A Puppy Called Hugo by Fiona Harrison

Author:Fiona Harrison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2017-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

The sights and sounds of the dog park never failed to excite me, and arriving at the grassy playpen together with Jenny, I couldn’t wait to see my friends. We had spent much of the previous night barking on the dog telegraph, making arrangements and I was delighted to find they were already there waiting for me.

Bugsy was busy running around the tree, while Heather and Jake were knee-deep in barks on the other side. As for Hugo, he was nowhere to be seen, and greeting Peg with the warmest of licks I wondered if she might know where he was.

‘Sitting with Eric,’ she barked in reply. ‘Hasn’t left his side all morning.’

I glanced across to the bench where Eric was sitting reading the paper while Sal and Jenny nattered away beside him. On the floor, faithfully beside his master was my Hugo, head resting on Eric’s shoes, one eye closed and another flickering with interest, as if on high alert.

Feeling a flash of pride, I turned to Peg. ‘What’s brought this on with Hugo?’

Peg gave me another lick in reply. ‘I don’t know. I’ve tried to ask him about it, but he won’t leave Eric long enough for me to get a straight answer.’

I observed him carefully. It looked to me as though he was a dog merely looking after his owner and barked as much to Peg.

Peg rested her paw on mine and gave out a little sigh. ‘It does seem that way, but I’ll confess I’m worried. I adore all of my children, but I’ve been doing some thinking and I’m worried this good behaviour of Hugo’s won’t last. He means well, I’ll give him that, but I think it’s going to be a struggle for him to keep it up.’

‘You need more faith in our boy,’ I admonished. ‘I’m sure you were right before. I think he’s finally turned a corner.’

‘Really?’ Peg barked knowingly. ‘Then why has he just started to chew Eric’s shoe?’

Horrified, I glanced across at Hugo once more and saw to my surprise that Peg was right. I shook my head in despair. How did she know our children better than I did?

‘Don’t feel too bad, Perce,’ Peg barked as if reading my mind. ‘I heard Doreen tell Sal earlier that she had already told Hugo off for chewing Eric’s slippers last night while he was sleeping.’

I let out a low growl. Was there any getting through to that boy?

‘Hugo,’ I barked, causing him to look up immediately. ‘Leave Eric’s shoe alone, and get over here now.’

To my surprise, Hugo stopped immediately and raced towards me.

‘Daddy!’ he barked, greeting me by rubbing his wet snout against mine. ‘I’m so pleased to see you.’

‘Don’t think you can try and get around me that easily, my boy,’ I barked crossly. ‘You know it’s naughty to chew shoes.’

‘Especially while humans are wearing them,’ Peg put in.

Hugo hung his head in shame. ‘I’m sorry, Daddy and Mummy. I can’t help it, it’s just Eric’s shoes are so tasty.

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