Chapter one

This is Ally, shout for Alger non Pugh. He is name after his granddad and wishes he wasn't. 

This is Cherry Smellie. She lives next door. She is Algy'y best friend, and she loves adventures. Which is just as well, because Algy has discovered something amazing

At the bottom of his garden is a shed. in that shed is a loose plank. And behind that plank is...

Another world!

Alga wasn't in a good mood. at breakfast, Mum had told him that Aunts sue was coming to visit - with Dawn. Dawn was Alga's cousin. 

Algy didn't like small children. They had runny noses. They were bad at sharing. They had temper tantrums and broke people's toys.Well, Dawn did.

He hurried into the garden to meet Cherry. Maybe an adventure would cheer him up. 

Cherry was waiting outside the shed. A small boy wearing a liile red baseball cap was with her. His nose was running and he was holding a carrot. Hmm, thought Algy. 

'Who's this?"  he said."My brother, Bradley," said Cherry. Algy was annoyed. He had been looking forward to another adventure. He didn't want a little kid trailing along.

"say hello to Algy, Brad," said Cherry. Brad said nothing. "What did you bring him for?" said Algy. "His playgroup's closed and Mum's busy," said Cherry. "Well, he can't come with us. He's too little. He'll get in the way,"said Algy. 

Algy didn't think he would be good at all. He'd cry and make a fuss, just like dawn always did. "I don't think it's a good idea," said Algy. 

"Well, at least we can can look," said Cherry. "See What's there today."

Algy stated down at Brad. Brads mellie. wasn't a great name. Brad looked up  and gave a sudden smile. 

Algy didn't smile back. He just snapped, "Come on, then," and walked into the shed. Brad followed behind.

The three of them stood before the loose lank. "Go on," said Cherry. Algy's heart was beating fast.What would be there this  time?He reached out pushed. The plank fell outwards. And through the gap, they saw... 

"Snow!" gasped Cherry. "It's snowing!"Hmm, thought Algy. 

Chapter Two

Soft white flakes were galling in a wintry landscape of fir tress.The Ground was a thick carpet without single footprint. 

Before Cherry or Algy could stop him, Brad squeezed through the gap and out into the snow. "Come back!" shouted Algy. "It might be dangerous!"

Typical, he thought. Little kids just do what like. 

"Oh, let him," said  Cherry."He loves snow. "Wheee!" he shouted. "Wheee!

"Stay there, we're coming !" shouted. " Come on, Algy, let's make a snowman!"

Algy thought about this. It didn't look like there was anything to worry about. But what if there were wolves? Or nears? He had once seen a television programme about huge hairy man-beasts who roamed the Arctic. Yetis, they were called. Although nobody had ever seen one.

Still Building a snowman sounded like fun. They wouldn't go far. They could stay right by the shed, in case of emergencies.  A rusty spade was propped against the shed wall. He grabbed it and aqueezed through the gap. 

Chapter Three

Building the snowman kept Algy warm. He was wnjoying himself. Cherry patted the snow in place. Brad ran around, singing loudly. 

"If ya happy an' ya know it, clapper Hans," sang Brad. He was being really good, compared to Dawn, Algy thought. So far, anyway. 

"Now we need a hat ," said  Cherry. She took of  brad's cap and Placed it on the snowman's head.Brad giggled. Algy reached into his pocket. There two conkers in there. He pressed them into the snowman's face. 

"Eyes!  Funny!" shouted Brad. He really was much easier to please than Dawn. 

"Where's your carrot, Brad?" asked Cherry. "We need it." Algy found the carrot lying in the snow. "Here," he said, passing it to Brad. "His nose. You put it on." 

Brad carefully set the carrot in place. The three of them stood back to admire their work. "Good," said Brad proudly. 

"Now what?" said Cherry. "Shall we go exploring?"Algy stared into the silent pine trees. For some reason, they made him nervous. 

"I don't think we should," said Algy. "Oh, come on," said Cherry. 

"I'm freezing," said Algy. "My feet are like blocks of ice."Let's pop back and get coats,"said Cherry. "Mum will kill me if Brad catches a cold."All right," said Algy. " But we stay in sight of the shed." "Fine. Brad, we're going home." "No,"

Uh oh, thought Algy. Here we go. Tantrum coming up. 

"We'll come straight back," said Cherry. "You want to be warm, don't  you, if we're going exploring?" "No," said Brad. He wrapped his arms around the snowman. "Well, you can't stay here," said Cherry. "Can he, Algy?" 

Algy looked at Brad. it was a good snowman and Brad  didn't want to be parted from him. Understandable, really. "I suppose he could wait in the shed," said Algy. Brad looked uncertain. "I've got sweets at home," said Algy. "I'll bring you some."Okay," said Brad. He crunched over and took Algy's hand. 

"Wow!" said Cherry. "He likes you." "Likes sweets, you mean," said Algy. But he felt pleased. 

Chapter Four

Five minutes later, Cherry and Brad back at the shed, wearing their Winter coats. "I've brought Brad's jacket," Cherry said. " And mittens." "I've got the sweets," said Algy.  They hurried inside.  

The shed was empty empty. Cold air blew through the gap.There was no sign of Brad. 

"Where is he?" asked Algy crossly. "We told him to stay here."

Why couldn't little kids ever do What they were told? Well , Brad wasn't getting any sweets now, that was for sure. "Hiding, Probably," said Chrry. "he does that." 

They squeezed through the gap into the cold, White, silent world beyond. it had  stopped snowing. All was sill, apart from the odd soft plop as snow slipped off branches. 

The snowman was there, staring at them with his conker eyes. But...

"The carrot's gone," said  Cherry. "And Brad's cap." She shouted," Brad? Where are you?" 

Silence. And then...

"ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWOOOOO!"

"What was that?" gasped Cherry. Algy said nothing. The hairs were standing up on the back of his neck. And not just because of that awful cry. 

"Brad?" shouted Cherry again. "Cherry," said Algy. "What?" "Look>" There, leading away from the snowman, were huge  footprints!They definitely weren't Brad't and they disappeared into the trees. 

"Oh!" Cherry sounded shocked. "What do you think made those?" "I don't know," said  Algy.  "But whatever it it's taken Brad."A short way as head of them, half-buried in the snow, was a little red cap.   

Chapter Five

Cherry picked up the cap the without a word. She looked upset. it wasn't every day you lost a little brogher, Algy supposed.  

Cherry was his friend and he had to help her. He grabbed the spade, which was lying next to the snowman. it wasn't a great weapon, but was better than nothing. "right," Algy said. "Let's go and find him."

They trudged towards the trees, foback he saw that the shed was already out of sight. following  the giant footprints. When Algy looked 

It was bark in the pine forest. Algy wished he hadn't seen that television programme now. The one about Yetis. The ones that didn't exist.