Max trotted into the McKibbins’ kitchen at breakfast time, tail wagging vigorously, looking very pleased with himself.

“What are you doing here?” Harriet gave him some of her toast and honey.

There was a tap on the back door and Luke stuck his head into the kitchen.

“Mind if I come in?”

“Hello Luke,” said Harriet.

“Is this the obnoxious boy you knew would boss you around?” Harriet’s mother asked, and everyone laughed.

“I brought something for you,” Luke said to Harriet. It was the carving of Max, sanded smooth as satin.

“Gee, thanks!” Harriet beamed and turned the beautiful little carving in her hands. “Look what Luke made, Mum.”

Harriet’s mother held it up. “This is awfully good,” she said, “you’ve got a gift.”

Luke looked pleased and awkward at the same time. He glanced around, “Where’s Max?”

“I bet he’s gone off to see Brutus,” said Harriet. “Brutus is the dog next door – he’s pretty unfriendly.”

They looked through the window and, sure enough, Max and Brutus were standing next to the kennel.

“Max and Gus have tried to teach Brutus some manners, but it hasn’t made much difference,” said Harriet.

“Why don’t we take Max and Gus for a walk,” she suggested. She told Luke about the mysterious presents and her plan for getting the dogs to sniff out who was leaving them. “I think it’s somebody old, but I don’t know anybody like that round here. Why are they giving me presents?”

“It’s neat,” said Luke, “and mysterious. It’s worth a try with the dogs.”

Harriet went up to her bedroom to get the presents.

“It is an Opinel, like mine,” said Luke when she returned, “but not as rusty. Neat brooch, too. What are you going to give the dogs to sniff? How about the knife?”

Harriet told her mother what they planned to do. Her mother gave them both an apple and a chocolate bar and they set off to collect Gus. Harriet lifted her long, red scarf from the peg and wound it round her neck. It wasn’t cold enough for a scarf but it was her favourite and she was wearing it everywhere at the moment. She whistled Max back when they reached the road and he squeezed through the hole in the hedge to join them.

They talked as they went.

“How come you know Max and Gus so well?” asked Luke.

How much should I tell him? wondered Harriet. She was beginning to quite like him, but she didn’t know whether he could keep a secret, so she left out the bits about how they got out on their errands. But she did tell him about Honey.

“She’s my kind of my dog,” she explained. “My parents have almost agreed I can keep her.”

“Couldn’t we look for her, too?” asked Luke. “Won’t she come out when she knows Gus and Max are with us? Where’s she likely to be?”

“I think she’s probably living near the Old House, or in the reserve.”

Maybe she will have come back, thought Harriet as they turned in at Gus’s place, but only Gus came to meet them. Harriet went to ask Mr Jacobs if Gus could come with them and to collect a leash, and Luke called over the fence to tell Mrs Howard what they were off to do.

“’Fraid you’re in for a walk, Gus,” said Max. “Harriet’s going to get us to sniff a knife someone round here gave her, to see if we can pick up the scent. I think she wants to know who left the knife for her in the letterbox – like our bones,” he added.

“Laughing Labradors!” exclaimed Gus. “We’re good at scents, but not that good!”

However, the dogs made a big thing of sniffing the knife – which smelt almost entirely of Harriet – and off they went.

They turned right and walked along to the main road. Gus and Max stopped frequently to sniff in every direction. “Gotta play the game,” murmured Gus to Max with a wink. Then they returned on the other side of the road and walked as far as the corner.

“We can go left to the park, or right to the reserve – though that’s much further,” explained Harriet. “There’s only one house up that way and that’s the Old House. It’s a bit creepy.”

“Neat! Much more interesting than the park,” said Luke. “Gran’s never been keen for me to go up there, so let’s do it now. We might find Honey, too.”

Max and Gus were less enthusiastic. They dragged on their leashes.

“Now come along!” said Harriet firmly. “We might find Honey.”

The road ahead was overhung with trees and slippery from the recent rain. Luke pulled on his jersey. Soon they reached a wide track on the left.

“This must be the entrance to the Old House,” said Harriet. “Look, there’s a letterbox.”

Luke walked across to it, pulling a reluctant Max after him.

“Hey, there’s stuff inside,” he said. “I thought you said nobody lived here.”

“It’s just junk mail,” said Harriet. “The people who deliver it don’t realise there’s no one living here.”

Luke felt the newsprint. “But it’s dry, and we’ve had quite a lot of rain. It can’t have been here for more than a day.”

“So?”

“So, we should go further and check the house out.”

But he’d reckoned without Max and Gus. They sat down stubbornly where they were, and refused to budge.

“Dogged! That’s the best word for you two,” said Luke.

Harriet giggled. “We should be saying “Dog-gone! Except that it’s dog-stay!”

The dogs licked themselves slowly and elaborately.

“Delaying tactics,” said Luke. “We’re not going to win this one.”

“They’re getting the message,” said Gus quietly to Max.

“There’s no sign of Girl,” Max replied. “Shouldn’t we go looking for her?”

“I’ve been up twice at night already,” Gus replied. “She doesn’t want to come back yet.” He didn’t mention he’d seen lights in the house.

“Up here? At night?” exclaimed Max. He stared at Gus. “Why didn’t you ask me to come with you?” He looked hurt.

“You were still getting back on your paws after the storm.”

You thought I’d be too scared, thought Max. He looked away from Gus.

“OK, you win,” said Harriet. She realised the dogs weren’t going to budge. “I’ll call Honey just in case she’s nearby.”

She called and whistled, but there was no sign of Honey.

“Hey,” said Max to Gus in surprise, “Harriet seems to be calling her Honey.”

“That’s probably a better name than Girl,” Gus replied, “except that Girl doesn’t know that name. Still she knows Harriet’s voice and she’d come if she wanted to.”

“Let’s keep going up the road,” said Luke.

They walked on towards the reserve. The kawakawa and rangiora grew more thickly on both sides of the road. They looked up at blue sky but not much sun reached the road. A tui sang close by then took off with loudly whirring wings. Gus and Max trotted along, their tongues hanging out. In the distance they could hear a helicopter.

“Probably checking out the storm damage,” commented Harriet.

At last the road opened out into a sunny car park with a large sign:

A muddy path wound into the bush.

“Let’s explore,” said Luke.

“There were slips during the storm,” said Harriet. “They brought down trees. The track might be blocked.”

“Then we’ll have to find another path,” said Luke. “Come on, Harriet, we’re not just going back!”

Harriet patted Gus’s head. “He’s got arthritis in his hips. Mr Jacobs told me. It’s already been quite a long walk for him. I think we should go back now.”

Luke looked impatient. “Why don’t we take the leash off and just let him find his own way back when he’s had enough?”

“But what if he got caught in a possum trap? The notice says dogs have to be on leashes. And what about the dog-catcher!”

“Oh, come on Harriet!” said Luke. “Don’t be such a girl!”

Well, I am a girl, thought Harriet crossly. Gus nudged her and trotted forward. He’s telling me it’s OK, she thought, so she followed. It was slippery going. The track was muddy and plastered with leaves and twigs from the storm. They climbed steadily through the bush until they reached a signpost pointing to two different tracks. One track had white, plastic tape stretched across it. The tape said:

A notice attached to a post said:

“Let’s go up there and look at the slip,” urged Luke.

“But it says not to,” said Harriet. “It might be dangerous.”

“You don’t take any notice of stuff like this,” replied Luke. “They’re just being super-careful in case someone blames them for something.” He ducked under the tape.

“Like getting swept away by another slip you mean,” said Harriet. “Isn’t that just the point?” She thought Luke was being stupid and she was getting sick of her feet squishing around in wet sneakers.

But Luke hadn’t waited. He was already metres ahead, with Max struggling to keep up.

“Come on, Gus,” said Harriet. “We’ll turn round after ten minutes, I promise.” She glanced at her watch: 10.15 a.m.