“It only takes twenty minutes to get there in the car,” Mum pointed out.
Katie frowned. “But it takes at least five minutes to get in the car! It’s rude to be late, Mum, you’re always saying so.”
“Well, that still leaves us half an hour.” Dad folded up the paper. “Anyone else want more toast?”
“OH!” Katie groaned, and stomped out of the room.
At Mrs Jones’s house, the puppies we r e playing a fabulous game with the big cardboard tube. It was only just wide enough for them to get inside now, and they were scrabbling through it, nipping at each other’s tails.
Suddenly, there was a scratching, scuffling noise from inside the tube as the brown and white puppy shot out of one end. He shook his ears to unsquish them, then trotted hopefully over to Mrs Jones. “What is it, boy? Oh, there’s the doorbell.” She smiled down at the puppy. “Did you hear the car? Someone special’s coming for you!”
When Mrs Jones answered the door, Katie had to stop herself dashing into the house and hugging the puppy – she was already thinking of him as Timmy. But she knew she mustn’t. He was only little, and he probably wouldn’t remember who she was. She would have to be really calm and gentle. But it was so hard when she was this excited!
Katie walked into the living room, digging her nails into the palms of her hands. Would Timmy even remember her?
The puppies were all standing by the conservatory door, watching to see who was coming. Suddenly, there was a piercing squeak of a bark, and a small brown and white ball of fur hurled itself at the board across the door, scrabbling madly. Two little white paws clawed their way over the top, and Timmy flung himself over the board, making for Katie as fast as he could. He knew that girl! She was the one who’d cuddled him!
“Oh my goodness!” Mrs Jones exclaimed. “None of them has ever done that before.” She hurried forward. “Is he all right?”
Timmy was shaking himself dazedly – it had been a long way down for such a small dog – but then he barked again and ran to Katie.
Katie knelt down and hugged him to her lovingly. “Oh, Timmy. You remembered me!”
Chapter Five
Mrs Jones had given them a special box for carrying Timmy home. Katie was a bit disappointed, as she’d been looking forward to cuddling him in the car, but Mum said it might be dangerous if he wriggled out of her arms. He’d feel safer in the box.
Katie wasn’t so sure. She hated hearing the snuffling, whimpering noises that Timmy was making behind her seat. He didn’t sound happy at all.
“So when we get home, we’re going to let Timmy out into the kitchen, girls, that’s the plan,” Mum reminded them. “He needs to get used to the house slowly. Remember he’s only been used to staying in the puppy room. The whole house would be a bit daunting for him. And then we need to introduce him to Misty very carefully.”
“Can I show him my bedroom?” Katie asked hopefully.
“I wouldn’t just yet,” Dad told her, as they turned into their road. “For a start the mess would probably give him a heart attack…”
Katie grinned. That was true. Timmy could quite easily get lost in there. As soon as the car stopped, she struggled out of her seat belt, her fingers clumsy with excitement, and gently lifted Timmy’s box out of the back. She could feel him skidding about inside, even though she was walking so slowly and carefully. “We’ll get you out in just a minute,” she whispered. “You can see your new home!”
Katie carried Timmy into the house, and put the box down on the kitchen floor, kneeling beside it. Then she undid the flaps that held it together. Timmy stared up at her, puzzled by his strange, dark journey. But then he recognized Katie, and gave a pleased little whine, scrabbling at the cardboard with his claws to show her he wanted to get out.
“Come on, Timmy!” Katie lifted him out, and cuddled him lovingly. He was staring at her, his big, dark eyes bright and interested. Then all at once he reached up and licked Katie’s chin, making her splutter and giggle.
“Well, I don’t mind if you do that, but I wouldn’t do it to Mum,” she whispered to him.
Timmy gazed at her lovingly. He was a bit confused about what was going on – his brothers and sisters weren’t here, and nor was his mum, but if he was going to get cuddled and played with, maybe it would be all right.
He wondered if there were any other dogs here. He couldn’t smell them, but there was another smell, a different smell that he didn’t recognize…
“How’s he doing, Katie?” Dad had come in from the car. He and Mum and Jess had been chatting to the lady next door, and telling her about their new arrival.
“I’m just about to show him his cushion and his food bowl,” Katie explained. She walked round the kitchen with Timmy, holding him up to see out of the back door. Then she put him gently down next to his cushion. “This is where you’re going to sleep, look.”
Mum came in holding Timmy’s collar and lead. “Don’t forget these, Katie. Remember what the website said – we need to keep him on the lead in case we have to stop him chasing Misty.”
“Oh, yes!” Katie bent down and fastened the bright-red collar around Timmy’s neck. “Very smart!” she said. She clipped on the lead and Timmy looked at it in surprise. What was this? Oh, a lead, like his mum had.
He sniffed at the big, purple cushion, and sneezed.
Dad laughed. “It probably smells a bit clean. Don’t worry, Timmy, it’ll be nice and doggy in a couple of days.”
Just then, Jess came in, carrying Misty. She’d gone to fetch her from upstairs. Misty spent most of her time snoozing on Jess’s bed.
Timmy was delighted. He peered up at Misty, his whiskers twitching. So that was what the interesting smell he’d noticed was! A friend! He danced clumsily over to her on his too-big puppy paws, and barked cheerfully to say hello. Katie followed, holding his lead and watching them cautiously.
The fur on Misty’s back stood up on end, and her tail fluffed up to twice its normal size. She hissed warningly. Stay away!
“Timmy…” Katie said anxiously, but Timmy wasn’t listening. He had no experience of cats, so he didn’t recognize Misty’s warning for what it was. He just wanted to say hello to this big, fluffy animal.
Misty hissed again, then yowled and spat, her ears laid right back against her head.
Timmy stared at her, feeling very confused. Then he backed up a little. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he could tell now that something was wrong. He looked up at Katie and whimpered, asking for help.
“I told you she’d hate it!” Jess said accusingly to Mum. “Oh, Misty no!” Misty had jumped out of her arms, and was prowling across the kitchen towards Timmy.
Katie was just stooping to pick him up, when Misty pounced, and swiped her paw across Timmy’s nose – not very hard, just enough to make it clear she really wanted him gone.
Timmy howled in surprise and dismay. His nose did hurt, but it was more the shock of it that upset him so much. He’d played rough and tumble games with his brothers and sisters, but no one had ever scratched him before. He buried his nose in Katie’s jumper, as she picked him up, and snuffled miserably.