The Buttercup Farm Family by Enid Blyton

Author:Enid Blyton [Blyton, Enid]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Family, Classics, juvenile, fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure
ISBN: 9781444928099
Google: VaQaCgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B01136QY40
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 2015-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

7

A LITTER OF PUPS

The children often talked about the two wonderful sheep-dogs, and marvelled at all they could do.

“There’s only one lamb that won’t take any notice of Jamie and Jinny,” said Ann, proudly, “and that’s Hoppetty. He just skips round them and says cheeky things in that funny little bleat of his.”

“You’re lucky, Ann,” said Mike, who envied Ann her pet lamb. “So’s Belinda. She’s got heaps of hens that lay eggs for her, and you’ve got Hoppetty. I’ve got nothing of my own.”

“Well, have a piglet when the old sow has her family,” said Auntie Clara.

But Mike didn’t want a piglet.

“I’d like a horse or a dog,” he said. “Something that would follow me round like the hens follow Belinda, and like Hoppetty follows Ann. Auntie, did you know that Hoppetty came all the way to the bus the other day, when we went to school, and Ann wanted to let him get on, but the conductor wouldn’t let him?”

Auntie Clara laughed. “I expect Ann wanted Hoppetty to follow her to school, like Mary in the nursery rhyme,” she said. “That’s a bad little lamb you’ve got, Ann. He came into my dairy the other day and drank a whole pint of my cream!”

“Oh dear!” said Ann. “Don’t make me put him in the field with the other sheep yet, Auntie. I do love him so.”

Uncle Ned came in. “Heard the news?” he said.

“No, what?” cried the three children at once.

“Well—it’s Willie’s news really,” said their uncle. “You’d better go and ask him what it is.”

The children tore out of the house like wind. Up the hill they went to Willie. Jamie the sheep-dog came to meet them eagerly.

“Where’s Jinny?” said Ann, missing the second dog. She was nowhere to be seen.

Willie came out of his hut when he saw the three children. He was smiling all over his brown, wrinkled old face. He beckoned to the children, and pointed inside his hut. They ran up to him.

“Got some news for you,” he said, mysteriously. “You look in there.”

They crowded into the little hut. Lying on some straw in the corner was Jinny. She looked very happy indeed. Ann gave a loud squeal of delight.

“Look! She’s got some puppies! Oh, Willie, are they hers?”

“Hers and Jamie’s,” said Willie, proudly. “And a wonderful fine litter they be, Missy. Five of them, strong and healthy. Did ever you see such a sight?”

The children knelt down by Jinny, who didn’t in the least mind their loud cries of admiration. She gave each pup a lick as if to say, “They’re all mine! Don’t you envy me?”

“The darlings!” said Belinda. “Oh, Willie, won’t it be lovely to see them all grow up!”

Mike was looking at the tiny pups with shining eyes. He turned to Willie and put his hand earnestly on the old shepherd’s arm. “Willie,” he said, “please, please, Willie, could I have one of these pups for my own?”

Willie laughed. “Oh no, sonny. They are very valuable dogs, and they’ve all got new homes to go to.

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