Dognapped! by Karen King Read Free Book Online

furious. She growled, stiffened her legs, dug in her paws and refused to budge.
    ‘This is no time to be stubborn,’ I told her. ‘I’m trying to help you, you stupid dog.’
    Fluffy growled again and snapped at my hand, luckily I moved it away just in time.
    The other dogs were frantic now. I tried not to panic. I’d just have to pick Fluffy up and run with her, but I needed to muzzle her first or she’d have one of my fingers off. I’d tied a hoodie around my waist before I went out, in case it got chilly, so I used that to wrap around Fluffy.
    ‘Sorry, Fluffy,’ I said as I scooped the wriggling bundle up into my arms. ‘Believe me, I’m doing this for your own good.’
    I ran out of the kennel block and over to the field. ‘I’ve got Fluffy! Quick, let’s get out of here!’ I panted when I reached Max. I tucked the squirming bundle under my left arm and used the other arm to balance as I climbed over the gate.
    ‘You mean Mr Mudlark did steal her?’ he gasped as we legged it across the field. ‘Shouldn’t we call the police now?’
    ‘Let’s get Fluffy back to Gran first, then she can tell the police.’ We’d reached our bikes now so I passed the wrapped-up Fluffy to Max. ‘Here, hold her a minute while I get the bikes over the fence – and don’t take that hoodie off her!’ I yelled as Max pulled back a corner to have a peep.
    I lifted both bikes over the fence, climbed over myself and grabbed Fluffy back from Max. I put Fluffy in the big wicker basket on the back of my bike and fastened the loop, hoping it was strong enough to withstand her wriggling.
    ‘She won’t be able to breath properly in there!’ Max protested.
    ‘She will, it isn’t airtight and my hoodie is only loosely wrapped around her,’ I reassured him. ‘I’ll let her out as soon as we clear the lane.’
    We had to cycle past Mr Mudlark’s house again. It was the only way out. As we approached it, we saw a dark-haired man mowing the front turf. Was that Mr Mudlark? If so, it was no wonder he hadn’t heard the dogs barking over the noise of the mower.
    ‘Just act natural, no one’s going to suspect some kids out cycling,’ I told Max, riding alongside him.
    As we reached the house, the man switched off the mower and walked, with a slight limp, over to a side gate, without even glancing our way.
    ‘Ride as fast as you can,’ I shouted to Max. I wanted to be well out of the way when Mr Mudlark discovered that Fluffy was missing.
    We raced up the lane and out of the village. I wanted to keep riding until we got to Little Cragg, but I was worried about Fluffy in the basket, so as soon as we’d covered a safe distance, I yelled to Max. ‘Pull over on the sidewalk by those garages. I want to check on Fluffy.’
    ‘What are you on about?’ he looked around puzzled. ‘What’s a sidewalk?’
    ‘This, Dumbo.’ I pulled over by the garages.
    ‘It’s a pavement, not a sidewalk,’ Max grumbled, pulling up beside me. I ignored him, got off my bike and opened the basket. Fluffy snarled and snapped at my finger.
    ‘Oww! She bit me!’ I yelled, rubbing my finger.
    Fluffy wriggled out of the hoodie and poked her head out of the basket.
    ‘I’ll take her, she’s more used to me than you,’ Max said. ‘Here you are, Fluffy’ he took a candy piece out of his pocket and gave it to the dog.
    Fluffy ate the candy, then grudgingly allowed Max to lift her out. ‘Poor thing, were you scared?’ Max said in a pathetic girlie voice.
    ‘Amy …’ Something about Max’s voice made me look up. He was staring at Fluffy, with a strange look on his face.
    ‘What?’
    ‘This dog … it isn’t Fluffy.’

Chapter 9
Double Trouble
    ‘What do you mean, this isn’t Fluffy?’ I demanded. ‘Look at her pink jewelled collar. Of course it’s her.’
    ‘It isn’t,’ Max insisted. ‘Fluffy has a darker halo around her eyes and her eyes are brighter.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ I stared at the dog, confused. She looked exactly like