Chris Cooper - Rascal - Trapped on the Tracks

Collect all of Rascal’s adventures:

RASCAL: LOST IN THE CAVES

RASCAL: TRAPPED ON THE TRACKS

RASCAL: RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE

RASCAL: FACING THE FLAMES

RASCAL: SWEPT BENEATH THE WATERS

RASCAL: RACING AGAINST TIME

First published in Great Britain in 2015

by Egmont UK Limited

The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road, London W11 4AN

Text copyright © 2002 Chris Cooper

Illustration copyright © 2015 James de la Rue

The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

First e-book edition 2015

ISBN: 978 1 4052 7529 3

Ebook ISBN: 978 1 7803 1669 7

www.egmont.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Stay safe online. Any website addresses listed in this book are correct at the time of going to print. However, Egmont is not responsible for content hosted by third parties. Please be aware that online content can be subject to change and websites can contain content that is unsuitable for children. We advise that all children are supervised when using the internet.

For Emma Madeline

CONTENTS

Cover

Front series promotional page Collect all of Rascal’s adventures: RASCAL: LOST IN THE CAVES RASCAL: TRAPPED ON THE TRACKS RASCAL: RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE RASCAL: FACING THE FLAMES RASCAL: SWEPT BENEATH THE WATERS RASCAL: RACING AGAINST TIME

Title Page

Copyright First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Egmont UK Limited The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road, London W11 4AN Text copyright © 2002 Chris Cooper Illustration copyright © 2015 James de la Rue The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted First e-book edition 2015 ISBN: 978 1 4052 7529 3 Ebook ISBN: 978 1 7803 1669 7 www.egmont.co.uk A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Stay safe online. Any website addresses listed in this book are correct at the time of going to print. However, Egmont is not responsible for content hosted by third parties. Please be aware that online content can be subject to change and websites can contain content that is unsuitable for children. We advise that all children are supervised when using the internet.

Dedication For Emma Madeline

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

Back series promotional page

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

Steak! That’s what Rascal had been thinking about when he saw the squirrel. A great big, fat, juicy steak . . .

It wasn’t as if he’d always eaten like that in the old days, back when he still had a home. Just once, as a special treat, his owner, Joel, had given him steak for dinner.

‘Don’t go getting used to this,’ Joel had laughed, and then he had ruffled Rascal’s ears. The memory of that steak kept Rascal going now. He could smell it. He could even imagine the wonderful juices trickling down his chin as he bit into it.

There was just one problem. Here he was, out in the middle of nowhere. There was no Joel, there was no steak. Nothing but trees. It seemed as if he had been running through this forest all morning. He hadn’t seen any other animals, but from time to time he’d been aware of unseen eyes watching him. Once or twice he’d heard a rustle of leaves and caught sight of a pair of small back legs disappearing from view.

His hunger was like a ball of emptiness in his stomach. It just got bigger and bigger as the day slipped by. He sniffed at some berries on a bush. He’d seen the birds eating them, but he couldn’t bring himself to taste one. He’d have to get a bit more desperate before he started eating bird food!

That’s when he spotted the squirrel. It was on the ground, holding an acorn in its paws and looking around primly. It didn’t seem to have noticed him.

Rascal had never hunted an animal in his life, but now his hunting instincts kicked in. He charged forward. By the time the squirrel looked up, it was too late. It froze in terror, startled by the sight of the dog racing towards it. It clutched the forgotten acorn in its paws.

Bounding on, Rascal saw the frantic look in the animal’s eyes and he slowed down. He couldn’t do this! He’d chased plenty of squirrels in the park before, racing around and barking like crazy as they scuttled up into the trees. But that had been very different – that was only for fun. Chasing squirrels for food was another matter. He stopped.

The squirrel seized the opportunity. It snapped out of its frozen state and pelted up a nearby tree.

Once it was high enough, it chattered angrily at the dog. ‘Tchhrrrr!’ Its voice was joined by the harsh cry of a crow in another tree. It almost seemed to be laughing at Rascal.

Rascal barked, although his heart wasn’t really in it. The crow didn’t budge, but the squirrel disappeared into the branches. Rascal would have to find something else to eat. But what?

He realised he was at the edge of the forest. He poked his nose out warily. It was good to see sky again. The sun wasn’t far from its highest point. Rascal was glad to see it so that he could be sure he was still going in the right direction. Home. As long as he kept going west . . . he knew it with a certainty that came from deep inside him. If he was ever to see Joel again, he had to keep on going west.