and leaned out. It was a tight squeeze.
    Beyond the little road at the end of the graveyard stretched green and yellow fields and on the horizon stood a clump of woods. Tom pointed to some trees to the right of it.
    ‘The big Grange is over there. Nope, can’t see it. When the leaves fall from the trees you’ll jest be able to make it out. And over there,’ he said pointing to the left of the fields to where a small road wound its way up a hill, ‘is where one of yer teachers lives. Mrs Hartridge’s her name.’
    ‘Mister Tom, how many teachers is there?’ asked Willie.
    ‘Two. Mrs Hartridge teaches the young ’uns and Mr Bush the old ’uns.’
    ‘How old’s old?’
    ‘Eleven, twelve up to fourteen. Sometimes a clever one goes to the Grammar