Щенок Элли, или Долгая дорога домой / Ellie the Homesick Puppy - страница 7

‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ she promised Ellie, and dashed inside.

Ellie shook the toy a few more times and growled at it, in case it was thinking of fighting back. At last she dropped it on the grass, nosing it hopefully. Where was Megan? This game wasn’t as much fun without her. Ellie left the toy and trotted up the garden to the back door.

The door was closed, but Ellie scrambled up the back step, anyway. The door didn’t always shut properly, and sometimes she could open it, if she nudged it hard with her nose at just the right place. Ellie pushed at the door. She wagged her tail proudly as it swung open and trotted inside.

Ellie wandered along the hallway, listening for Megan. Ah! That was her voice, coming from upstairs. She bounded up the stairs to find her.

Unfortunately, Megan’s dad was coming down the stairs, with his arms full of pictures from the bedrooms that he needed to bubble-wrap.

Ellie yowled as he accidentally trod on her paw, and tried to shoot off[49] through his legs.

Megan’s dad stumbled down the stairs, twisting his ankle. He landed painfully at the bottom.

Clutching his ankle, he looked up to see Ellie staring down at him.

‘That stupid dog!’ he yelled. ‘Megan! Ellie just tripped me up on the stairs. You’re supposed to be watching her! I thought Mum told you to put her outside.’

Megan and her mum had heard the crash, and they were already running along the landing.[50]

‘She didn’t mean to!’ Megan protested, hurrying to pick up Ellie, who was whimpering in fright. ‘I’m sorry, Dad, she was outside. I can’t have shut the back door properly[51] – it wasn’t her fault. Are you OK?’

‘No,’ her father muttered crossly, stretching his ankle. ‘Take that dog outside, now. Ow!’

Megan carried Ellie back into the garden. The little dog was shivering. She wasn’t used to being shouted at[52], and she’d never heard Megan’s dad sound so cross. Megan sat down on the garden bench and cuddled Ellie, whispering soothing words. ‘Ssshh, he didn’t mean it. I’m sorry, Ellie, I should have made sure[53] you couldn’t get back in.’

Ellie snuggled into her fleecy top, still shaking. At least Megan wasn’t angry with her. She whined with pleasure as Megan stroked her ears.

She knew Megan would always be there to look after her.