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      "Hey, Ernest," Marcus Monkey giggled. "Have you packed your trunk yet?" Ernest Elephant looked up from his Jungle Road Map.
      "That's a very old joke, Marcus," he sighed.
      "But still very funny!" Marcus said. He started poking through Ernest's belongings. "Are you taking all of this?" he squawked, holding up a teddy elephant.
      "Mother told me I had to pack my stuff-and Ella's, too," Ernest grumbled. "It's not fair. Just because she's the
baby, she doesn’t have to do anything."

      Just then, Ernest's mother rumbled into the room. "Come along, Ernest," she said. "We don't want to keep the herd waiting."

      "I'm packing as fast as I can, Mother," Ernest said.
      "Hello, Lady Elephant," Marcus said with a bow.
      "Oh, hello, Marcus Monkey," sniffed Lady Elephant.       "I trust you'll watch over our home while we're away at our winter abode."
      "As always, Lady Elephant, your home will be kept safe and sound."
      "Make sure those hyenas keep out of my garden," Lady Elephant frowned. "They make such a mess."
      "I'll do my best," Marcus said.

      Suddenly, the room rumbled and the large, grey head of Ernest's father, Edward Elephant,poked in. "You better get a wriggle on Ernest. We don't want to keep the herd waiting."
      "I'm coming," Ernest said through gritted teeth.       "You see," Ernest said to Marcus when they were alone. "I have too much to do. I'll never be ready in time."
      "Nonsense," said Marcus. He helped Ernest with the packing and before you could answer the riddle 'how-do-you fit-four-elephants-in-a-mini minor?' (the answer to which is, two in the front seats and two in the back seats), the Elephant family were ready to start their journey.