Only Charlie Left

           ’Whichroomshallitbenext?’saidMrWonkaasheturnedawayanddartedintothelift. 

           ’Comeon!Hurryup!Wemustgetgoing!Andhowmanychildrenarethereleftnow?’ 

           LittleCharlielookedatGrandpaJoe,andGrandpaJoelookedbackatlittleCharlie. ’ButMrWonka,’GrandpaJoecalledafterhim,’there’s...there’sonlyCharlieleftnow.’ 

           MrWonkaswungroundandstaredatCharlie. 

           Therewasasilence. CharliestoodthereholdingtightlyontoGrandpaJoe’shand.’Youmeanyou’retheonlyoneleft?’MrWonkasaid,pretendingtobesurprised. ’Why,yes,’whisperedCharlie.’Yes.’ 

           MrWonkasuddenlyexplodedwithexcitement.’Butmydearboy,’hecriedout,’thatmeansyou’vewon!’ HerushedoutoftheliftandstartedshakingCharlie’shandsofuriouslyitnearlycameoff. ’Oh,Idocongratulateyou!’hecried.’Ireallydo!I’mabsolutelydelighted! Itcouldn’tbebetter!Howwonderfulthisis!Ihadahunch,youknow,rightfromthebeginning,thatitwasgoingtobeyou! Welldone,Charlie,welldone!Thisisterrific!Nowthefunisreallygoingtostart! Butwemustn’tdilly!Wemustn’tdally!There’sevenlesstimetolosenowthantherewasbefore!Wehaveanenormousnumberofthingstodobeforethedayisout! Justthinkofthearrangementsthathavetobemade!Andthepeoplewehavetofetch! Butluckilyforus,wehavethegreatglasslifttospeedthingsup! Jumpin,mydearCharlie,jumpin!Youtoo,GrandpaJoe,sir!No,no,afteryou!That’stheway!