Muddy Paws (3 page)

They all sat at the kitchen table, eating their huge farmhouse breakfasts and drinking big mugs of tea.

“I'm not sure it's a good time to have a stray puppy getting under everyone's feet,” Beth's uncle said. “We're very busy on the farm and no one has time to train him. Maybe we should take Storm straight to the pet care center.”

Beth's heart pounded. He couldn't mean it! She just found Storm—she couldn't bear to lose her new friend so quickly.

Suddenly Ella gave a rusty-sounding bark. She got up and limped stiffly over to Storm. The tiny puppy whined softly, wagging his tail and wriggling his fat little body as the old dog bent down and gave him an experimental sniff. Ella's eyes softened and she began licking Storm's head.

Martin's face lit up. “Look at that! Ella's telling us that she'll keep Storm in check. She won't let him be a pest around the farm. Way to go, old girl!”

Everyone laughed.

Beth looked at her uncle and aunt. “So, can Storm stay? He can live in my room and I'll take him home when Mom and Dad come to get me,” she pleaded.

“In that case, it's fine with me. If it's okay with you, Emily,” Oliver said to his wife.

Beth's aunt gave a questionable smile, but she nodded.

Beth went over and hugged her aunt and uncle. “Yay! Thanks a million!”

She felt so happy that she was even ready to forgive Martin for playing mean tricks on her, but there was still one thing she wanted to mention to him first.

Beth waited until she, Martin, Storm, and Ella were walking across the fields before bringing the subject up. “I think you should apologize for pushing me into Darcy's pen. It was a mean thing to do,” she exclaimed.

Martin's eyes widened. “Are you still talking about that? Can't you take a joke? Girls
always
make such a big deal out of everything.”

“Yes, because boys do such stupid things!” Beth replied. “I thought Darcy was going to charge at me. If it hadn't been for St—Anyway, I was lucky to get out without getting hurt.”

But Martin wasn't listening. He had turned around to wait for Ella who was lagging behind. The old collie was walking stiffly with her head drooping. “Come on, girl!” he called fondly.

At the sound of his voice, Ella tried to quicken her step, but her back legs gave way and she sat down.

“She's been doing that more and more lately,” Martin said, frowning.

Beth's anger with Martin melted away as her heart filled with sadness at the sight of the sick old dog.

Storm glanced up at her with softly glowing eyes. “I will fetch Ella!” he woofed gently.

Beth stood beside Martin and they watched Storm bound down the field. As soon as Storm reached the old sheepdog, he barked encouragingly and licked Ella's gray muzzle. When she just lay there panting, Storm crouched down onto his front paws and stuck his bottom in the air, inviting her to play chase.

Martin smiled at the cute puppy's antics. “You're wasting your time, Storm. Ella's running around days are
well
over!” he called, but then his face fell and his eyes looked sad and troubled.

Beth reached out to touch his arm.

“I'm okay. Don't make a scene!” Martin said, rubbing a sleeve across his face.

Beth saw Storm running back and forth in front of Ella, woofing gently to encourage her until she finally heaved herself to her feet. As the old collie limped up the field, Storm ambled alongside her, keeping pace on his short legs.

“Here she comes. Good girl,” Martin said, petting Ella's ears.

“Thanks, Storm,” Beth whispered to him. “Martin might be the most annoying person in the universe, but he really loves Ella.”

The four of them slowly walked back to the farmyard in silence. As they came through the gate into the yard, Martin turned to Beth. “Do you want to see the dairy?” he said more cheerfully.

Beth shrugged. “I don't care. But I thought we weren't allowed in there without permission.”

“No problem. I told Mom we might go in and she was cool with it.” Martin opened the door of a brick building, next to the barn. “But dogs are definitely not allowed. Stay, Ella,” he ordered.

Ella sat down obediently.

“Will you wait here, please, Storm?” Beth whispered, so Martin couldn't hear. “I won't be long.”

Storm immediately sat down next to Ella and lay with his nose on his paws.

Martin smiled. “Storm really catches on quickly, doesn't he? Look how he copies what Ella does. He's one bright puppy!”

Beth smiled to herself. If only Martin knew how right he was!

Inside the dairy it was cool and really clean. Beth walked around, looking at the white work surfaces, shiny metal equipment, and huge fridges, being careful not to touch anything.

But Martin was just the opposite. “I haven't been in here for so long. I forgot that some of this stuff's pretty high-tech. I wonder what these do.” He began turning some dials on a big drum-shaped machine.

There was an ominous glugging noise.

“Should you be playing with that?” Beth asked worriedly.

Martin grinned. “You're such a scaredy-cat. Don't panic. I'm putting the settings back to what they were.” He turned the dial again and the glugging noise got louder.

Gloop. Gloop. Whoosh!
Suddenly a fountain of milk gushed out of a narrow chute and poured onto the floor.

“Oh no!” Martin cried, frantically working, but the milk only sprayed out faster.

Beth stood there in horror as a rising tide of milk swirled around her boots. “Do something, Martin!”

“I'm trying to!” Martin's face was bright red.

The door banged open and Emily Badby rushed into the dairy. Taking in the situation with one look, she marched over to the machine and adjusted the dials. Seconds later, the flow of milk slowed and then stopped.

Emily turned around with a furious look on her face.

“Beth told me to do it!” Martin cried, before his mom could speak.

Beth's jaw dropped. “No, I didn't!”

Martin smirked. “Yes, you did! Don't try and squirm your way out of it—”

“Be quiet! Both of you,” Emily snapped. “I'm very disappointed in you both. You're not even supposed to be in here without permission!”

Beth glared furiously at Martin. She was really tempted to tell her aunt how he had lied about having permission to come in here, but she'd never been a tattletale and she wasn't about to start now.

“You know the house rules perfectly well, Martin. Besides, Beth is our guest,” Emily said stiffly, still furious. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Martin shrugged. “Chill out, Mom! Don't have a major panic attack! It's only a little milk. It won't take long to clean up.”

“You think so?” Emily's face darkened. “Stay there, you two! Don't you dare move!” She sloshed through the milk and opened a cabinet. “Here!” She thrust mops and buckets at Martin and Beth. “I want that floor spotless. Do you hear me? I'd stand and watch you, but I have to go out now. I'll be back in an hour, though, to check up on you. And if you touch anything else, Martin Badby, you'll . . . you'll be in big trouble!”

She stormed out and a few seconds later Beth heard a car start up and drive away.

“Oh gosh!” Beth said, letting out a huge sigh of relief. She'd never seen her aunt so angry. “I thought she was going to explode!”

“Oh, Mom's never angry for long. She'll forget all about it by this evening. You don't mind cleaning up by yourself, do you? I just remembered I've got something important to talk to Dad about,” Martin said, splashing milk everywhere as he went toward the door.

“Hey! Come back—” Beth cried, but Martin had already left.

Her spirits sank as she looked down at the lake of milk. It was everywhere: under the work surfaces, sloshing around the machinery, and even leaking out under the door into the yard. She hardly knew where to begin.

“Thanks for nothing, Martin,” she grumbled, angry that she'd bothered to save him from being in even more trouble with her aunt.

“I will help you, Beth!” Storm woofed eagerly from the open doorway.

Beth felt a warm prickling sensation down her spine. Something very strange was about to happen.

Chapter FOUR

Big gold sparks ignited in Storm's fluffy black-and-white fur and his ears and tail crackled with electricity.

Storm raised a big black front paw and a spurt of golden sparks shot out and whooshed around the dairy. They zizzed around like a swarm of busy worker bees.

Beth heard a series of faint pops as a shimmering army of mops appeared out of thin air and stood at attention. As if at an invisible signal, they began mopping the floor up and down in neat rows. In perfect time, they squeezed their milky heads into each bucket in turn.
Swish! Swoosh!

“This is great!” Beth said, clapping her hands with glee as the rows of mops did their work.

In no time at all, the dairy floor was spotless. The magic mops stood at attention once more and then disappeared in a final cascade of golden sparks.

“Wow! Thanks, Storm, that was awesome!” Beth went over and gave him a cuddle.

“You are welcome,” Storm barked happily. “But I saw Martin going into the house. Why didn't he help you?”

“That's what I want to know,” Beth said angrily. “He made some lame excuse about talking to his dad about something. I've had just about enough of my annoying cousin. Come on, Storm, let's go and find him. I've got a few things I want to say to him!”

Storm yapped in agreement.

As Beth charged into the house with Storm toward the living room, she heard Uncle Ollie's voice coming through the open door and stopped in her tracks.