They got into the van and drove straight to the camp. Dad parked on the common and he and Colin walked toward the caravans. The light was beginning to fade and the hop pickers were coming from the yards. A large strong-looking man was working on the last van. His arms were covered with grease and motor oil. But Dad was large and strong too and he went up to him.
“Evening, mate,” he said pleasantly. “There seems to have been a bit of a mixup. I believe you’ve got my lad’s dog in the trailer. Can we have a look? It’s a black mongrel.”
The man looked Dad full in the face. “See that dog?” he said, pointing to the large Alsatian. “He’s the only one we’ve got. If I let him off the chain you’d best run for it. He doesn’t like strangers.”
They stood facing each other. Colin felt Dad give him a little push and he understood what that meant. He darted to the steps and called at the top of his voice.
“Friska! It’s Colin. Good dog, Friska, good dog!”
Once again there was a sudden explosion and the caravan seemed to rock. Friska was hurling herself against the door over and over again, barking and scratching with all her might. The Alsatian strained at its chain and barked furiously. A crowd of pickers came running up. Then a woman’s shrill voice cried, “Let the dog out, can’t you, before she smashes all the china!”
A boy ran forward and opened the door and Friska sprang out with a force that made the crowd fall backwards. “Friska!” shouted Colin again and she turned and leaped on him, knocking him down.
Then Colin got up and laughed. Friska stood on her hind legs, put her paws on her master’s shoulders, licked his face and wagged her tail.
Another boy ran forward. “Meg!” he called loudly. “Meg, come here.”
Colin glanced at him. He had dark curls half over his eyes. Colin recognised him. It was the younger boy that he’d seen before. Friska took not the slightest notice of that boy. Then she turned and growled at the big man who had been looking on in silence. He suddenly chuckled.
“Meg,” he said. “Meg indeed!” He looked at the boy with the curls. “You wait till I get my hands on you, son!”
Colin’s dad stepped forward. “Look, mate,” he said. “We don’t want the police in on this. There’s another fortnight of picking and you won’t want to shift yet. My lad’s been breaking his heart over that dog. Maybe your boy thought she was lost, or maybe he didn’t, but that’s not a problem. I’m willing to pay for the dog anyway. Take this and let’s be going and good luck to you.”
The man held out his hand and there was a rustle of money. “Cheers,” he said, “and good luck to you and your lad.”
Dad and Colin walked back to the van with Friska bounding beside them. They drove through the village in silence because Colin was too happy to speak. Then as they sped up the country road that led home, Colin said, “Dad, did you pay a lot to get her back?”
“Yes,” said Dad. “She’s a good dog and worth it.” He rumpled Colin’s hair. “Taking you all round, you’re not a bad lad either.”
“But she was ours already. Why should we pay for her?”
“Well, I didn’t want a fuss, not with that crowd. Besides, she got away, didn’t she? You must keep a close eye on her in future, Col, especially at hopping time.”
They were silent again. Now they could see the farm on the hill ahead of them, black against the last glow. Colin could see the warm light streaming from the kitchen window. He was longing to tell Dad all about his great day, but he thought he’d wait until they were all together.
“Dad,” he said suddenly, “it’s like what the vicar was talking about. That bit from the Bible – the second part of that verse I always forget. It says, ‘Don’t be afraid. I have rescued you.’”
“Eh? Oh, yes,” said Dad. “Jesus bought us back from bad things when he died for us. And I bought Friska back. Yes, Cal, I see what you mean.” Then he frowned. “Listen, Colin, if your mum tells you off, remember you deserve it. You never ought to have gone off on your own like that, scaring her stiff.
Indoors, Mum had meant to be cross, but she couldn’t. She was too pleased to see Colin – and Friska – home and safe. And, when she heard the whole story, she was proud of Colin being so brave. Colin was so tired he only just managed to tell the story (and eat a big plate of sausage and chips) before he fell asleep. He was happy to go to bed because he knew when he woke up in the morning he’d find Friska in her basket by the cooker.
He was up early next day and he and Friska ran out into the cool, misty morning. The grass was covered with spiders’ webs. They went across the fields and chased about in the grass. Colin always took Friska for a run on Sunday mornings because she had to stay behind when they went to church. He especially wanted to go to church that morning because he wanted to tell the vicar all about his great adventure. So the moment the service was over, Colin rushed up to him.
“Hey, Simon,” he said, grabbing his sleeve, “you know Friska was lost? Well, I went and found her. I went all by myself all the way to Leigh and I saw the caravans and…”
“Just a moment,” said the vicar. “This is too good to hurry. I’ll go and shake hands with the people. You ask your mum if you can come over to the vicarage. Then you can tell me all about it.”
So Joy promised to tell Friska that Colin wouldn’t be long. About twenty minutes later, Colin and the vicar sat down in the vicarage sitting room. Simon’s wife brought some juice and biscuits and she and their baby listened to the story too. And when Colin had finished, he said, “And you know, Simon, it was like the second bit of that verse. The bit I forget! We rescued Friska. Dad bought her back. He said it’s like what Jesus did on the cross. Friska needed rescuing so Dad paid the price to do it. We need rescuing from bad things, too, don’t we? And Jesus did it.”
“Yes, Colin. That’s right,” said Simon.
“And when I was sitting behind the wall I was scared and I said yes.”
The vicar blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Well, when we get scared, God’s there for us, isn’t he, when we belong to him? That’s what you said. God calls us by our name and we can say yes or no, and I said yes. It was as though God said, ‘You belong to me.’ And then I wasn’t so scared any more. Friska wasn’t scared when I called her by name. She came bounding out and then she belonged to me again. But Dad had to pay for her and she cost him a lot.”
“Well done, Colin,” said the vicar. “You’ve really understood. ‘Don’t be afraid. I have rescued you.’ What your dad said was right. You had to be bought back too, Colin, before you could belong to God. Just like Friska got into the wrong hands, so we fall into the hands of bad stuff and wrong things. We tell lies and are selfish and lose our tempers. Think about it, Colin – if lies and arguing went into heaven, it wouldn’t be heaven any longer, would it? So we need to be rescued from all that bad stuff so we can belong to God.”
Colin looked thoughtful.
“That’s why Jesus came. He died on the cross and was punished instead of us for the wrong things we had done. He paid for them instead of us so now we can be forgiven and belong to God again. So we’re rescued and bought back for God,” said Simon.
Colin listened and nodded his head. “That’s why people love Jesus so much, Simon! Because he loved us enough to suffer so much.”
Simon smiled. “You’ve got it!”
Colin stood up. “I must get back to Friska. But yes, Simon, I do get it. ‘Don’t be afraid. I have rescued you. I have called you by name; now you belong to me.’ I can say it to Friska and God has said it to me.”
He thought about it as he walked up the lane, scuffling through the golden leaves that had already started to fall. He felt very happy. He had shown Friska how much he loved her. He’d walked all that way. He’d braved the big Alsatian dog and the hop pickers. He’d crept up to the caravan and called her by name. He’d rescued her… she’d been bought back. And he knew Friska would always love him.
But Jesus had done far more than Colin had done for his dog. Jesus had died on the cross and suffered a lot of pain to rescue Colin.
I love him too, thought Colin. I’m glad I said yes. I’m glad I belong to God. There was a wild barking and Friska came hurtling down the lane to meet him.
“And,” said Colin out loud, “I’m so very, VERY glad that Friska my friend is home again!”
