longer allowed
to go to the park alone.
“Then let’s just assume it’s true,” Fang suggested.
“But then what? I don’t understand.” Lucie quoted:
“The task begins at your own front door
For answer follow your own right paw
Human knowledge is what you need
Written in form that humans read.
But what does it mean?”
Fang shrugged.
“A lot of help you are!” said Lucie crossly. “I know Silver Paw said it was for me to solve, but still…you might at least make a suggestion!”
There was a distant shout. “Lucie, time for school!”
“Oh, bother!” Lucie leapt up. “Bother, bother, bother!”
But when school was over Lucie returned in a calmer mood. Fang was still prowling about the garden in snow that was rapidly turning into slush.
“I thought it best not to meet you,” said Fang. “With all the fuss there’s been recently.”
“You’re right,” said Lucie, sitting herself on her swing. “I’m afraid Mr Dundas hasn’t forgotten. He was standing by the school gates when I came out.
I’m sure it was just so he could check you weren’t there. Dad came to meet me, and he asked Dad what he had decided to do with you, and Dad said he would tell him tomorrow. I think it
must be tomorrow they’ve made the appointment with the vet.”
Fang nodded. Lucie stared miserably at the chestnut tree. The melted snow was dripping from the bare branches onto the ground. The drops looked a bit like tears.
“I’ve decided,” Lucie began. “I’m going to —”
“Wait!” said Fang quickly. “Someone’s coming!”
They both fell silent. After a while Lucie heard what Fang’s more sensitive ears had heard already: the crunch of footsteps.
Someone
was coming round the side of the house.
“Marcus!” Lucie whispered.
“No. The smell’s not right. It’s not got that nasty undertone of weasel and mouldy cheese.” She sniffed. “I think it’s the nice boy.”
Alex appeared around the corner of the house. “Oh, there you are,” he said. “Your Mum and Dad said you’d be in the garden.” He stood next to the swing, looking
awkward. “I just wanted to see if I could help,” he burst out suddenly. “I’ve begged Mum to let
us
take Wolfie if you can’t keep her, but she says we’ve
only a tiny garden and Dad is allergic to dogs…”
“Don’t worry,” said Lucie. “I want Wolfie to stay here, anyway.”
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“There is,” said Lucie. “You can go round and see Marcus.”
Alex blinked. “
What
?”
“I need you to keep him out of the way. You see, he doesn’t go to After School Club on Wednesdays.” Lucie flushed. “I can’t really explain, but I want to try
something — something somebody told me that might help Wolfie. Only I don’t want Marcus sticking his big nose in and messing things up.”
“Leave it to me,” said Alex. He looked a lot more cheerful now he had something to do. Then he said, “Wait a minute. Won’t Marcus be suspicious if I go round? He knows I
don’t like him.”
“Tell him you’re sounding him out to be goalie for the school team,” said Lucie. “That’ll do the trick.”
Alex snorted. “Have you
seen
Marcus play football?”
“No. But he’s such a big-head he’ll believe you.”
“All right. I’ll get him to practise stopping some shots. Good luck.”
He ran off. Lucie heaved a sigh. “Thank goodness! That was the one thing I was most worried about. Come on, Fang!”
“Come where?” Fang asked.
“To do what the rhyme says. I don’t know what it
means
, but it’s our only hope, so I’ve decided I’m going to do exactly what it says. I’m going to
follow my right paw!” She looked down at her right foot. “That way!” She started off across the slushy ground.
Fang coughed. “That way seems to lead into a wall.”
“Oh.” Lucie’s face fell. “Then maybe we could get a ladder. Or tunnel underneath…”
“We wolves have a saying,” Fang
to go to the park alone.
“Then let’s just assume it’s true,” Fang suggested.
“But then what? I don’t understand.” Lucie quoted:
“The task begins at your own front door
For answer follow your own right paw
Human knowledge is what you need
Written in form that humans read.
But what does it mean?”
Fang shrugged.
“A lot of help you are!” said Lucie crossly. “I know Silver Paw said it was for me to solve, but still…you might at least make a suggestion!”
There was a distant shout. “Lucie, time for school!”
“Oh, bother!” Lucie leapt up. “Bother, bother, bother!”
But when school was over Lucie returned in a calmer mood. Fang was still prowling about the garden in snow that was rapidly turning into slush.
“I thought it best not to meet you,” said Fang. “With all the fuss there’s been recently.”
“You’re right,” said Lucie, sitting herself on her swing. “I’m afraid Mr Dundas hasn’t forgotten. He was standing by the school gates when I came out.
I’m sure it was just so he could check you weren’t there. Dad came to meet me, and he asked Dad what he had decided to do with you, and Dad said he would tell him tomorrow. I think it
must be tomorrow they’ve made the appointment with the vet.”
Fang nodded. Lucie stared miserably at the chestnut tree. The melted snow was dripping from the bare branches onto the ground. The drops looked a bit like tears.
“I’ve decided,” Lucie began. “I’m going to —”
“Wait!” said Fang quickly. “Someone’s coming!”
They both fell silent. After a while Lucie heard what Fang’s more sensitive ears had heard already: the crunch of footsteps.
Someone
was coming round the side of the house.
“Marcus!” Lucie whispered.
“No. The smell’s not right. It’s not got that nasty undertone of weasel and mouldy cheese.” She sniffed. “I think it’s the nice boy.”
Alex appeared around the corner of the house. “Oh, there you are,” he said. “Your Mum and Dad said you’d be in the garden.” He stood next to the swing, looking
awkward. “I just wanted to see if I could help,” he burst out suddenly. “I’ve begged Mum to let
us
take Wolfie if you can’t keep her, but she says we’ve
only a tiny garden and Dad is allergic to dogs…”
“Don’t worry,” said Lucie. “I want Wolfie to stay here, anyway.”
“I wish there was something I could do.”
“There is,” said Lucie. “You can go round and see Marcus.”
Alex blinked. “
What
?”
“I need you to keep him out of the way. You see, he doesn’t go to After School Club on Wednesdays.” Lucie flushed. “I can’t really explain, but I want to try
something — something somebody told me that might help Wolfie. Only I don’t want Marcus sticking his big nose in and messing things up.”
“Leave it to me,” said Alex. He looked a lot more cheerful now he had something to do. Then he said, “Wait a minute. Won’t Marcus be suspicious if I go round? He knows I
don’t like him.”
“Tell him you’re sounding him out to be goalie for the school team,” said Lucie. “That’ll do the trick.”
Alex snorted. “Have you
seen
Marcus play football?”
“No. But he’s such a big-head he’ll believe you.”
“All right. I’ll get him to practise stopping some shots. Good luck.”
He ran off. Lucie heaved a sigh. “Thank goodness! That was the one thing I was most worried about. Come on, Fang!”
“Come where?” Fang asked.
“To do what the rhyme says. I don’t know what it
means
, but it’s our only hope, so I’ve decided I’m going to do exactly what it says. I’m going to
follow my right paw!” She looked down at her right foot. “That way!” She started off across the slushy ground.
Fang coughed. “That way seems to lead into a wall.”
“Oh.” Lucie’s face fell. “Then maybe we could get a ladder. Or tunnel underneath…”
“We wolves have a saying,” Fang
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