by Jill Harris
Harriet felt as though someone had offered her a present and then snatched it away at the last minute. She’d never dreamed her parents would consider letting her keep Honey – and now Honey had disappeared.
Mr Jacobs looked at her gloomy face. “Why don’t you go next door – Gus is over there with Max – and I’ll start on your dad’s doggy education.”
The Greatest
“She took off after lunch,” said Gus despondently. “Spent the morning chewing on a bone but refused to leave the shed. He made up a bed for her – he’d obviously decided to look after her – but she wouldn’t consider it. Said that, apart from Harriet, she didn’t trust humans and she’d sooner look after herself. When he took her some biscuits, she’d gone.”
“Old friend, you did everything you could,” said Max. “Girl’s gutsy. She’ll get by. Think how she followed me in the storm.”
“Harriet’ll be upset. She did a beautiful job on Girl’s paw – good as the vet. She wants Girl to be her dog, you can tell. She’ll be back again today and Girl won’t be here.”
They were lying on the tiles by Max’s kennel. Max was still very tired and he’d shed a lot of hair, but he was recovered enough to enjoy being on a fuss – special meals, lots of stroking, and even curling up on the sofa.
“Some fresh air will be good for you, and it’s such a lovely day,” Mrs Howard had said that morning as she tied him up outside and placed a juicy bone beside him. “Someone loves you, Max,” she said. “I found this in the letterbox. Could have been Harriet.”
The two dogs lay in the sun, Max with his chin on Gus’s neck.
“Gus,” he said, “was it very terrible – in there, I mean?”
Gus started licking his front paws.
“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” said Max.
Gus stopped. “No,” he said, “I can tell you because you heard it, too. They’re not cruel or anything – in fact, they’re decent and friendly. They give you food and water. You get put in a concrete pen on your own. That was a relief, I can tell you – there were some scary dogs in there.”
He paused. “But the place was full of misery. There were some dreadful stories. The dog next to me –” He shuddered. “I can’t tell you about that. The crying and moaning never stopped. That wind made it worse. You couldn’t sleep. Sometimes the man yelled at us to shut up, but it only stopped briefly.
“It was one of those times when I heard you. Couldn’t believe my ears.” He changed his position so he could look at Max. “It was a mad thing to do, Max, going out in such a terrible storm. You’re just lucky they found you when they did. But, when I heard your voice – well – it was as though I’d got some of my life back.”
Gus snuffled and started licking his paws again. Max waited quietly for him.
“It helped me to hang on. It reminded me how good my life has been. Y’know, there was a dog in there who was pleased when he got locked up because he said he got fed, he didn’t get kicked and hit, and he had somewhere warm to sleep. Poor fellow.”
Gus went on. “I was one of the lucky ones – my owner came to take me home.” He paused. “Max, it was incredibly brave of you to come after me. I don’t blame you for taking off when the dog catcher arrived – you’ve always been more frightened about being picked up than me. That’s why it’s so brave of you to go out on our errands together. Anyway, one of us had to be free to keep an eye on things – like Brutus, and Girl. It would have been much worse for you in there. I’ve been around longer than you and seen more things.”
“That’s just another way of saying I’m more cowardly,” said Max. “Anyway, I’m only a mongrel. I haven’t got your breeding – and it showed when I took off.”
Gus looked startled. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“Lulu told me at the park. She was laughing at my tail. She said it showed I had no breeding; that I would have been ‘an accident’ and my parents were probably bitsers, too. I asked her what a bitser was and she said it was a mongrel, a bit of this and a bit of that. You know – a rubbish mix of dogs.” Max looked thoroughly hangdog.
“Absolute nonsense!” exploded Gus. “Don’t tell me you took her seriously – that over-bred, over-clipped, over-indulged, over-sized pom-pom! Can you imagine her risking her hair-do in the rain for anyone?” He snuffled Max around the muzzle. “You’re great in spirit and great in name. What do you think Max is short for? It’s short for Maximus – The Greatest! You and I have both got old and noble names – Gus is short for Augustus.”
Max looked at Gus’s classic, dark good looks. Yes, he has a noble character, too, he thought. Who cares about a bent tail!
But before Max could respond, Harriet came running along the path.
“I s’pose you know where she’s gone. Why did she have to run away? My mum and dad nearly said I can keep her – my dad’s talking to Mr Jacobs now about how to look after a dog. Please, please tell her to come back!”
Max sat beside her. I’ll have to do my tricks to cheer her up, he thought. He held up his paw for Harriet to shake, then he sat up on his haunches and begged. After that, he danced in a circle on his hind legs. Harriet laughed.
“Oh, Max, I think you’re recovering – you are just the greatest!”
Well said, thought Gus. You couldn’t have put it better.
They sat down on the tiles. Max was feeling quite wobbly. Mrs Howard came out with a drink and biscuits for Harriet.
“Hello, dear,” she said. “Did you leave that wonderful bone – Max loved it.”
Harriet looked puzzled. “What bone?”
“Did you put a bone in our letter box?”
“No,” said Harriet.
“Aha!” replied Mrs Howard, “the mystery benefactor. Just like the red jersey. What fun! I’m wondering if you could help me out, Harriet,” she said. “My grandson is coming tomorrow for the first week of the holidays and it’s not much fun for a boy of twelve on his own. I thought, maybe …” She hesitated. “I wondered if you’d come round from time to time?’
Uh, oh, thought Harriet. Someone’s trying to organise a ‘nice friend’ for me. Most boys of twelve were revolting, except Toby, of course. They thought they were so cool. She’d planned to spend lots of time these holidays with Max and Gus – and Honey. She’d seen herself taking them all for long walks – maybe as far as the reserve. And now there’d be a bossy boy spoiling things. She looked at her feet and wondered how to answer.
“Think about it,” said Mrs Howard. “Luke likes dogs as much as you do. Now, mind you don’t give those biscuits to the dogs, it’s bad for them,” and she went back inside.
Gus and Max looked at her. Their eyes followed her hand as she put a biscuit in her mouth. They started to slobber. Harriet laughed again. “You do that awfully well,” she said. “You’ve really earned a reward.” She gave them each a biscuit.
“I saw that.” Mr Jacobs was looking over the wall, grinning. “Your dad’s ready to go home now.”
Harriet patted Max and Gus. “Please ask her to come back,” she said, “I know I can give her a good home.”
Cracker of a Throw
“I’m not going,” said Harriet on the first day of the holidays. “Nobody’s going to push me into being ‘friends’ with anyone, specially not someone who’ll boss me around.”
“But you don’t know that,” said her mother, “you might like him, and what else do you plan to do?”
“I was going to be looking after Honey,” said Harriet quietly, “and taking them for walks. Now I can’t do any of it.”
“Mrs Howard’s been awfully good to you, Harry,” replied her mother. “Would you do it to help her out?”
“No, I won’t!” said Harriet, and stomped upstairs to her room. What a start to the holidays. She had planned to explore the neighbourhood and pick up some clues about who was leaving the presents. She thought she’d give them to Gus and Max to sniff so that they could follow a trail to a house.
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br /> She looked at the presents lined up on her dressing table – the book with the message from Maddy, the brooch, the knife, and the charm on her bracelet. They all had an old-fashioned feel about them. And the bones and red jersey – it was almost certainly Maddy who had left those. So, she must know that Max and Gus were her friends. How would she know that? Why didn’t she just introduce herself instead of keeping it a secret? Harriet thought of the slightly wavery writing in the book and decided Maddy must be old.
Harriet sat in her sagging armchair and worried about Honey. How was her paw? What was she doing about food? Did Gus and Max know where she was? Maybe they’d already found her and persuaded her to come back. She should check that out immediately.
Harriet jumped up. She’d go and see Gus right away. She wouldn’t go next door, though – she wouldn’t be able to see Max for a whole week! The thought made her grumpy all over again. “I’m going to see if Honey has turned up,” she told her mother.
But there was no sign of Honey at Gus’s place.
“The box in the garage hasn’t been slept in,” said Mr Jacobs. “But don’t give up hope, Harriet. Honey will come back.”
Suddenly a ball flew over the fence and bounced on the lawn. Then a boy looked over the fence – he had glasses and brown, curly hair.
“Lousy throw!” he said. “Would you mind tossing it back?”
Harriet picked up the ball. It was slobbery. He must be playing with Max, she thought resentfully, and he couldn’t even throw a ball on target. She’d show him how it was done. She curved her arm back and shot it forcefully over the fence.
CRACK! Harriet froze. Mr Jacobs looked over the fence. “Oh dear,” he said.
Harriet stood on tiptoe and looked over, too. The ball had hit Mr Howards’s mini-glasshouse and cracked a pane. The boy was staring at her. Harriet felt like a complete idiot. Now she would have to go next door and apologise, in front of the very person she’d vowed to avoid.
When she got there, Mrs Howard was out. Max gave her an enthusiastic welcome.
“She went to get bread for lunch,” said the boy. “Who are you?”
“I’m Harriet. I live round in Moa Road.”
“Well, you proved you can throw hard,” said the boy. “Were you aiming for the glasshouse?”
Harriet gave him her withering look but he grinned back.
“I wasn’t aiming for over the fence, either,” he said. “How come you know Max?”
“I visit him most days after school. And Gus.”
“Is he the black lab next door?”
“Yes,” replied Harriet.” We do things together.”
“Like playing with the ball?” The boy looked amused. “I’m Luke, by the way. I’ve known Max since he was a puppy.”
OK, thought Harriet. I get it – you’re an older friend of Max than I am. “I’m surprised you haven’t met Gus before, then,” she said.
Luke laughed. “Touché!”
What’s he mean? wondered Harriet, but she wasn’t going to let on she didn’t know.
Max pricked up his ears and woofed. A minute later Mrs Howard drove into the garage. She bustled down the path with her shopping.
“Oh, great!” she said, “you two have met! I’m so glad you decided to drop in, Harriet.”
“It was the ball that ‘dropped in’,” said Luke.
Harriet could’ve thumped him. “I’m afraid I’ve broken a pane in the glasshouse,” she said. “I threw the ball too hard.”
“She was returning it to me,” said Luke. “It was a great throw, just a bit … over-enthusiastic.”
Harriet flushed. What an obnoxious boy.
Mrs Howard examined the damage. “Well, accidents do happen,” she said. “Don’t worry, Harriet.” She glanced at her watch. “Goodness! 11.30 already. How about staying for an early lunch, Harriet? I’ll ring your mother.”
Harriet opened her mouth to decline but Luke got in first. “Yeah, good thinking, Gran, I need someone to teach me how to throw.” His eyes challenged Harriet to say no.
Harriet narrowed her eyes. “I’d love to, Mrs Howard,” she said sweetly. She picked up Max’s ball and threw it high across the lawn. “It’s not too difficult,” she said in a voice dripping with kindness, “though some people never quite get the hang of it.”
Lunch was awkward. Mrs Howard kept the conversation moving while Harriet and Luke never missed a chance to score off each other. A smile tugged at the corners of Mrs Howard’s mouth.
“Show Harriet your wood carving, Luke,” she told him. Luke looked as though it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he got up from the table and jerked his head towards the sunroom.
“In there.”
Harriet followed him to a table covered with wood, sandpaper and small tools and knives surrounded by curls of wood.
“I’ve got a knife like that,” she said.
“Where did you get a French knife from?”
“Present,” said Harriet, thinking ‘none of your business’.
“What do you use it for?” asked Luke.
“Oh – things,” Harriet replied. She wasn’t going to tell him it just sat on her dressing table. “Do you get cut much?” she asked.
“Not now, though I did for the first couple of years.”
Harriet looked more closely at one of the partly-carved figures. “Can I pick it up?”
Luke handed it to her.
“Oh, it’s Max!” Harriet exclaimed. “It’s just like him, even the tail! This is fantastic!” She ran her finger down his back. “I’ve often seen him looking exactly like this.” She looked at Luke with new respect. “Did anyone teach you or are you just a natural?”
“Oh, I’ve always fiddled around with bits of wood. Then my uncle gave me a few tips and some of his old tools.”
Harriet gazed at the figures in various stages of completion. She was embarrassed at how rude she’d been.
“Look,” she said, “I wasn’t very nice to you. I felt as though I was being pushed into being friends.”
“Yeah,” said Luke, “it was the same for me.”
They both smiled.
The phone rang. It was Harriet’s mother to say she was going shopping and would pick Harriet up in a couple of minutes.
“Seeya round,” said Luke as Harriet left.
“Yeah, seeya.”
Tussle of Wills
Max trotted into the McKibbins’ kitchen at breakfast time, tail wagging vigorously, looking very pleased with himself.
“What are you doing here?” Harriet gave him some of her toast and honey.
There was a tap on the back door and Luke stuck his head into the kitchen.
“Mind if I come in?”
“Hello Luke,” said Harriet.
“Is this the obnoxious boy you knew would boss you around?” Harriet’s mother asked, and everyone laughed.
“I brought something for you,” Luke said to Harriet. It was the carving of Max, sanded smooth as satin.
“Gee, thanks!” Harriet beamed and turned the beautiful little carving in her hands. “Look what Luke made, Mum.”
Harriet’s mother held it up. “This is awfully good,” she said, “you’ve got a gift.”
Luke looked pleased and awkward at the same time. He glanced around, “Where’s Max?”
“I bet he’s gone off to see Brutus,” said Harriet. “Brutus is the dog next door – he’s pretty unfriendly.”
They looked through the window and, sure enough, Max and Brutus were standing next to the kennel.
“Max and Gus have tried to teach Brutus some manners, but it hasn’t made much difference,” said Harriet.
“Why don’t we take Max and Gus for a walk,” she suggested. She told Luke about the mysterious presents and her plan for getting the dogs to sniff out who was leaving them. “I think it’s somebody old, but I don’t know anybody like that round here. Why are they giving me presents?”
“It’s neat,” said Luke, “and mysterious. It’s worth
a try with the dogs.”
Harriet went up to her bedroom to get the presents.
“It is an Opinel, like mine,” said Luke when she returned, “but not as rusty. Neat brooch, too. What are you going to give the dogs to sniff? How about the knife?”
Harriet told her mother what they planned to do. Her mother gave them both an apple and a chocolate bar and they set off to collect Gus. Harriet lifted her long, red scarf from the peg and wound it round her neck. It wasn’t cold enough for a scarf but it was her favourite and she was wearing it everywhere at the moment. She whistled Max back when they reached the road and he squeezed through the hole in the hedge to join them.
They talked as they went.
“How come you know Max and Gus so well?” asked Luke.
How much should I tell him? wondered Harriet. She was beginning to quite like him, but she didn’t know whether he could keep a secret, so she left out the bits about how they got out on their errands. But she did tell him about Honey.
“She’s my kind of my dog,” she explained. “My parents have almost agreed I can keep her.”
“Couldn’t we look for her, too?” asked Luke. “Won’t she come out when she knows Gus and Max are with us? Where’s she likely to be?”
“I think she’s probably living near the Old House, or in the reserve.”
Maybe she will have come back, thought Harriet as they turned in at Gus’s place, but only Gus came to meet them. Harriet went to ask Mr Jacobs if Gus could come with them and to collect a leash, and Luke called over the fence to tell Mrs Howard what they were off to do.
“’Fraid you’re in for a walk, Gus,” said Max. “Harriet’s going to get us to sniff a knife someone round here gave her, to see if we can pick up the scent. I think she wants to know who left the knife for her in the letterbox – like our bones,” he added.
