Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter

Horrid Henry and the Bogey Babysitter “ No way! ” shrieked Tetchy Tess, slamming down the phone. “ No way! " shrieked Crabby Chris, slamming down the phone. “ No way! " shrieked Angry Anna. “ What do you think I am, crazy?” Even Mellow Martin said he was busy. Mum hung up the phone and groaned. It wasn't easy finding someone to babysit more than once for Horrid Henry. When Tetchy Tess came, Henry flooded the bathroom. When Crabby Chris came he hid her homework and “ accidentally” poured red grape juice down the front of her new white jeans. And when Angry Anna came Henry - no, it's too dreadful. Suffice it to say that Anna ran screaming from the house and Henry's parents had to come home early.

Horrid Henry hated babysitters. He wasn't a baby. He didn't want to be sat on. Why should he be nice to some ugly, stuck-up, bossy teenager who'd hog the TV and pig out on Henry's biscuits? Parents should just stay at home where they belonged, thought Horrid Henry. And now it looked like they would have to. Ha! His parents were mean and horrible, but he'd had a lot of practice managing them. Babysitters were unpre- dictable. Babysitters were hard work. And by the time you'd broken them in and shown them who was boss, for some reason they didn't want to come any more. The only good babysitters let you stay up all night and eat sweets until you were sick. Sadly, Horrid Henry never got one of those.

“ We have to find a babysitter, " wailed Mum. “ The party is tomorrow night. I've tried everyone. Who else is there?” “ There's got to be someone, " said Dad. “ Think! ” Mum thought. Dad thought. “ What about Rebecca?" said Dad. Horrid Henry's heart missed a beat. He stopped drawing moustaches on Perfect Peter's school pictures. Maybe he'd heard wrong. Oh please, not Rebecca! Not -Rabid Rebecca!

“ Who did you say?” asked Henry. His voice quavered. “ You heard me, ” said Dad. “ Rebecca. " “ NO! ” screamed Henry. “ She's horrible! " “ She's not horrible, ” said Dad. “ She's just - strict. " “ There's no one else, " said Mum grimly. “ I'll phone Rebecca. " “ She's a monster! ” wailed Henry. “ She made Ralph go to bed at six o'clock! " “ I like going to bed at six o'clock, " said Perfect Peter. “ After all, growing children need their rest. ” Horrid Henry growled and attacked. He was the Creature from the Black Lagoon, dragging the foolish mortal down to a watery grave.

“ AAAEEEEE! ” squealed Peter. “ Henry pulled my hair. ” “ Stop being horrid, Henry! ” said Dad. “ Mum’s on the phone. ” Henry prayed. Maybe she'd be busy. Maybe she'd say no. Maybe she'd be dead. He'd heard all about Rebecca. She'd made Tough Toby get in his pyjamas at five o'clock and do all his homework. She'd unplugged Dizzy Dave's computer.