“I suppose I’d better spend the evening replanting those rose-trees,” went on his father bitterly.
“And William gave him a whole steak and kidney pie,” murmured Mrs. Brown. “Cook will have to make another for to-morrow.”
William coughed again politely, but did not raise his eyes from his plate.
“What is that noise?” said Ethel. “Listen!”
They sat, listening intently. There was a dull grating sound as of the scratching of wood.
“It’s upstairs,” said Robert with the air of a Sherlock Holmes.
Then came a shrill, impatient bark.
“It’s a dog!” said the four of them simultaneously. “It’s William’s dog.”
They all turned horrified eyes upon William, who coloured slightly but continued to eat a piece of cake with an unconvincing air of abstraction.
“I thought you said you’d taken that dog to the Police Station, William,” said Mr. Brown sternly.