The Hero Pup by Rix Megan

Author:Rix, Megan [Rix, Megan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780141351933
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2014-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Although he left for school in plenty of time to get there, Joe dawdled and went down one street twice so that when he arrived the bell had already rung. He ran in at the last minute, breathing a sigh of relief that no one had had a chance to speak to him.

The classroom was very noisy with everyone talking about their holidays as he went in.

‘Hey, Joe,’ Charlie said. ‘Good to have you back.’

Joe took his seat as their teacher, Miss Addams, came in.

‘What did you do during the holidays, miss?’ Charlie asked her.

‘Oh, just trekked through the Himalayas,’ Miss Addams told her with a smile.

‘Ooh, nice; we went to Benidorm. My dad got sunburnt and my brother pushed my wheelchair into the swimming pool,’ Charlie said.

‘We went on safari,’ boasted Thomas.

‘I went to my gran’s,’ said Ben.

‘I just stayed at home,’ said Sheila.

Joe hoped Miss Addams wouldn’t ask him how he was. He didn’t want to tell everyone about the funeral. But then he remembered Patch.

‘I got a puppy,’ he chipped in, and everyone stopped talking over each other and listened to him instead. ‘His name’s Patch.’

‘Oh, cute,’ said Ben.

‘What sort is he?’ asked Sheila.

‘He’s not just a pet puppy,’ Joe said. ‘He’s training to be a Helper Dog when he grows up.’

At that moment the bell rang and it was time for the first assembly of term. Joe and the rest of his class sped down the corridor to the hall. All the children had to sit on the floor, apart from Charlie.

‘We have a very special visitor with us today,’ Mr Potter the head teacher said once everyone was there. ‘I’ll give you a clue. He’s got four legs and he is very furry.’

‘Is it a lion?’ asked Charlie loudly and everyone laughed.

‘No, not a lion,’ Mr Potter replied, looking towards the side of the stage.

Suddenly, Joe’s mum stepped out from behind the curtain, accompanied by Patch on his lead. His little tail wagged happily and there was a collective Awww from the assembled children. Joe could hardly believe it. Patch was really there, up on the stage in front of his whole school.

‘He’s so cute,’ cooed Charlie.

‘What’s his name?’ asked Thomas.

‘How come he’s at our school?’ Daniel wanted to know.

‘Why’s he got one black ear and one yellow one?’ asked Ben.

‘Joe, perhaps you can come out here and answer some of these questions?’ the head teacher said.

Joe could feel all of his classmates’ eyes staring at him as he stood up and went to the front. Patch was so happy to see him that his little tail wagged a million times a minute, and he licked and licked Joe’s face when Mum gave him the puppy to hold.

‘Thank you,’ Joe whispered.

‘I thought he might be missing you,’ his mum said with a wink.

‘Now, little Patch is a very special puppy, isn’t he, Joe?’ the head teacher said.

‘Yes, he’s a Helper Pup,’ Joe explained, ‘and one day he’s going to make a big difference to a disabled soldier’s life.

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