CHAPTER 6

Once they were inside, Grover showed Benji around the house. There was one bed upstairs, in Annie and David’s room. There was one in the front sitting room, by the fireplace. The last bed was in the back room near the kitchen, and that was where the two dogs settled for a little nap.

When Grover woke up, he saw that Benji was already awake.

‘Do you think that cat was right, Grover?’ Benji asked.

The words stung Grover like he’d stood on a thistle.

‘Do you think there are any humans out there who would want an old dog like me?’ Benji went on.

That mean cat! I wish I could just make him DISAPPEAR! Grover thought.

‘Of course someone will want you,’ Grover said. ‘Don’t let Mr Tibbles bring you down. He’s a mean old cat with no friends and no manners.’

‘He’s definitely rude,’ said Benji, ‘but he still might have a point. I’m not sure anyone will ever love me like my Nancy did.’

Mr Tibbles has a point, alright, Grover thought. And that point is to be an annoying busybody!

‘I know what w ill cheer you up,’ Grover said, jumping up from the bed and running over to Annie. ‘The park!’

‘Oh, I haven’t been to a park in years!’ Benji said, his ears perking up.

‘I don’t suppose I could interest you two in a quick trip to the —’ Annie hadn’t even finished her sentence before Grover had raced to the front door.

‘Come on, Benji, follow my voice!’ Grover barked from the hallway.

‘Am I almost there?’ Benji called, as he edged closer to the front door.

‘Just five more steps,’ said Grover. ‘One, two, three, four …’

‘FIVE!’ barked Benji, as he reached the door.

Annie bent down and clipped on the dogs’ leads, and then they ran outside.

‘I can smell that nasty cat,’ Benji said, as they walked down the lane.

‘Me too,’ Grover replied, looking around for Mr Tibbles. ‘But I can’t see him anywhere.’

‘That makes two of us!’ Benji said, laughing.

When they reached the park, there were dogs everywhere! Grover and Benji walked right around the park, Grover watching carefully to make sure that Benji didn’t run into anything.

Just as they were about to head back to Annie, Grover heard someone barking in the distance.

‘GROVER, YOU’RE HERE!’ barked a scruffy black dog. It was Hamish.

‘Hi, Hamish,’ Grover called back. ‘Come and meet my new friend Benji.’

‘Hey, Benji! Want to play catch?’ Hamish called, as he flicked a tennis ball towards Benji.

‘Hamish, NOOO!’ Grover barked, but it was too late. The ball had already hit Benji right in the nose.

‘OWWWWWW!’ Benji howled.

‘Sorry!’ Hamish called, as he ran over to make sure Benji was okay. ‘Don’t you know how to catch?’

‘Benji is blind,’ said Grover, ‘so he couldn’t see the ball.’

‘Oh,’ Hamish said, looking very guilty. ‘I’m sorry!’

‘It’s okay. You didn’t know,’ Benji said. ‘No harm done. I’m fine.’

‘See, Benji, I told you Hamish has a lot of energy,’ said Grover, giggling.

‘So can we play now, guys, can we?’ Hamish said, bouncing around.

‘GROVER! BENJI! Home time!’ Annie called across the park.

‘Sorry, Hamish, we have to go,’ Grover said. ‘But I promise I’ll be back tomorrow, okay?’

‘Oh, okay,’ Hamish said sadly.

But he didn’t stay sad for too long.

‘Bye, Benji! It was nice to meet you,’ Hamish said. ‘And sorry about your nose. I can bring a soft ball tomorrow. A very soft ball, made from wool. I have about a million of them. I’ll find the softest one I can, okay?’

‘Thanks, Hamish, you’re a good pup. It was very nice to meet you too,’ Benji said, before he and Grover headed back to where Annie was standing.

The two dogs walked home happily tired. But as they went up the stairs to the front door, Mr Tibbles was there.

‘Still no home, Toy Dog?’ he said, sneering.

‘Oh, buzz off,’ Grover replied, as he and Benji walked past.

‘I’ll tell you what, Dog, if you can find a human who wants that broken, pathetic Toy Dog then I will leave your porch for good,’ Mr Tibbles announced.

‘Really?’ asked Grover, stepping back outside.

‘Really,’ grinned Mr Tibbles. ‘There’s just one catch.’

‘Oh yeah, what’s that?’ Grover asked.

‘You have to do it by tomorrow,’ Mr Tibbles said slyly. ‘If he’s gone by the end of the day, you can have your porch back. If he’s not, then I’m here for good.’

‘Challenge accepted,’ Grover said, as he marched inside. ‘Start packing, Mr Tibbles.’