Harry the Homeless Puppy Read Online Free PDF Page A

Danny asked disbelievingly.
    “Yes…” Grace admitted.
    “You muppet. Why didn’t you explain? I bet she would’ve understood.”
    “No, she wouldn’t. I’d have to admit I lied to her when I met her that time with Harry. I let her think he was mine, Danny. I never actually said it, but I didn’t tell her no when she said he was.”
    Danny blinked as he worked that one out. “I still think she’d understand if you explained it properly. You’ll have to anyway. She’s bound to ask you at ballet. Or else she’ll be really off with you, and you’ll be all miserable every Tuesday.”
    “I could stop going to ballet…” Grace suggested desperately.
    “Like Mum’s going to let you do that, silly! How can you be so good at getting dogs to understand you, but too shy to talk to people properly?” Danny shook his head. “Nope, you’ll just have to explain. Is she still here?”
    They looked over at the play area. Maya was there, talking to her sister.
    “Come on!” And Danny grabbed Grace’s arms and marched her and Finn and Jake across the park.
    Grace slowly approached Maya, looking embarrassed.
    “Go on!” Danny nudged her.
    “I’m so sorry,” Grace muttered. “I didn’t mean to pretend Harry was mine, but when you thought he was, it was so nice. I really, really wanted him to belong to me, you see.”

    Maya gave her a confused look, confused and slightly suspicious. “So neither of them are yours? Who do they belong to then?”
    Grace sighed sadly. “The animal shelter. Me and Danny go and help there after school. We take the dogs for walks.”
    “Ohhh.” Maya nodded.
    “I didn’t mean to run off, it’s just that I suddenly realized you’d know I’d lied to you and I didn’t know how to explain everything.” Grace looked at Maya, hopefully. Danny had been so sure that if she explained, Maya would be OK with it. Was he right?
    “If you liked Harry so much, why didn’t you take him home?” Maya asked.
    “Mum says we can’t fit a dog in our flat.” Grace sighed. “But Harry was so sad when he first came to the shelter. I spent ages trying to cheer him up, and it was almost like he was mine. When you thought he actually belonged to me, it was like my wish come true.”
    “At least you can see him at the shelter,” Maya said. “It sounds like fun.”
    Grace sighed. “I can’t any more. Someone else adopted him at the weekend; that’s why I’ve got Jake today instead. Harry’s gone.”
    “Oh, Grace! That’s so sad.” They were silent for a minute, then Maya looked at her and Danny shyly. “So you still go to the shelter? Could I maybe come with you one day? I love dogs too; I’d really like to see them all.”
    “Oh, yes! Why don’t you meet us there tomorrow?” Grace smiled. “Mum said we could definitely go on Saturday morning, didn’t she, Danny? And they’re always wanting more help.”

    Grace never even noticed that someone else was there in the park. Mrs Jameson was working from home, and had taken Harry out for a quick walk. He was enjoying the smells – the park was full of interesting litter bins, and squirrels, and the scents of other dogs – but he wished he was with Grace. He plodded slowly round the path, watching the other dogs, and the children playing. He wondered where Grace was now.
    And then he saw her. Grace was over on the other side of the park – with another dog. Harry stopped dead, and ignored Mrs Jameson gently pulling at his lead. Had she forgotten him already? Harry barked and barked, pulling on his lead as hard as he could, but she was too far away to hear him.

    Did Grace have another dog now? He missed her so much, as much as he’d missed Beth when she went away. Why did everyone go away? Harry sat down in the middle of the path and howled broken-heartedly.
     
    Mrs Jameson was worried that he might be hurt somehow. She picked him up and hurried him home, where he curled up in his basket and wouldn’t be played with all evening.