by Holly Webb
On Friday everyone woke up early. Anna did as Gran suggested and took Fred for two lovely long runs, racing the boat. They could run just as fast as the Hummingbird, as the part of the canal they were on had a five-mile-an-hour speed limit, which was a good sort of speed to keep up.
Anna could tell that Fred was feeling better after all that exercise. By the time they stopped at one of the locks late that afternoon, and Anna helped Grandad open the lock gates, he was slumped in the long grass, panting happily. Anna had to coax him up and on to the boat. Then he made straight for his big cushion, flopping down on to it.
Anna laughed. Fred still slept the way he had when he was a puppy, all legs sticking out everywhere. It did mean he took up a lot of room inside the boat. They kept having to step round him. But he was very sweet and he wasn’t being naughty, so no one minded.
Anna did wish that Fred got on better with Sunny, though. Actually, it didn’t really seem to be Fred’s fault. He was always very friendly with other dogs, even smaller ones, and he loved to chase and play and romp up and down the park with them. He even had a couple of “best friends” – a spaniel called Lottie and a tiny Jack Russell called Max, who bossed Fred and Lottie around all the time.
Anna had thought that Fred and Sunny would probably get on in the same sort of way. She’d even imagined that it would be a nice treat for Sunny to have another dog for company.
Unfortunately, Sunny didn’t seem to see it that way. He’d never shared his house or his boat with another dog, and he didn’t see why he had to start now. Especially with a dog like this, who frisked around everywhere the whole time, and kept sniffing at him and creeping up on him and yapping excitedly. Sunny didn’t like it at all and he snapped when Fred nuzzled at him, and let out a furious growl when the pup jumped into his basket. Fred jumped out again quickly, creeping away with his head hanging low and his back rounded in a shamed sort of crouch.
Fred was confused. He wasn’t used to sharing his home either, but the other dogs in the park liked him to play. He was only doing what he always did.
Still, at least he had Anna. He’d dragged his cushion right up to her strange little bed on the first night, so that he could curl up close to her. In fact, that was one thing that was better than home – there he slept in the kitchen. Now he was close enough to hear her breathing, and for her to reach down a hand and stroke him sleepily.
The two long walks meant that Fred fell asleep early that night, curled up on Anna’s feet as they ate dinner. He only really woke up long enough for a last quick trip out on to the towpath before Anna went to bed.
Fred woke up early Saturday morning, feeling full of energy. At home he would have scratched hopefully at the back door until someone let him out into the garden, or raced madly up and down the hallway, chasing his toys. But there just wasn’t enough room for that here.
He gnawed fiercely at one of his rubber bones for a while – it was easy to find, as he discovered he’d been asleep on top of it. It wasn’t as good as a walk, though. He sat up and stared hopefully at Anna, who was still sleeping. He put his paws up on the edge of the bed and whined, but she only made a strange sleepy noise and rolled over away from him.
Fred slumped back on to his cushion, and looked at Sunny, who was curled up in his basket on the other side of the saloon. Maybe Sunny would play? There wasn’t a lot of room, but perhaps they could chase each other up and down?
He uncurled himself and crept over to Sunny’s basket, whining a little.
Sunny woke up and stared grumpily at him, but Fred just thumped his huge feathery tail on the boards and put his head on one side, his ears twitching with excitement. Then he dropped down in front of the basket, stretching his paws out, and let out a few sharp yaps.
Sunny sat up and glared at him, and let out a furious growl.
Fred wriggled backwards, upset and a bit frightened. Why wouldn’t Sunny play with him? He barked, suddenly and loudly, so that Anna woke up with a start and banged her head on a shelf. She yelped, rubbing the back of her head.
Fred panicked completely. Sunny was growling at him, and now Anna sounded upset, and he didn’t understand what was going on. He ran backwards and forwards across the boat, barking and bumping into the shelves along the walls, and then the little folding table where Gran always put her tea.
The table went flying and banged against Fred’s front leg. He whimpered and came to a stop. He crouched in the middle of the cabin, his paw held up miserably.
“What’s going on?” Grandad came out of the bedroom, looking rumpled and sleepy and cross. “Is somebody hurt? What have you done, you silly dog!”
Fred whimpered again and wriggled backwards behind one of the armchairs. Grandad’s voice was low and rumbly, and not like any of the voices that Fred was used to. He could tell that the deep-voiced person was very cross, and Anna was crying, and Sunny was still letting out low, furious growls. Now everyone was angry with him…
“What on earth happened?” Gran asked, hurrying out of the bedroom and putting an arm around Anna. “Did you bump yourself, Anna? And where’s Fred?”
“Over there,” Anna sniffed, still rubbing her head. “Behind the armchair. I think he’s hurt his paw – the table fell on it.”
“Oh dear,” Gran murmured. “Well, thank goodness there wasn’t anything on it. It’s lucky I moved that little vase yesterday. If that had smashed, he could have cut himself.”
Grandad went over to pick up the table. “Not broken. It’s fine. Come on out, Fred.” He crouched down and looked round the armchair, but Fred had crept right behind it now. All that they could see was a dark pinkish nose and they could hear him whimpering. “Poor old boy. He’s really scared.” He sighed. “Sorry, Anna, that’s probably my fault. I shouted and he doesn’t really know me.”
Anna slid down from the bed and hurried over to Fred’s hiding place. “Hey, Fred. It’s OK. Come on out.”
Fred sniffed cautiously at Anna’s outstretched hand and slowly, gradually, he wriggled out from behind the chair. But he was shivering and he still looked miserable. Anna carefully checked his paw, but it wasn’t bleeding and it didn’t seem to be hurting him any more.
“Oh dear.” Gran sighed. “Was it another squabble with him and Sunny, do you think?”
“That’s what it sounded like,” Grandad agreed. “Lots of barking and scuffling. I suppose Sunny thinks it’s his boat. He’s never had another dog on board before. And he isn’t used to a friendly puppy like Fred, all bounce and tail-wagging.”
“What are we going to do?” Anna whispered. Grandad had picked up the table, but there were still newspapers everywhere and Fred had knocked over a pile of books. A couple of Gran’s pretty china animals were on the floor, too, and Anna really hoped they hadn’t been broken. The room was a mess.
Gran frowned. “I’m not sure. They really aren’t getting on, are they? I know Fred’s only trying to be friendly, but he’s just got so much energy. He isn’t the right sort of dog to be squashed up on a boat.” She shook her head, worriedly. “I’m sorry, Anna, I didn’t think about this properly. I was just so excited about you coming to stay with us.”
Anna nodded and sniffed. “Do we have to go home?” she whispered. She didn’t want to, but it wasn’t fair on Gran and Grandad to have Fred spoiling their beautiful boat.
“I don’t think it’s that bad…” Gran murmured. “Let’s all get dressed and have some breakfast. If you throw some clothes on quickly, you could take Fred for a quick walk, maybe? That’ll cheer him up and burn off some of his energy. And your grandad and I can think about what to do.”
Fred wagged his tail a little as he saw Anna pick up his lead. A walk. It was all he had wanted, really, but everything seemed to have gone wrong.
Still, as he hopped carefully over on to the bank and sniffed the cool morning air, everything seemed better. The grass was lovely and wet under his paws, and interesting things had been running along the towpath in the night – rabbits and those har
d-to-catch ducks. He sniffed busily, nuzzling into the clumps of grass and under the brambly hedges.
“Come on, Fred,” Anna said at last, yawning. “We should go back now. Don’t you want your breakfast? I’m starving.”
All the same, she walked slowly as they turned back towards the boat, letting Fred rootle around in the long grass. There were scuffling noises in the hedges and indignant twitterings. She smiled. “Watch it, Fred. You’ll get your nose pecked in a minute, mister.”
Even though Fred didn’t like being shut up and he kept getting in trouble with Sunny, Anna loved being out here with him. She didn’t want to go home.
But she couldn’t see what else they could do.
“So, your mum and dad are coming over for lunch tomorrow,” Grandad said, buttering his toast.
“Mmm…” Anna nodded. And they were going to say that she and Fred should go back home with them, she just knew it. She sighed.
“We were thinking perhaps they could take Fred home, too,” Gran said.
Anna stared at her. “Just Fred? And leave me here?”
Gran and Grandad both nodded, and Anna glanced from one to the other, confused.
“But what about Mum? She won’t be able to look after him properly. That’s why I had to bring him. I mean, I wanted to, anyway, but it was mostly because he needs someone around.” Anna sniffed and shook her head apologetically. “I know he made a real mess of the boat, but if he didn’t get walked enough at home, he’d probably do the same. He chews things when he’s bored. If I’m home at least I can play with him in the garden.”
“Ah, but you see, your mum’s got loads of work done already,” Gran explained. “She called me while you were on your walk with Fred. She said she was glad to hear you were having a lovely time on the boat and she didn’t have to worry about you. I’m sure she’d be able to fit in walking Fred now she’s got a bit more time.”
“Oh…” Anna frowned to herself. If they both went back, her mum would be worrying about whether Anna was all right, stuck at home while she was trying to work. “I suppose you’re right,” she murmured. She really didn’t want Fred to go, but it did seem like the best solution. If you didn’t count how much she would miss him.
Anna took Fred for another really long walk along the towpath that morning. Partly because she knew she was going to miss him so much after he went home tomorrow, but also because she was hoping, just a little bit, that if she wore him out enough, he’d be really good. Then maybe Gran and Grandad would change their minds and say it was OK for him to stay.
They moored up that afternoon next to a break in the woods that ran along one bank of the canal. The dark trees opened out and there was a huge field, dotted with big, old oak trees. Anna looked out at it delightedly. She couldn’t wait to explore, and Fred’s tail was wafting back and forth excitedly as he looked at all that open space to run in.
“It’s beautiful!” Anna said to Grandad, as she helped him tie the boat up to the mooring posts on the bank. Fred was pulling hopefully at his lead, as though he wanted to go for a walk right now.
“Isn’t it?” Grandad agreed. “I’m glad we were able to get this far before your mum and dad come to see us. This is a great spot – it’s not too far from the road, though you’d never guess it, and there’s a café with space to park cars over on the other side of that field. It’s a popular mooring spot, so we’re not allowed to stay here too long.”
“You mean like you have to move on from parking spaces?” Anna asked, surprised. She hadn’t realized it worked the same way for boats.
“Mm-hm. We can stay until Monday morning, but that’s all.”
Anna giggled. “It’s not like the end of our road where you can only park for two hours, then!”
Grandad snorted. “Well, not quite.”
“So – Mum and Dad will walk across here tomorrow, to come and see us?” Anna asked, with a tiny sigh.
“Yes. Are you OK, Anna?” Grandad looked at her worriedly. “I know you’ll miss Fred, but he really will be happier back home, I think.”
“Maybe,” Anna agreed quietly. She couldn’t help thinking that Fred would be happiest wherever she was. He was used to her being around, except when she was at school. And even then he would be at the front door to meet her as soon as she got back, flinging himself at her, barking and whining as if he’d thought he was never going to see her again.
Grandad gave her a sympathetic smile. “Look, why don’t you take him for a really good run across that field now? Your gran’s going to be a while cooking the dinner. You might even be able to let him off the lead – there doesn’t seem to be anyone else around. Just don’t go out of the field, though, will you? So that I know where you are?”
Anna nodded. “I promise. Come on, Fred!”
Fred looked over at the field hopefully, and his long tail swished slowly from side to side.
“Yes! Walk! Come on!” Anna patted her hand against her leg, and Fred leaped joyfully forward, prancing through the gate into the field. It was long, tussocky grass, and he and Anna raced across it, Anna laughing and stumbling as she tried to keep up with him.
“Slow down a minute! Fred, come on, stop. Then I can get your lead off. Yes, you see, silly, that’s what you want, isn’t it?” Fred danced about excitedly while Anna unclipped the lead, and then he bounded away, barking like a mad thing.
Anna watched him, giggling. She loved it when he ran so fast that his ears flapped. Today, he looked as though he might even take off.
Then she sighed and wrapped her arms around her middle. She knew that sending Fred home tomorrow was the sensible thing to do, but she still wasn’t happy about it. And she didn’t think Fred would be, either.
Anna’s mum and dad arrived the next day in time for lunch. They’d brought a lovely picnic with them, with loads of sandwiches and a chocolate cake, and they ate it under one of the oak trees in the big field. Then Dad and Anna played Frisbee with Fred, sending him racing across the field. Fred was excellent at catching the Frisbee – he did huge ballet-dancer leaps to grab it. But as the afternoon wore on, Anna kept thinking that Mum and Dad would have to go soon, and take Fred with them. She hardly ate any of the lasagne that Gran had made for dinner. Somehow she just didn’t feel hungry.
“We should get back,” Anna’s dad said at last, peering at his watch. “We’ve got work tomorrow and it must be nearly your bedtime, Anna, even if it is the holidays. It’s starting to get dark. But it’s been a really good day.”
Anna gulped and looked over at Fred, who was snoozing in the corner. He looked angelic – maybe Gran would say he could stay after all? But then she blew her hot fringe off her forehead, and remembered that it was so warm because the saloon doors were tightly closed. Closed to keep Fred in, so he didn’t try to leap over the side of the boat. He’d nearly jumped into the canal again this morning, after he’d spotted a swan sailing grandly past.
“Do you want to gather Fred’s stuff together?” Mum suggested gently. Then she saw Anna’s worried face. “It’ll be OK,” she said. “I’ve got so much work done over the last few days, I can definitely take time off for some really good walks with Fred.”
“I know,” Anna murmured, picking up Fred’s bowls and tipping his water into the kitchen sink. She polished them dry with some kitchen roll and started to fill the bag with all of Fred’s things. One of the rubber bones squeaked as she picked it up, and Fred bounced up off his cushion, as though Anna had shouted his name.
He trotted over to her happily, waiting for her to throw him the toy. It was going to be difficult playing catch, with all these people squashed on to the boat, but it would still be fun.
But Anna just stared down at him sadly and put the squeaky bone into the bag that they’d brought with them to the boat.
Fred watched her, confused, and then realized what this meant. Of course! They were going home! He wagged his tail so hard it thumped against Anna’s legs, but for some reason she didn’t look very happy.
/> Helpfully, he hurried back to his cushion and picked it up in his teeth, ready to go.
Dad laughed. “Look, Fred’s keen to get in the car.” He came over to Anna, and hugged her. “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I can take him for a walk after work, too, you know.”
“I just think he’ll miss me,” Anna sniffed. Or maybe he wouldn’t at all, and that would be almost worse.
Dad gave her a kiss and gathered up the bag, and Mum clipped on Fred’s lead.
Anna and Gran and Grandad came out to the bow of the boat to wave goodbye, and even Sunny got up out of his basket to come and see what was going on.
Mum and Dad jumped over on to the bank, and Fred did a giant leap after them. He didn’t look too worried, Anna thought sadly.
But then as Mum went to open the gate, Fred looked back and realized that Anna wasn’t coming with them. He let out a little whine of surprise and stopped to wait for her.
“Come on, Fred!” Mum pulled gently on his lead, but Fred was pretty heavy when he didn’t want to move.
“Oh…” Anna whispered. “He wants to stay.”
She’d been wrong to think she’d be upset if he just walked away. It was much worse watching Fred turn his head from side to side, glancing anxiously between her and Mum and Dad, obviously not understanding what was going on. She wouldn’t have minded if he’d trotted happily across the field, after all. She wished he had.