That night, Molly went to bed worn out from searching up and down her street, and round the village, and cried herself to sleep. But a hundred miles away, another girl lay awake, too excited to close her eyes. In the corner of Jasmine’s bedroom was a small suitcase, already packed, just waiting for her to add her washbag the next morning. She knew she ought to go to sleep, as they were going to get up at six, and Dad wanted to be on the road by half-past, but she just couldn’t stop thinking about how exciting it was to be going on holiday. And to the seaside! It was only May, so it wouldn’t be hot enough for much sunbathing, but she could paddle, and build sandcastles, and eat loads and loads of ice cream! It was going to be fantastic.
Jasmine must have fallen asleep eventually, because next thing she knew, her mum was shaking her awake. For once she didn’t have to be told to get up quickly; she was downstairs five minutes later.
“I’m too excited for breakfast,” said Jasmine, when her mother offered toast.
“You need to eat something, it’s going to take us all morning to get there,” her dad pointed out. He was drinking a cup of coffee, and having another look at the map. “Right. So we come off the motorway, and then once we get to Stambridge, that’s the nearest town, we keep going along the cliff road, but we have to make sure we spot the sign for the cottage. The instructions from the holiday cottage people say if we get to Tilford, that’s a village about five miles further on, then we have to turn round because we’ve missed it! OK, I’m going to go and put these bags in the car.” He ruffled Jasmine’s hair as he went past. “Don’t worry, Jasmine, we’ll be on the beach this afternoon!”
Max was still lying huddled under the hedge, his leg throbbing with pain. He felt weak and dizzy, and he couldn’t stand up. He was so frightened. What was going to happen to him? Molly had no idea where he was – he didn’t even know where he was.
He still wasn’t really sure what had happened, either. He’d been wearily wandering along the road, then those enormous lights had swept over him, and something hit him. Then he didn’t remember any more. He wanted Molly. With a sad little snuffling noise, he laid his head down on his front paws. He couldn’t move – he’d tried and his leg wasn’t working. All he could do was wait, and hope. Maybe Molly would come looking for him. She wouldn’t give up on him, would she?
Chapter Four
Jasmine bounced excitedly around the holiday cottage, racing in and out of all the rooms, and getting under Mum and Dad’s feet.
“Can we go out and have a look around? Can we go and see the sea?” she kept asking.
“As soon as we’ve emptied the car, I promise,” her mum said, as she unpacked all the food they’d brought and stored it in the cupboards.
Jasmine sighed, and perched herself on the window sill to stare out. The little cottage was right on the cliff, with only a tiny patch of grass separating it from a huge drop to the sea. Mum and Dad had already made her promise faithfully to stay away from the edge. She had a beautiful view out to sea. The sun was sparkling on the water, and a couple of small boats were creeping past. The cottage was just outside a little town called Stambridge. If they walked one way they’d get to the town, which had lots of very interesting-looking shops that Jasmine had spotted on their way through, and if they went the other way they’d reach one of the many little paths down to the beach. Jasmine had been thinking that they should go and investigate the shops first, and maybe buy an ice cream, but the expanse of shining water was calling to her, and now she definitely wanted to find the path down the cliff.
At last her parents had finished the unpacking and they were ready to go and explore.
“Shall we go and get an ice cream?” her dad suggested. “I could do with something to cool me down after lugging all those bags around.”
“Oh, please can we go and look at the beach first?” Jasmine begged. “And can we go for a paddle? The sea looks so lovely out of the window, really blue, with little waves. Pleeeaase!”
“I don’t believe it. You’re turning down an ice cream?” Jasmine’s mum said, laughing.
Jasmine looked thoughtful. “Well, I’m not saying I don’t want one…”
Her dad grinned. “I’m sure we can do both. Let’s go and have a quick look at the sea, and then head into the town to explore.”
Eagerly they set off along the road. It had a real holiday feel, not like the smooth pavements Jasmine was used to at home. This road had steep banks, and hedges, full of wild flowers, and every so often something scuttled into the undergrowth as they passed. Just along from the cottage, a little white-painted signpost pointing the other way said Stambridge 2 miles. Jasmine walked ahead, looking excitedly for a path down to the sea.
“Oh, look! Here it is!” she called back, waving to her parents to catch up.
All at once, there was a strange little scuffling noise in the grass on the bank, and Jasmine jumped back. “Ugh! I hope it isn’t a rat!” she said nervously to herself. But the scuffling was followed by a tiny whimpering sound. That definitely wasn’t a rat. It sounded more like a dog…
Max had heard Jasmine calling, and for one hopeful moment he had thought it was Molly come to find him. He quickly realized it wasn’t her, this girl didn’t smell right, but maybe she would help him anyway. He struggled to get up, but he couldn’t, his leg hurt so much, so he just called out to her. Please! Help me! he whimpered.
Jasmine crouched down cautiously to peer into the grass, and saw Max’s black eyes staring back at her, glazed and dull with pain. He thumped his tail wearily to show he was glad to see her.
“Oh, wow, aren’t you gorgeous? What are you doing here, puppy? Are you lost?” Then Jasmine saw his leg and gasped. She jumped up. “Mum! Dad! Come here, quick!”
Her parents had been dawdling along, enjoying the early summer sunshine. Jasmine’s anxious voice jerked them out of their daydream.
“What is it?” her dad asked, dashing up.
“It’s a dog, a puppy, I mean. He’s hurt! Oh, Dad, look at his leg…” Jasmine’s voice faltered. Max’s leg was badly cut and had bled a lot all over his beautiful white fur. “What are we going to do?”
“He must have been hit by a car,” said Dad. “Poor little thing.” He turned to Jasmine’s mum, who’d come running after them. “Did you see a vet’s in Stambridge as we drove through?”
Jasmine’s mum shook her head. “I’m not sure, but I should think there would be. Is the little dog hurt?” she asked worriedly.
“Hit by a car, I think. We can’t leave him here.” He looked down at Max. “I wonder when it happened. He looks pretty weak.”
Jasmine’s mum nodded. “Look, you and Jasmine stay here, I’ll go back and get the car, and some towels or something to wrap him in. Then we can drive him into Stambridge and ask someone about a vet.”
“Please be quick, Mum!” Jasmine gulped. The puppy looked so weak and ill lying in the grass. “Do you think it would be OK to pick him up?” she asked her dad. “He looks so sad.”