The Hero Puppy E-Book

Holly Webb

• Herausgeber: Little Tiger Press
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Holly Webb Animal Stories
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 65

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

When Billie's grandpa falls ill, her parents go to take care of him, while she and her new puppy Travis go to stay with her aunt. Billie is worried about her grandpa and she's glad to have Travis with her. But the puppy is anxious about the unfamiliar surroundings and a long period of rain and thunder leaves him terrified. Then just as Bille and Travis begin to settle in, the entire neighbourhood is flooded, with Travis stuck at home on his own. Will anyone be able to rescue him in time?

Leseprobe

123

For Molly

4

Contents

Title PageDedicationChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter SevenChapter EightAbout the AuthorCopyright

5

Chapter One

“So, this is Travis…”

Millie caught her breath. There had been so many dogs on the shelter website, all different ages and sizes, but she had been drawn to Travis at once. In every photo he seemed to be gazing at the camera so hopefully. As though he was searching for something. Millie really, really wanted him to be searching for her. 6

“I think he’s the dog you said you liked?” Janey, the worker from the shelter, smiled at them as she coaxed the big, leggy puppy through the door.

Travis peered round the door frame cautiously. Millie could see him eyeing them all up. It had to be scary, walking into a room full of strangers, she thought. Janey had explained to them that it was better if they were sitting down when Travis came in – especially Dad, because he was tall, and he might make the puppy nervous.

“Remember to let him come to us,” Dad reminded her, and Millie nodded. She really wanted to go and stroke Travis and make a fuss of him, but she held herself still and quiet. 7

Janey led the puppy over on his lead, letting him sniff at them a little.

“Hey, Travis,” Millie whispered. Travis was sniffing Dad’s trousers, but he obviously knew his name – he turned and looked at her when he heard it, and then padded over to sniff her instead. His muzzle was a strange mixture of soft fur and spiky whiskers, and Millie couldn’t help giggling as he 8nudged his nose up against her knees.

“He likes you, Millie!” Dad whispered, grinning at her.

“Can I stroke him?” Millie asked Janey hopefully.

“Sure. He’s very friendly. Just let him sniff your hand first, give him a bit of time to get used to the idea.”

Millie held out her hand for Travis to nose – she was holding her breath, she realized. She wanted him to like her so much. Travis looked up at her, and Millie noticed how big and dark his eyes were. It was that same hopeful face from the website photos. The look that said, Please look after me, please be mine.He kept on gazing at her as he swept his big, bright pink tongue over her fingers, making her giggle again.

“You’re so lovely,” she whispered to him. “Would you like to be our dog?”

Mum and Dad joined in fussing over Travis, 9and showed Millie’s little brother, Leo, how to pat the puppy’s head carefully.

“You could have a bit of a play,” Janey suggested, pulling a basket of toys closer and offering Leo a ball. “Do you want to throw it for Travis to chase?”

Leo nodded, smiling hugely, and threw the ball straight up in the air so it practically landed on Dad’s head. He wasonly three, but Millie rolled her eyes. Travis didn’t seem to mind, though. He gave an excited bark – which made Leo squeak and put his hands over his ears – and jumped at the ball, almost tangling himself up in his own paws as he landed on top of it.

Mum snorted with laughter, and Dad shook his head. “He’s just like Leo – tripping over his own feet!”

“I don’t!” Leo said, shaking his head crossly.

“Of course not,” Mum soothed him. “You’re growing, that’s all, and so’s Travis.” 10

They kept throwing the ball for Travis – the big puppy almost understood that he had to give it back before someone could throw it again. He just had to convince himself to let it go every time. But eventually he dropped the ball at Mum’s feet and flopped down next to it with a huge yawn.

11“You’ve worn him out,” Janey said, smiling. “He’s still very young, so his energy comes in bursts.”

Millie kneeled next to Travis, gently rubbing the puppy’s huge, soft ears. Travis yawned again and leaned against her leg. Millie could feel him relaxing against her, his eyes half closing.

“What a gorgeous boy,” Mum said, smiling. “And he’s so friendly!”

“He definitely seems happy with you all,” Janey said slowly. “We think he’s going to be a very big dog when he’s fully grown, though. He’s part German Shepherd, and part we’re not sure what.” She chuckled. “One of the volunteers named him. She said he just looked like a Travis.” Janey gazed 12thoughtfully at Mum and Dad – and especially at Leo, who was sitting on Dad’s knee now, staring wide-eyed at the snoozing puppy. “It’s always a bit hard to tell exactly how big a dog will get – Travis was abandoned as a very young puppy, and we don’t know anything about the size of his parents. I know he looks very cute and fluffy now, but are you sure you can cope with a big German Shepherd mix?”

Millie glanced around worriedly at Mum and Dad. Travis was so sweet, and even though he was big for a puppy, he was very gentle. He was actually much calmer than she’d thought he would be. But she could see that his paws were enormous, and so 13were those flopped-over velvety ears. Dad had told her that puppies grew into their paws. Maybe Mum and Dad would think he was too big?

Dad nodded at Janey. “I know what you mean – especially when Leo’s only small. But my last dog was a German Shepherd,” he explained. “She was enormous, but she was incredibly sweet-tempered. I think they’re great dogs – so clever. We know we’ll have to be very careful never to leave Travis alone with Leo and Millie, but we’re really excited about taking on a dog. It’s going to be great as he gets a bit older and we can go on long walks together.” 14

Janey nodded. “Experience with German Shepherds is a good thing,” she murmured. “And the notes here say that your home-check was fine – lots of garden space, which he’ll need… Obviously we’re always here if you do run into any problems – we’d much rather you brought Travis back to us instead of trying to find a home for him yourselves.”

“We wouldn’t want to give him back!” Millie said, sounding shocked, and Mum and Dad and Janey laughed. But Millie meant it.

Once they’d taken such a gorgeous dog home, why would they ever want to get rid of him?

15Travis sat in the boot of the car, peering shakily out through the wire bars of the travelling crate. There was a soft blanket for him to curl up on, and his favourite chew toy from the shelter, but he couldn’t bring himself to settle down, or chomp on the knotted rope. He didn’t remember ever moving like this before. The strange shaking of the car, the noise – the smells! People and car fumes and all sorts of other things he didn’t recognize. He flattened his ears against his head and whimpered a little, wishing he could go back to his safe little pen at the shelter.

“He’s scared, Dad! He doesn’t like the way the car moves. Do you think we should go slower?” 16

“Maybe. But if he doesn’t like the car, we should get home as quickly as possible, so he can get out. I’m sure he’ll get used to it in a bit, Millie, don’t worry. Talk to him! See if you can make him feel better.”

“Hey, Travis…” The girl he’d fallen asleep on was twisting herself round now, looking over the back seat at him. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. We’ll be home 17