The Lost Puppy Read Online Free Page B

It didn’t help that he was so hungry. He wanted to be back at home with Ruby, eating his tea.
    Just then, he heard the rushing sound of the stream, and he trotted forward, peering down the steep bank at the water. They had come over the stream, and that had been before Anya had fallen over, he remembered.
    He sat down at the top of the bank. Should he cross over again or not? He whimpered miserably, wishing he had run back to Ruby when she called him. No. He wouldn’t cross over again. Ruby would wait for him where he’d left her, he was sure. By those big trees, where Anya had fallen over. He only had to find them. He turned away from thestream, and nosed along, trying to find the path. But so many dogs had walked through the woods that he was quite distracted, and kept losing Ruby’s scent.
    It was starting to get dark, and the woods were gloomy, and full of strange noises, rustlings and odd bird calls. For the first time, Toby began to wonder what else might be in the woods, as well as that grey creature he’d chased. He wondered if there was anything bigger.
    The late afternoon shadows meant that Toby didn’t even notice when he pattered over the stream further along its course, where it ran under a fence in a huge metal pipe. Toby was small enough not to pay much attention to the fence, he simply went under it, and he didn’t see the pipe buried inthe bank. So he was surprised to find himself almost back at the road.
    He came around a corner of the path and pulled up short, staring at the wider verge at the edge of the little lane that led into the woods. He knew this! He was sure of it, even though he hadn’t crossed the stream again. This was just a little way along from where they had left their car. But the space they had parked in was empty.
    They had gone without him!

Chapter Five
    Toby sat down on the path, miserably. He’d been about to find Ruby, he was sure of it. But it looked like she’d left without him. He couldn’t understand why she would go away and leave him. Didn’t she want him back? Was she cross because he’d frightened Anya?
    He whimpered, staring across the lane at the space where the car shouldhave been. Then he whirled round, his tail tucked in, and a tiny growl beginning in his throat.
    Behind him was a tall man who’d come jogging down the path, his big white trainers shining, even in the gathering dusk.
    “Hey, it’s all right. I almost trod on you, didn’t I, poor little thing? Sorry, I didn’t spot you there. I was just running, and not really looking.” The man crouched down, panting, and stared at Toby, smiling. “You might just be the smallest dog I’ve ever seen.”
    Toby glared back at him suspiciously, remembering the lady who had told him off before.
    The man held out a gentle hand, and Toby sniffed at it. The man smelled ofanother dog, which wasn’t good, but apart from that, Toby felt as though he could trust him. And he didn’t know what else to do.

    “Who do you belong to? Hey? You’re not a stray, you’re too well-looked after. Lovely shiny coat, and you’re not skinny, even if you are a tiny thing. Where’s your collar? I bet you’ve slipped your lead, haven’t you? Little devil. Someone’s going to be really worried about you.”
    Toby backed away slightly as the man’s hand went to his pocket, but all he did was pull out something in a crinkly wrapper and open it. He broke off a piece, and held it out to Toby.
    “It’s not really the best thing to give a dog, but a little bit won’t do you any harm. You try it, pup. It’s good. I like them anyway, when I’ve been out for a run. Energy bar, that’s what it is.”
    The thing smelled sweet and sugary, and it was making Toby hungrier than ever. He darted forward and snapped it out of the man’s hand, bolting it down in one gulp.
    “Nice, isn’t it? Want some more? I wonder who you belong to. You must have come here on a walk with your owners, there’s no houses close by, andyou’re too