two nights he’s suddenly started sleepwalking I can only guess that’s what’s happened this morning I crawl out of the case and hop to my feet looking around with sleepy eyes All I can see is the huge storeroom we live in full of junk piles and stacks of boxes So far there’s no sign of Oscar I start walking around to the back of the case and suddenly I hear a loud thump As I move around a little further I see Oscar with his eyes closed and his nose pressed against the back of the case All four of his paws are trying to walk but he isn’t going anywhere I tap him on his back just above his main control pad 3
Oscar I groan sleepwalking again One day you’ll walk yourself into some big trouble I might have to start switching you off at night Oscar suddenly rocks back onto his bottom and shakes his head dazed I hear a voice behind us What on earth is going on here I turn around and see my best friend Jessie watching us with a quizzical look on her face Jessie is the supervisor of the storeroom We’re very lucky that she lets Oscar and me live in here Otherwise 4
we’d be out on the streets or worse back at the Skyburb 7 Home for Unclaimed Urchins Oh hi Jessie I say I’m just trying to wake this sleepwalking robo-dog He’s done another midnight prowl of the storeroom Jessie laughs If this is your idea of midnight I think you’d better start going to bed earlier Well sometimes it’s worth it I reply We were up until 2 o’clock this morning and look what we discovered I crawl back inside the packing case and grab a strange metal object I’d never seen before 2 o’clock this morning I’m expecting an excited reaction from Jessie but as soon as she sees it she ruffles my hair and sighs 5
Sorry Max she says I can see why you’d be excited about it but those things have been in the museum’s collection for years Oh I reply What is it It’s called a bicycle pump Back in the 21st century people had to use those things to pump up the tires of their bicycles Why did they do that Well the tires helped bicycles ride smoothly along the ground Along the ground Wow that’s quite primitive and dirty too It’s all a bit disappointing especially because I thought I was going to earn a few dollars from it Jessie and I have a special arrangement when I 6
