“Would you like me to walk Buttons home for you?” Sophie asked.
Mr Jenkins smiled at her. “It’s very kind of you to offer, but you weren’t going home yet, were you? I don’t want to take you out of your way.”
“That’s all right. Isn’t it?” Sophie asked Tom and Michael. “Mum wouldn’t mind if I went back, would she?”
The boys exchanged glances. “We’ll come too,” said Tom. “That way we can wheel your bike while you’re walking Buttons.”
“Oh! I’d forgotten my bike,” Sophie admitted. “I was too excited about getting to walk such a gorgeous puppy.”
“She is lovely, isn’t she?” Mr Jenkins agreed, as they all started to walk home slowly. “Bit of a handful at the moment though. She’s got so much energy.”
Buttons was darting here and there, sniffing excitedly at the scents of other dogs and people. Sophie laughed as she followed her, but she could see that such a bouncy little dog would be hard work for Mr Jenkins.
“I really need to take her to some dog-training classes, but we just haven’t been able to get out much recently. Soon though,” Mr Jenkins added, as he watched Buttons racing about.
“Where did you get her from?” Sophie asked, wishing she could have a beautiful chocolate-coloured dog like Buttons.
“She came from a breeder who lives over on the other side of town. I got my last two dogs from him as well, but they were golden Labradors. Buttons is the first chocolate one I’ve had.”
“Buttons is such a brilliant name for a chocolate Labrador,” Sophie told him, giggling.
“Ah, that wasn’t me. It was my granddaughter Phoebe’s idea. She thought it was really funny.”
“Does she live round here?” Sophie asked. “I don’t know anyone called Phoebe at school.”
“No.” Mr Jenkins shook his head, sadly. “My son had to move with work earlier in the year. They live in Scotland now. I try and get up to see them, but I do miss her.”
Sophie nodded. “That’s sad. My grandad lives in France; we don’t see him much either. And my nan and my other grandad live in London, ages away. We phone them lots, but it isn’t the same as seeing them, is it?”
Mr Jenkins sighed. “Not at all. Phoebe hasn’t even seen Buttons yet; I got her six weeks ago. I’ve sent some photos.”
Buttons was enjoying following all the delicious smells, and with Sophie holding her lead, she could go as fast as she liked. She was sure that there had been a mouse along here recently. It had gone this way, stopped here, then doubled back over here – oh! She was almost at the water’s edge. She stepped back, whining. She loved to look at the water, but she didn’t want to be in it.
Buttons looked up gratefully at Sophie, who was gripping her lead tightly. She was very glad that Sophie had been there to pull her out before. She knew she shouldn’t have run off from Mr Jenkins like that, but they’d been going so slowly. Still she wouldn’t do it again, it was far too dangerous. She wouldn’t run away ever again…
Chapter Three
Sophie and the boys said goodbye to Mr Jenkins at the door. The old man was very grateful, and told Sophie that she was quick-thinking and helpful, and she reminded him of his granddaughter.
“That’s all right,” Sophie said, blushing, as she took her bike back from Tom. “I’m glad I was there to catch her.”
Sophie watched as Mr Jenkins let himself and Buttons into the house, then she and the boys pedalled home excitedly.
Luckily Mum and Dad were having a break from painting, so they were able to listen to Sophie when she dashed in, full of her news.
“Well done, Sophie.” Her dad smiled, but then he looked worried. “I hope you were careful, though. A big dog like a Labrador could’ve easily pulled you in, too.”
“Oh no, Dad, Buttons is only little – she’s just a puppy,” Sophie explained. Then she noticed that Michael and Tom were making faces at her behind Dad’s back and added, “And Tom and Mike were only a bit ahead of me; they’d have pulled me out if I had fallen in.”
Her mum shuddered. “Well, thank goodness you didn’t.”
“I think Soph deserves an ice cream for being clever,” her dad put in. “I could do with one too, after all that painting. Want to run down to the shop?”
“Oooh, yes!” And Sophie gave him a hug, carefully minding the painty bits.
When they were all sitting round in the garden eating their ice creams, Sophie said thoughtfully, “Mum, do you think Mr Jenkins would like me to walk Buttons for him while his leg’s bad? He said he’d have to take it easy for a couple more days, but I think a dog like Buttons needs proper walks every day.”
Mum and Dad exchanged glances, and Mum sighed. “You’re right, Sophie. She would need lots of walks, a young energetic dog like that. Probably Mr Jenkins could do with some help. But it’s tricky. We don’t want to make him feel like we’re interfering, or that we think he can’t cope. If he asked, it would be different…”
“I bet he won’t ask,” Tom said, through a mouthful of ice cream. “He’s not that sort of person.”
“Well, if I see him, I’ll try and sound him out,” Mum suggested. “OK? A compromise.”
Sophie nodded reluctantly. Poor Buttons. It looked like she was going to be stuck in the garden again for a while.
Buttons followed Mr Jenkins into the house a little sadly. It had been fun walking with Sophie. Buttons tried hard not to pull on her lead with Mr Jenkins; she could tell it was hard for him to walk. She forgot sometimes, that was all. It was hard to remember to be careful when she smelled something yummy, or saw something she just had to chase. With Sophie, she had felt it was all right to be her bouncy puppy self and Buttons hoped she would see her again soon. Maybe Mr Jenkins would take her on a walk tomorrow.
But he didn’t. On Monday morning, Buttons hopefully brought him her lead, just in case, but he was sitting in his chair, recovering from the effort of getting down the stairs.
“I’m sorry, Buttons. Not today.” He sighed as he took her lead and heaved himself up. “You go and have a run round the garden, there’s a good girl. And I’ll put your food down for you in a minute.”
Buttons could feel him watching her as she skittered off down the garden. He looked anxious, and she wondered what was wrong. He was holding her lead still, and looking at it sadly.
Buttons looked around the garden and gave a little whine. She would much prefer a walk, but the garden was better than nothing. She was sniffing thoughtfully through the flower bed by the fence, when she came across a little hole under a bush. It was just large enough to get her nose into, but the loose dirt made her back out quickly, sneezing and shaking her muzzle.
Once she’d stopped pawing at her nose, Buttons sat and looked at the hole, with her head on one side. It was only a small hole. But she was quite sure it could be bigger. If there was a hole under the fence, she could go off for a walk by herself. Without even her lead! Buttons crouched down, and started to scrape at the earth with one paw…
The hole took a while to dig, but no one noticed what Buttons was doing because of the bush. It was a perfect cover.
Late the next afternoon, Buttons wriggled and squirmed her way out under the fence, and stood in the street, looking round in delight. She could explore! She could go wherever she wanted! She sniffed the air eagerly. Which way should she go first? The most delicious smells wafted past her and she pattered off down the street, looking around curiously.