‘Postman! Postman!’ Star and Spud raced to the letterbox as a stream of envelopes poured down on to the hall floor. ‘I like Christmas!’ woofed Spud. ‘Look at all these cards!’
The children were just finishing breakfast when the two pups trotted in, each carrying a small pile of post carefully in their mouths.
‘Thank you!’ said Sophie. ‘Oh, look! This one’s from Professor Cortex. I recognize his tiny writing.’ She opened the card and read out the message inside:
Happy Christmas to all the Cook family, and especially to Agent GM451 and the Spy Pups,
Best wishes,
Maximus Cortex
PS I will be in London on Friday for a meeting. Would you join me afterwards for a trip to the pantomime? You can stay the night in one of the Secret Service visitors’ flats overlooking the river.
‘Wow!’ said Ben, putting his cereal bowl into the dishwasher. ‘That would be great!’
‘Do you think Lara and the pups can come too?’ asked Ollie through a mouthful of toast. Ollie was especially fond of Spud and Star because they were the little ones – a bit like him.
I’m sure the professor would want me there, thought Lara. After all he was the one who trained me as a Spy Dog in the first place – but I think the pups might be a bit too young.
‘We’ll have to ask Mum,’ said Sophie, picking up her backpack. ‘Hurry up, Ollie, it’s a fun day today – the last day of the school term and then carol singing round the village this evening!’ Carol singing was another village tradition. Every year all the children in the neighbourhood went from house to house singing carols and collecting money for charity.
That night they were helped by Lara on the mouth organ and some enthusiastic howling from Spud and Star. I must teach them to read music soon, thought Lara. I think Spud would be a natural on the trumpet.
Like their mum, the pups were highly intelligent and Lara had agreed that the professor could put them on his special accelerated learning programme – the same one she had followed as a young dog. They were already officially Spy Pups and they were keen to learn as many skills as they could as they both really wanted to be proper secret agents when they grew up.
*
It was another cold night and by the time the carol singers had sung their way up and down the old part of the village and into the new estate, their hands and feet were frozen – but their collection box felt satisfyingly full.
Everyone loved the carols and as the children made their way along the streets, front doors opened one by one as people came out to listen and add their contributions to the box.
But when the singers got to old Mrs Perkins’s house they were surprised to find that her front door stayed firmly closed.
‘Perhaps she didn’t hear the doorbell,’ said Sophie, ringing it again. ‘Or maybe she just doesn’t want to come out in the cold.’
‘But Mrs Perkins always comes out!’ protested Ollie. ‘She usually gives us a chocolate biscuit too!’
A biscuit? Spud’s ears pricked up. Ring that bell again!
‘Never mind, Ollie,’ laughed Ben. ‘Come on, let’s keep going, everyone. We’ve almost finished now.’
But Lara wasn’t happy. I think I’ll just nip round the back and investigate. She put her mouth organ on the ground and trotted off down the side of the house.
‘What are you doing, Lara?’ called Ben. ‘There are loads of reasons why Mrs Perkins might not want to open her door tonight. It’s not polite to march all round her garden!’
Lara shook her head. Something isn’t right, she thought. Now let me see: all the lights downstairs are on, front and back, but the curtains are closed – I can’t see in. No lights on upstairs, curtains open. No. She can’t have gone to bed.
Lara woofed loudly and banged her paw on the kitchen window. Then she listened hard. She could just hear the sound of angry voices arguing inside. Her hackles went up and she growled despite herself. Then she realized that she knew the voices well.
It’s just EastEnders on the telly! It sounds exciting, though. Maybe Mrs P is watching it and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Then she heard something else. Was it another voice? Could it be someone calling? She strained her ears, trying to separate the sounds, but it was just too hard to tell. I can’t afford to take the chance, thought Lara. I may be just a family pet these days but I still know when something doesn’t quite add up. I’ve got to check that Mrs P’s OK.
Looking up, Lara noticed that the very top of the upstairs bedroom window was open. It was a tiny gap, far too narrow for a person to squeeze through, too small for a dog like Lara too.
This is a case for the animal neighbourhood watch! thought Lara as she raced round to the front of the house where the pups and the carol singers were waiting.
Since Lara had been living with the Cooks she had transformed a group of ordinary local pets into a specialist neighbourhood-watch unit. They met regularly for training and exercises and were proud of the way they kept their village free from crime. Star and Spud weren’t part of the team yet but Lara had already taught them the emergency call.
‘OK, you two,’ said Lara to the pups. ‘On my signal – go!’ Suddenly, the street was filled with noise, not the musical sound of Christmas carols but the sound of three dogs howling loudly, in a special pattern too: one long howl, one bark, then another long howl. It was the call to action!