Read Ebook: Puppies and kittens and other stories by Cadby Carine Cadby Will Photographer

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Ebook has 704 lines and 30707 words, and 15 pages

We had another dog with Tim called Tess who hated the sight of a camera. We wanted to get a photograph of her and Tim sitting up together, but she was determined we shouldn't. As soon as we had placed them in a good position and were ready to begin, that silly Tess would tumble on her back with her legs sticking up in the air, and how could you photograph a dog like that! We tried scolding her, but that only made matters worse, for she simply wouldn't sit up at all, and as soon as we had dragged her on to her feet--flop, over she would go again! At last we had to give it up as a bad job.

Tess had five jolly little puppies, three boys and two girls, and as soon as ever the pups could get on without their mother, she was sent away. She went to some kind people who never wanted to photograph their dogs and where she would get heaps and heaps to eat, for I must tell you, Tess was rather a greedy dog and not as faithful and affectionate as Tim.

THE PUPPIES

Tim was very good to the puppies. Naturally, he didn't trouble himself about them quite like a mother, but he was never snappy or disagreeable. Even when they played all over him and nibbled his ears he never growled like some father dogs might have done.

One day we wanted to take a picture of the puppies sitting in a row, little thinking the difficult job it was going to be. Of course, Tim kept sitting just in front of the camera, so before we began he had to be taken indoors.

At first the puppies were all good except the two girls, Timette and Ann. They wouldn't stay where they were put, but kept waddling away as if they had some very important business of their own. As soon as Ann was caught and put back, Timette would wander off, and when she was caught, Ann was off again and so it went on. It was lucky there were two of us, but we were both kept busy. Then the other puppies didn't see why they shouldn't have some fun and they began wandering away, too. There was only one thing to be done with the two naughty pups who had set such a bad example and that was to give them a whipping. Of course, not a real one, for they were such babies they couldn't understand, but just a few mild pats to keep them still. You would have laughed to see their puzzled faces, for they were not sure what the pats meant and rather thought it was some new game. After this Ann was placed in the middle of the group, where she promptly went to sleep, and Timette was put at the end of the row, where she sat blinking as sleepily as you do when it is long past your bedtime.

Timette and Ann had never been so tired in their short lives. First of all, the running away and always being brought back, then being made to sit in one place, and after that the new game of pats had been too much for the babies, and when it was over they slept and slept as if they never meant to wake up again.

I wonder what they said to each other about it afterwards. I daresay the three other puppies laughed at them and probably made believe they had understood all along that they were expected to sit still. When old Tim came out again they told him all about it. "We tried hard to get away," said Timette, and Ann joined in, "We tried and tried over and over again, but each time we were brought back." Then the other puppies explained about the pats. "I see," said Tim, "now I understand you have had your first whipping for disobedience; take care it is the last."

TIMETTE AND ANN

When the puppies grew a little older, people used to come and look at them, and soon the three boy puppies were sold and taken to new homes.

Timette and Ann missed their brothers; it seemed funny to be such a small family and they did their best to entice old Tim to play with them. But he was too grown-up and dignified and rather slow in moving about, so it was not altogether a success. In the middle of a game he would prick up his ears and listen as if he heard some one calling him. And often he would trot off, pretending he was wanted elsewhere, just as an excuse to get away from the rough, romping pups.

Timette was given her name because she was so like Tim, and Ann hers because, as she was rather old-fashioned looking, it seemed to suit her. The puppies were very much alike, so only those who knew them well could tell them apart, but in character they were very different. Ann was gentle and timid, while Timette was a thorough tomboy, full of spirits and mischief and as bold as a lion.

And now I am going to tell you about the first adventure they had. They lived in a garden that ran into a wood. It was rather difficult to see just where the garden ended and the wood began, for they were only separated by a wire.

Now, Timette and Ann knew that they were not supposed to go out of the garden where they had plenty to amuse them: an india-rubber ball, a piece of wood that looked like a bone, and a bit of rag that did for playing "Tug-of-war." Ann never had the least wish to wander, for she was much too timid. But, as I said, Timette was different; she was simply longing to go into the wood and have some adventures. She kept talking to Ann about it, making most tempting suggestions and persuading her to go.

"Look at old Tim," she said; "he often takes a walk by himself, and he never comes to any harm."

"That's all very well," Ann answered; "he's old, and he can take care of himself."

"Well, and why can't we take care of ourselves?"

"Because I believe there are wild animals that would eat us up."

"Whatever makes you think that?" asked Timette, for she knew Ann had very sharp ears and keen scent; "do you smell or hear them?"

"Both," replied Ann, "only this morning I smelt that some animal had been in the garden. I got on its track and followed it down to the cabbages and back to the wood again."

"I don't think much of an animal who only goes after cabbages," Timette interrupted.

"There are others, too," continued Ann, "I often hear very strange scratching noises like animals running up trees with terribly sharp claws," and Ann gave a little shudder.

"Well, what of it?" said Timette boldly. "I shouldn't mind their claws as long as the animals weren't bigger than I am."

"But they might run after us," suggested Ann.

"They wouldn't run after me," boasted Timette, "for I should be running after them!"

"Would you really?" asked Ann, and she sighed, wishing she were as brave as her sister.

"I should say so," said Timette, "if only you would come, too, we might even catch one. Think what fun that would be."

"It certainly would," replied Ann. "Oh, how I should love it!"

"Well, come along," urged Timette, and Ann came along, and that is how the adventure began.

DOGS AND THEIR SENSE OF SMELL

This conversation took place after the puppies had eaten their dinner and were supposed to be taking their afternoon nap. Tim was stretched out on the lawn in the sun, having a doze, and no one was about. The two puppies slunk off quietly into the wood and no one saw them go.

The wood was very exciting; there were such strange smells about, and when the puppies put their noses to the ground they began to find out all sorts of animal secrets. And now, before we go any further with Timette and Ann into the wood, I must just tell you a little about dogs and their clever noses or you will be wondering why these puppies talked so much about smells.

Hundreds of years ago, when there were no maps or books or papers, people could find out all kinds of wonderful things by their noses. Your nose now will tell you the difference between the smell of a violet and strawberry jam and other things, but when you know what a dog can discover by its sense of smell, you will see how feeble yours is.

A dog will know who has been along the road by smelling the footsteps. Although it cannot read the way on a sign-post it can smell out the way to places and follow any one who has been along, even if it was some time ago.

You wouldn't know if a friend had been to see you while you were out unless you were told, but a dog would know as soon as he came back; he wouldn't be obliged to ask, for he would know just who it was. If the friend had brought another little dog, too, your own dog would be so excited he would probably try to tell you all about it, and yet he was away when it happened.

Haven't you often seen your dog stop suddenly when he is coming towards you and hold his head in the air? You must have wondered why he didn't come straight on. He has probably had a message, a scent blown on the wind, which like a wireless, tells him a rat has just crossed the road and is somewhere in the hedge if he will only go and look. And so it goes on; there is not a dull moment in his walk.

To a dog every one has his own particular smell which never deceives him. If you dress yourself up you may puzzle your dog's eyes for a little while. He may even bark at you as if you were a stranger, but once let him get near enough to smell you and it is all over. He will wag his tail and look up at you, as much as to say, "Did you really think you could take me in?" So you can understand why dogs when out hate to be made to come to heel, as they miss all the fun of the walk, and have no chances to stop and read the interesting smells that tell them so much.

THE ADVENTURE

And now we must go back to Timette and Ann and their adventure.

"The tree-climbing animal has been up here," cried Ann, sniffing at the bark of a tree. And when they looked up they saw a brown squirrel peeping at them from a branch.

"Come down! come down! come down at once!" barked the puppies, but Mr. Squirrel was too wise for that. He knew that even with such baby dogs it wouldn't be quite safe to trust himself on the ground.

"I don't call that playing fair," Ann called out, jumping up at the tree and wishing she could climb it. But the squirrel just sat tight.

Presently Timette smelt an enticing smell and dived into some bushes, while Ann anxiously watched and waited. She could hear Timette working about and breathing hard.

"Hi, hi, hi!" shrieked a big bird as it flew out. Timette dashed after it, but it rose in the air and left her looking very surprised. "Well, that was a sell!" she said.

Ann meanwhile was busy with her nose on the ground. There were a number of insects crawling about; they had no smell to speak of, but they moved quickly, which was rather fun. Once she chased a big hairy buzzing thing. It settled on a bit of heather and she nearly caught it, but luckily not quite, for it was a bumble bee.

Timette didn't care for the beetles; they were feeble sport for a dog, she thought, and putting her nose in the air she caught a most wonderful smell. She gave a short bark of delight and started running about to find it on the ground. Ann looked up and she too caught the message and was as busy as Timette. It was a most enticing scent: furry and alive and gamey so that it promised real sport. As soon as the puppies really got on to it, they put their noses to the ground and followed it up, their little stumpy tails wagging hard. Their instinct told them it was not an animal that could hurt them, but one their mother and father and grandfathers and great-grandfathers had chased, so you can't blame Timette and Ann for following up the scent of a rabbit.

But although rabbits are often killed by dogs, they are not silly enough to allow themselves to be caught by two young, inexperienced puppies. The rabbit they chased was an old one who had his wits too much about him to be even very afraid. You will laugh when I tell you that he didn't even trouble himself to hurry and just ambled along to a hole and popped down it.

This hole had been the chief entrance to his burrow, and he and his big family had used it so often that it was worn quite wide and smooth. The artful old rabbit, however, only went a little way down it, then he turned to one side and went up another little passage and out into the wood and off again.

"So have I," Ann answered, and then as she was feeling nervous in the dark, she added, "Let's go back."

"No, it's all right!" cried Timette, "we had better go on, I can see daylight and smell the open air."

This was a good thing, for the fat puppies would have found it very difficult to turn round in such a small space. At the end the hole grew so narrow that Timette had to squeeze to get through, and when Ann crawled out, some of the roof fell in and there was no more hole to be seen.

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