A Home for Rascal Read online

  “We’re getting a puppy! Tomorrow!”

  “Your dad mentioned he was thinking about getting a dog. Well, that was fast work! So, what kind are you getting?”

  “He’s a Jack Russell.”

  Grandad nodded. “I had a Jack Russell, years ago. Smokey, he was called. They’re real little characters. You’re in for some fun.”

  “Lila wanted a red setter, but Mum and Dad wanted a small dog. And then at the breeders today, one of the puppies found me, Grandad, and he went to sleep in my lap. And he’s the one we’re having. The puppy I chose!” Ellie frowned suddenly. “Smokey’s a really sweet name. I wonder what we’re going to call our puppy?”

  Grandad laughed as Ellie went dancing round the garden. Then she dashed over and gave him a hug. “I have to go now. We’ve got to buy all the stuff we need. Come and see us tomorrow, won’t you? You have to meet our puppy!”

  Ellie had hoped that it would be just her and Mum going to the pet shop, but Lila decided to come, too.

  “This purple one’s nice.” Ellie pointed to a squashy dog bed with a paw-print pattern.

  “You can’t give a boy dog a purple bed!” Lila said. “The red one’s good.”

  Ellie didn’t see why red was any more boyish than purple, but she knew better than to bother arguing. She liked the red bed anyway, and so did Mum.

  They were just trying to work out which colour of collar would suit the puppy best, when Lila’s mobile rang. “Mum, can I go round to Rosie’s?” she asked.

  “As long as you’re home for tea,” said Mum.

  “Don’t you want to get things for the puppy?” Ellie asked, but Lila had quickly put a blue collar back on to the hook and was already practically out of the shop. Ellie looked hopefully at Mum. “Can we get the red one?”

  Mum smiled. “I think he’d look perfect in red.”

  “We need a tag, too,” said Ellie, looking down at Liz’s list. She led Mum over to a little display of different collar-tags. “We could have a bone-shaped one!”

  “That’s lovely.” Mum added the tag to her basket. “We’ll have to get it engraved with his name and our phone number.”

  “But Mum, we still don’t have a name!” said Ellie.

  When everyone was back home at teatime, Mum asked if they had any ideas of what to call their puppy.

  “Ben,” Max said immediately.

  Ellie’s nose wrinkled. Ben was OK, but it didn’t fit the puppy somehow.

  “No, Lucky!” Lila protested.

  “Lucky’s a stupid name,” Max growled. “Besides, half the dogs in the park are called Lucky. We want something different.”

  Mum nodded. “I agree. But I don’t think Ben’s that different either. What about – um – Sidney?”

  “No!” Ellie squeaked in horror. He just wasn’t a Sidney at all!

  Dad laughed. “Well, what do you think then, Ellie?”

  Ellie frowned. She wanted something just right. Something that fitted his naughty character and his burglar’s mask. Suddenly, she remembered what Liz had said when Ellie had found the puppy. “What about Rascal?” she suggested. “He has those markings across his face that make him look like a burglar.”

  Mum murmured it to herself a couple of times, and looked over at Dad. “I like it. What do you think?”

  He nodded. “Nice and different.”

  Lila was frowning. “Lucky’s better. But I suppose it’s OK.”

  Max grinned. “Rascal… He looks naughty enough for it to fit.”

  Ellie nodded. “A real little rascal, that’s what Liz called him!”

  Ellie carefully laid the fleecy paw-print blanket in the bottom of the pet carrier that they’d bought yesterday. She couldn’t believe they were about to go and pick up their puppy!

  “Can’t we just hold him?” asked Lila, as Dad put the carrier in the boot.

  Ellie had been thinking the same thing. It wasn’t a very long drive.

  But Dad shook his head. “What if he got loose and started jumping around? From the look of that puppy, he’d be trying to climb out of the windows.”

  Ellie giggled. She could just imagine Rascal’s waggy little bottom disappearing out of a car window, as he tried to see what was going on outside.

  When they arrived at Liz’s house, Dad brought the pet carrier in, and Liz took them straight to the puppy room. “Just be a little quiet,” she warned them. “Your puppy has been in a pet carrier before, when I took him to the vet for his first set of vaccinations, and when he went to his first home, but it’s still a bit worrying for him. We want to try and keep him calm.” She stepped gently into the puppy room, and Ellie and the others leaned round the door.

  The puppies were asleep, all snuggled up in a soft, wobbly pile. Cleo was curled round them, and she pricked up her ears as Liz went in.

  “Hey, Cleo,” Liz murmured, as she gently picked up the puppy. Ellie watched anxiously, wondering if Cleo understood what was happening. But she didn’t seem to be upset. She just looked up sleepily.

  “Doesn’t she mind him going?” Ellie whispered, as Liz brought the drowsy puppy out of the room, and carefully slipped him into the pet carrier.

  Liz shook her head. “No. Now that the puppies are twelve weeks old and they’re having solid food, she’s starting to think of them as grown-ups. Or teenagers, anyway! I think she’s getting a bit sick of them climbing all over her, to be honest. She’s probably looking forward to some peace and quiet when they’ve gone.”

  Rascal was awake now. He stared out of the front of his carrier and gave a worried little moan. Ellie crouched down in front of him, whispering soothingly. The moaning noises stopped, and he wagged his tail. Or at least Ellie thought he did; it was only the tiniest movement.

  “Well done, Ellie,” Dad said, lifting up the pet carrier to take it to the car. But even though Dad tried to carry it carefully, the puppy started moaning again as he felt the carrier swing.

  Dad placed the carrier in the boot. As soon as he started the car, Rascal let out an enormous bark – it sounded far too loud for such a tiny dog. And then another, and another, all the way home.

  Dad brought the pet carrier inside. “Thank goodness he’s stopped barking!” he said, as he set it down on the kitchen floor.

  Rascal was going to stay in the kitchen, as Liz had suggested keeping him in just one room to start with. Although he was almost house-trained, he might have accidents in a new place. Mum definitely wanted him on a tiled floor! She placed some newspaper in the corner for Rascal to use if no one was there to let him out into the garden.

  Lila swooped to open the carrier before Ellie or Max could get there. She reached inside, but Rascal backed away and whimpered.

  “Don’t scare him!” Ellie put in.

  “I’m not!” Lila said crossly. “I’m only getting him out.” She looked up at Ellie, a confused expression on her face, as though she didn’t expect Ellie to be telling her what to do.

  There was a questioning little whine that made them both look back down at the pet carrier. Rascal was standing at the door now, staring up at them uncertainly.

  “Hey, Rascal,” Ellie breathed. The puppy placed one cautious paw on to the floor. But he was looking up at her as he did it, and he tripped, rolling out of the carrier with a squeak. Ellie scooped him up and snuggled him close. “Silly boy,” she murmured, and he licked her cheek.

  “Look, do you want to see your new home?” Ellie put Rascal down, and he went pattering off across the kitchen to sniff the shoes that were by the back door.

  “Uurgh, don’t, Rascal! Dad’s trainers might poison you!” Max tried to shoo him away, but Rascal grabbed the trailing laces, and set off across the floor, dragging the shoe behind him. It was almost as big as he was!

  “Hey, Rascal, I need that!” Dad picked up the puppy, laughing. “I think we might have to move all those trainers. Looks like he might be a shoe-chewer.” He put Rascal down on the other side of the kitchen.

  Next, the puppy inspecte
d his new bowls. There wasn’t anything in his food bowl, and he looked up mournfully.

  “Soon,” Dad promised. “Where’s that timetable Liz gave us?”

  “I’ve stuck it up on the fridge.” Mum went over to take a look. “Yes, he’s supposed to have a small bowl of those special biscuits now.”

  When he saw the bag, Rascal gave a squeaky little yap and scampered round his food bowl, his whole back end wagging.

  Max laughed. “He must be starving!”

  “Urgh, that food smells disgusting,” Lila complained, fanning a hand in front of her nose.

  Ellie smiled to herself. It didn’t smell wonderful, but it wasn’t that bad. At least it looked like Lila wouldn’t be fighting to feed Rascal.

  Rascal was so excited when Mum poured out the biscuits that he practically dived into the bowl, tipping it over. A wave of dog biscuits poured out. The puppy sat down in the middle of them with a bump, looking confused. What had happened to his lunch?

  Everyone laughed, and he looked up, whining.

  “He thinks we’re cross…” Ellie crouched down and tried to scoop some of the food back into his bowl. “It’s OK, you eat it up,” she said gently.

  But Rascal preferred to eat off the floor. He snuffled round the edge of his bowl like a little Hoover, gobbling up any stray biscuits. Then he carefully put his front paws right inside the bowl to finish off the rest, in case it tried to get away again.

  “He’s going to get himself covered when he has those special tins and this milky stuff,” Max pointed out, reading the timetable.

  “I bet the tins smell even worse.” Lila made a face.

  “I’ll wash him if he gets messy,” Ellie said eagerly. “I don’t mind.”

  She was kneeling down still, and suddenly determined little paws were clambering up her leg. Ellie put a hand under Rascal’s bottom to help him. His tummy looked like a little balloon; Ellie was almost sure she could see the outlines of the dog biscuits against his white fur. He slumped gratefully on to her lap and sighed, his eyes closing almost immediately.

  Lila looked at him warily and shuddered. “Be careful, Ellie. He ate that ever so fast. Just watch out he doesn’t throw up all over you!”

  Ellie lay in bed, hugging her old bear. It had been a wonderful first day with Rascal. Ellie, Max and Lila had spent ages playing with him, and Grandad had come round to admire the new arrival, too. Ellie was exhausted from all the fun they’d had. But she couldn’t sleep. Not with those sad noises coming from downstairs.

  Poor little Rascal! Mum had said he would be fine; they just had to leave him to get used to his new home. But it was so unfair that he had to be shut up all alone in the kitchen. He was used to having his mum, and his brothers and sisters to snuggle up next to. Of course he was upset!

  Ellie crept out on to the landing and hung over the banister rail. The howling noises weren’t stopping, and Rascal had started scratching at the kitchen door.

  “Mum, I’m trying to watch TV, and I can’t hear a thing!” Max moaned from the living room.

  Dad snorted. “Now you know how I feel when you’ve got your mates round!”

  “It’s time you were going to bed, anyway, Max,” said Mum.

  “Between him howling and Lila turning her music up so she can’t hear him, how am I supposed to sleep?” Max grumbled.

  The living room door was flung open, and Ellie just managed to make it back to her room before Max stomped up the stairs.

  She picked up her bear and climbed back into bed. That was what Rascal needed, something to cuddle! Ellie looked down at the bear, thoughtfully. It was one of those hottie bears, with a middle bit full of special lavender-scented beans you could heat up in the microwave. If she warmed it and gave it to Rascal, wouldn’t that feel just like another dog?

  Mum opened the bedroom door to check on her, and Ellie quickly flopped down and pretended to be asleep.

  But after Mum and Dad had been in bed for a while, Ellie sneaked over to her door and opened it carefully. There was no noise from any of the bedrooms, just the occasional miserable howl from downstairs. She crept along the landing, feeling a bit guilty. She was supposed to be fast asleep by now, but making Rascal feel better was more important.

  She tiptoed down the stairs and let herself into the kitchen. Rascal was just a white shape in the darkness, and he whimpered uncertainly.

  “It’s OK,” Ellie whispered. “I’ve got something to cheer you up.”

  Rascal climbed out of his bed, and pattered over to her, as she put the bag of scented beans into the microwave. “I’m making you a dog to cuddle. Just like your mum,” she explained. She crouched down and picked Rascal up, and he sighed gratefully. He watched the bag revolving in the microwave with interest, as though it might be food.

  “There you go…” Ellie slipped the bag inside the bear. Then she crouched down and carefully arranged it in his bed so he could snuggle up next to it.

  But when she put Rascal back into his bed, he climbed straight out again, and into her lap. Ellie giggled. “No, no, you’re supposed to cuddle up with the bear.”

  Rascal obviously didn’t think the bear was very much like his mum.

  “I suppose your mum isn’t lavender-scented,” Ellie said, watching as he curled up to sleep – on her lap.

  “Rascal, my foot’s going to sleep!” she whispered. But Rascal looked so worn out, she couldn’t bear to move.

  Ellie woke up with a start as her mum switched on the kitchen light.

  “Ellie, what are you doing in here? It’s half-past one in the morning!” she whispered.

  “Ow…” Ellie murmured. She’d fallen asleep leaning against the cupboard with her legs crossed, and now they ached. So did her bottom.

  Mum carefully put the fast-asleep puppy into his basket. “I just went to the loo and I noticed that your door was open. When I saw that you weren’t in bed I had a good idea where you’d got to… I told you we had to leave Rascal to get used to the kitchen!”

  Ellie nodded sleepily. “I’m sorry. I wanted to give Rascal my hottie bear – to be like his mum, you see? But he didn’t like it…” She gave a massive yawn.

  Mum sighed and helped Ellie to her feet. “Come on, you need to go back to sleep!”

  She was less cross by the morning, but Mum made Ellie promise that she wouldn’t do it again. “Besides, he was perfectly happy when I came down this morning,” Mum pointed out.

  “What happened to my bear?” Ellie asked, looking down at Rascal’s empty bed. “Oh no!” She crawled under the table, and pulled out a decidedly worse-for-wear bear.

  “Oh dear. He’s chewed that ribbon to bits. I’m going to have to cut it off.” Mum shook her head. “And his ear will need stitching back.”

  Rascal looked up at Ellie with big dark eyes, and Ellie sighed. “You definitely are a Rascal, aren’t you? What was wrong with my nice bear?”

  “We’ll have to be careful about leaving things lying around,” Mum said. “Especially once he’s allowed out of the kitchen. You lot are all going to have to put your school bags away, or the dog really will eat your homework!”

  Ellie spent most of the morning on the kitchen floor, playing with Rascal. Max and Lila both joined in for a bit, but then Lila went off to the cinema with some friends, and a mate of Max’s came round to go skateboarding.

  Ellie shook her head. “I don’t know why they want to go out,” she told Mum. “They’re missing all this time with Rascal!”

  Just then, Christy rang the doorbell. Ellie was desperate to show Rascal off, and Mum had agreed that Christy could come round straight after her morning walk with Bouncer.

  “I need to go and do some work,” said Mum. “You girls will be all right on your own, won’t you?”

  Rascal peered curiously round the leg of the kitchen table, as Christy came into the room. “Oh, Ellie, he’s gorgeous!” she said.

  “Just make sure you keep your new trainers away from him!” Ellie warned.

  Rascal
trotted over to Christy. She held out her hand for him to smell and he gave it a gentle lick.

  “He likes you,” said Ellie, as Christy bowled a ball of rolled-up newspaper towards the puppy. Rascal leaped on it, growling fiercely and tearing it with his little white teeth. “I hope he gets on with Bouncer, too.”

  “He’s so tiny, Bouncer’s going to have to be careful not to squash him.” Christy giggled. “Oh, look, we’d better clear up all that paper before your mum comes back.”

  After playing all afternoon, Rascal had keeled over in the middle of a game and fallen asleep, half on Ellie and half on Christy.

  “He’s like a toy dog when he’s sleeping,” Christy whispered, as she gently edged him further on to Ellie. “Bye, Rascal! Why don’t you ask your mum if you can take him for a walk tomorrow morning with me and Bouncer?”

  Ellie sighed. “I wish we could, but Rascal’s got to have his last lot of vaccinations before he’s allowed out. We’re taking him to the vet’s tomorrow, though.”

  She waved Christy off from her place on the floor, then stroked Rascal’s head, just with one finger. His fur was so smooth and soft.

  Christy had only just left, when Ellie heard Lila come home.

  “Hey, Rascal,” said Lila, opening the kitchen door.

  Straight away, Rascal opened his eyes. He stood up on Ellie’s lap, barking excitedly.

  Ellie frowned. Her leg felt funny. Sort of warm … and wet…

  “Uuurgh, Rascal!” Ellie groaned. “You’re supposed to use the newspaper for that, remember!”

  Lila stared at her in horror. “Did he wee on you?”