“Please let us off our leads, Oliver!” Crumble snuffled, as they walked through the enormous garden.
“Grr!” Custard grabbed his lead between his teeth and shook it crossly from side to side. “Let me go, Oliver!”
“Stop it, you two,” Oliver scolded, unclipping their leads as they walked across the lawn. “I just wanted to check that there’s no way for you to get out of the garden.”
“Look, Custard.” Crumble had spotted something interesting.
“Where?” Custard woofed.
“There!” Crumble barked impatiently. “That must be Yasmin.”
A girl with long black hair was lying on the grass ahead of them. She was reading a book.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of the two puppies. “Hi, I’m Yasmin,” she called to Oliver. “Are you the chef?”
“Yeah, I’m Oliver, and this is Crumble and Custard,” Oliver replied.
“I’m Crumble,” Crumble panted. “Stroke me first!”
“I’m Custard,” Custard yapped. “Stroke me first!”
Yasmin laughed. She bent down and put an arm round each puppy. “They’re so cute,” she cried. “Do you want me to look after them while you’re working?”
“Oh, thanks!” Oliver said gratefully. “Sure you don’t mind?”
Yasmin shook her head. “No, I love dogs.”
“Great!” Crumble and Custard barked together.
“You two behave yourselves, then,” Oliver said. He scratched the puppies’ heads affectionately and handed their leads to Yasmin. “See you later.”
“Look at me, Yasmin,” Crumble woofed as Oliver hurried off. “I can roll over!” And he lay on the grass and rolled about, showing his fat tummy.
“No, look at me, Yasmin,” Custard boasted. “I can catch my tail!” And he started running round in circles.
Yasmin grinned. “You’re both lovely!” she said, kissing the tops of their heads.
Crumble and Custard had a brilliant time. They played Chase-the-Twig and Hide-and-Seek. And whenever the pups got out of breath, Yasmin picked them up and gave them lots of cuddles.
“Let’s go inside and have a drink,” Yasmin suggested as they all lay panting on the grass after playing Tag. “And we can see how Oliver’s getting on too.”
As they got near the house, Crumble and Custard’s noses began to twitch like mad. There were some delicious smells coming from the kitchen. They both began to feel very hungry as well as thirsty.
Oliver was spooning crumble over some apples in a large dish. His face was red because the kitchen was hot. But apart from that, he looked very calm and organised.
“I’m just going to get some water for the puppies, Oliver,” Yasmin told him.
Oliver smiled at her. “Thanks,” he said.
He grinned at Crumble and Custard. “Have you been good, boys?”
“Course we have,” Crumble yapped proudly.
“Everything smells great, Oliver,” Yasmin said shyly. She filled a bowl from the cold tap, then put it down on the floor. “How are you getting on?” she asked, as Crumble and Custard lapped at their water.
“Well, I’ve made the starters, and they’re already in the dining room,” Oliver said. “And I’m just finishing the pud. Then I’ll put the beef in the oven. All I have to do then is chop the veggies and make salads.”
“I can’t wait to try it all,” Yasmin grinned. Then she frowned as the sound of a car came through the open window. “I wonder who that is?”
“Well, as long as it’s not the guests,” Oliver laughed.
Yasmin went out into the hallway to have a look, and the puppies trotted after her.
“Wheeee!” Custard barked as he skidded on the polished floor. “This is fun, Crumble!”
Crumble tried to run after his brother, and slid along the floor too. “Let’s see how far we can slide!” he yapped.
Yasmin stared out of the hall window. A big car was pulling up outside the house, and another was just turning in through the gates. “Oh no!” she cried. “It is the guests – and it’s only twelve o’clock! They’re two hours early!”