Patches Read Online Free Page A
Book: Patches Read Online Free
Author: Ellen Miles
White.”
“I’m a renovator,” Noelle told the boys. “That means I find old houses like this and fix them up. Then I sell them to people who will appreciate them.”
“Cool,” said Charles. “But — didn’t you hear that this house is haunted?”
Noelle laughed. “Sure I heard. They say that about
every
abandoned house. I’m used to it. And anyway, I don’t believe in ghosts, so it doesn’t scare me at all.”
Charles liked that. He decided then and there that he didn’t believe in ghosts, either.
“We
thought
there might be a ghost,” Sammy said. “But the howling we heard turned out to be —”
“That adorable little beagle next door!” Noelle nodded. “I know. The poor little guy is so sad and lonely. I can’t stand to hear him cry. That’s why I was wearing my headphones.”
All three of them went to the window and looked out at Patches, who had given up on howling for the moment. He was lying on the garage floor with his sad little face between his paws.
“His name is Patches. Can you believe the way those people treat him?” Charles asked. “They never give him any attention. But we found out that ignoring a dog isn’t against the law.”
Charles and Sammy explained about their visit with Ms. Dobbins. “We’re here to keep an eye out,” Sammy told Noelle. “To make sure nothing really bad happens to Patches.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Noelle. “I’ll keep an eye out, too. I just wish there was something else we could do. I really feel sorry for the little dude.”
Noelle showed the boys around the rest of the house. Charles liked the tall tower that you could get to by climbing up a ladder and through a trapdoor on the third floor. Noelle said she thought it would make a great guest bedroom. She explained all about her plans for fixing things up. Charles had a feeling that, like Patches, Noelle was a little lonely. It must be hard to work all by yourself, day after day, in old, empty houses.
“Noelle is really nice,” Charles said to Sammy as they were biking home.
“She’s great,” Sammy agreed. “I remember once she wrote a letter to the newspaper about this big tree we all used to climb, near Gram’s house. The electric company was going to cut it down, but her letter made them think again. Now that tree is still there!”
That made Charles think. He felt so bad aboutPatches, and — just like Noelle — he wished there was something he could do to help the lonely puppy. Now he remembered what Ms. Dobbins had said about teaching people the right way to treat dogs. Maybe there
was
a way he could help.
When he got home, Charles took Buddy out in the backyard for a long play session. He and the puppy ran and tumbled and wrestled and played tug-of-war with a stuffed snake. The whole time Charles was thinking about Patches, and how much the little beagle puppy would have loved to play like that.
After dinner that night, Charles went straight upstairs to the computer and worked for a long time. It would not have taken quite so long except he kept getting interrupted. First by Buddy, who trotted in and put his paws on Charles’s knee, hoping for more attention. Then by the Bean, who came in looking for Buddy. Then by Lizzie, who came in to scoop up the Bean for bath and bedtime. “What are you
doing
?” she asked Charles.She tried to sneak a peek at what he was writing on the computer, but Charles was too quick for her. He turned the screen away so Lizzie couldn’t see.
Lizzie always had to know everything. But this was Charles’s very own idea, and he wanted to see if he could do it all by himself. So all he said was, “I’m helping to educate the public.” And he wouldn’t tell Lizzie any more, no matter how much she begged.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dear Editor,
My name is Charles Peterson, age eight. I am a big dog lover. I don’t mean I just love big dogs — I love all dogs. Even miniature poodles. That’s why it makes me upset when I see a dog that
“I’m a renovator,” Noelle told the boys. “That means I find old houses like this and fix them up. Then I sell them to people who will appreciate them.”
“Cool,” said Charles. “But — didn’t you hear that this house is haunted?”
Noelle laughed. “Sure I heard. They say that about
every
abandoned house. I’m used to it. And anyway, I don’t believe in ghosts, so it doesn’t scare me at all.”
Charles liked that. He decided then and there that he didn’t believe in ghosts, either.
“We
thought
there might be a ghost,” Sammy said. “But the howling we heard turned out to be —”
“That adorable little beagle next door!” Noelle nodded. “I know. The poor little guy is so sad and lonely. I can’t stand to hear him cry. That’s why I was wearing my headphones.”
All three of them went to the window and looked out at Patches, who had given up on howling for the moment. He was lying on the garage floor with his sad little face between his paws.
“His name is Patches. Can you believe the way those people treat him?” Charles asked. “They never give him any attention. But we found out that ignoring a dog isn’t against the law.”
Charles and Sammy explained about their visit with Ms. Dobbins. “We’re here to keep an eye out,” Sammy told Noelle. “To make sure nothing really bad happens to Patches.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Noelle. “I’ll keep an eye out, too. I just wish there was something else we could do. I really feel sorry for the little dude.”
Noelle showed the boys around the rest of the house. Charles liked the tall tower that you could get to by climbing up a ladder and through a trapdoor on the third floor. Noelle said she thought it would make a great guest bedroom. She explained all about her plans for fixing things up. Charles had a feeling that, like Patches, Noelle was a little lonely. It must be hard to work all by yourself, day after day, in old, empty houses.
“Noelle is really nice,” Charles said to Sammy as they were biking home.
“She’s great,” Sammy agreed. “I remember once she wrote a letter to the newspaper about this big tree we all used to climb, near Gram’s house. The electric company was going to cut it down, but her letter made them think again. Now that tree is still there!”
That made Charles think. He felt so bad aboutPatches, and — just like Noelle — he wished there was something he could do to help the lonely puppy. Now he remembered what Ms. Dobbins had said about teaching people the right way to treat dogs. Maybe there
was
a way he could help.
When he got home, Charles took Buddy out in the backyard for a long play session. He and the puppy ran and tumbled and wrestled and played tug-of-war with a stuffed snake. The whole time Charles was thinking about Patches, and how much the little beagle puppy would have loved to play like that.
After dinner that night, Charles went straight upstairs to the computer and worked for a long time. It would not have taken quite so long except he kept getting interrupted. First by Buddy, who trotted in and put his paws on Charles’s knee, hoping for more attention. Then by the Bean, who came in looking for Buddy. Then by Lizzie, who came in to scoop up the Bean for bath and bedtime. “What are you
doing
?” she asked Charles.She tried to sneak a peek at what he was writing on the computer, but Charles was too quick for her. He turned the screen away so Lizzie couldn’t see.
Lizzie always had to know everything. But this was Charles’s very own idea, and he wanted to see if he could do it all by himself. So all he said was, “I’m helping to educate the public.” And he wouldn’t tell Lizzie any more, no matter how much she begged.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dear Editor,
My name is Charles Peterson, age eight. I am a big dog lover. I don’t mean I just love big dogs — I love all dogs. Even miniature poodles. That’s why it makes me upset when I see a dog that