Home at last
I now had to think for a few minutes about my course of action. I could either go straight home, or I could sleep here and then head out in the morning. I decided that I would stay here, because I was exhausted. So I curled up in a shadowy place, keeping the box securely in my front paws, and fell into a peaceful sleep.
I woke up in the morning fresher and feeling better than ever. I was ready to go home. Unfortunately, I wasn't entirely sure how to get there. I had always ridden with my head on Holmes' knee, listening to him and ignoring the countryside. Now, I regretted ever doing so. I was about to howl with frustration again when I caught sight of a cab coming into the station. Of course! I thought, it's easy! All I need to do is follow that cab to its post. I know the way to home from there!
I crawled out of my hiding spot and headed towards the cab, still dragging the box behind me. As I got there, I heard the passenger say to the driver, "I will be back at five. If you will be here for me, I'll give you a sovereign."
"Yes, sir!" Said the driver happily. This short conversation gave me the chance to clamber aboard the back of the cab and haul up the box. I had decided that it would be easier to ride than to walk, as I'd been doing enough of that. The man left, the driver clucked to his horses, and we were off at a slow trot. I didn't mind. I wanted a nice rest before I walked some more. But to my horror, we passed right by the cab post. Evidently the driver was giving the horses a little exercise. I would have jumped, but I was afraid that I would hurt my leg even more. I closed my eyes in despair.
"Oh, sir, please wait! Would you give me a ride to 221 B Baker Street?"
My eyes snapped open. I evidently had fallen asleep. But that didn't matter. 221 B Baker Street? Why, that was Holmes' address! This lady, or whoever it was, was going to make life easier for me!
"Why, certainly, miss. Climb aboard."
I took a quick glimpse at the woman. My eyes widened. It was Miss Bennett. I looked out at the landscape. There was the Bennett Estate. My Gosh, I realized, she must be going to see if there's been any word on the treasure. And it'll be right behind her. This situation was so funny that I laughed softly all the way to Baker Street.
***
When the cab stopped at Baker Street, I hopped down immediately and took up position under the window. Miss Bennett got out, paid off the driver, and went to the door without even noticing the bedraggled mutt on the street. Good, I thought, It's better this way. I want Holmes to be the first one to know I'm back.
I waited for a few minutes, until I was sure that Miss Bennett was up there. Then I let out such a racket of barking and yapping that the other houses opened windows and yelled at me to shut up. Finally, Holmes' window opened, and Watson poked his head out.
"Shut up, you mutt!" he roared, and threw something at me. I glared at him indignantly. He obviously couldn't recognize me. It was time to show who I really was. I threw back my head and howled the Baskerville howl. Watson, who was about to pull his head back in, stopped and stared at me in amazement. Then he pulled his head back in. "Holmes!" He cried to the other unseen occupants, "It's Elizabeth! She's right outside!"
There was the scrape of a chair, and then Holmes' face appeared at the window. I looked at him right in the eye defiantly. My look told him that I knew that he'd been looking for another dog, and that I wasn't going to forget it for a long time. Holmes pulled his head back in, and a few minutes later the door opened, and out came Mrs. Hudson, Holmes' housekeeper. She looked at me with misty eyes.
"Oh, poor dear." She said to me. "Look at what's happened to you. Come on, let's get you upstairs."
I didn't wait for any more. I grabbed the hook of the box and went upstairs as fast as I could. I burst into the sitting room, where Holmes, Watson, and Miss Bennett were, and I dropped the box at Miss Bennett's feet and collapsed on the floor. Miss Bennett looked at me for an instant, and then her eyes flew to the box. She let out a small gasp.
"Father's valuables! She found them!"
She grabbed the box and opened it. The paper fluttered out, but she ignored it. She pushed the side to unlock the secret compartment, and pulled out all the treasures one by one. "They're all here! Thank the Lord!" It was then that she turned her attention to me. She knelt on her knees and put her arms around my neck.
"Thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you for saving my treasures."
I was pleased with the attention I was receiving. Then, suddenly, pain shot through my leg. I yelped and turned my head. Watson removed his hands quickly.
"Sorry," he said, "But I was examining your ankle. It's pretty bad, but if you keep off of it for a week or so, you'll be fine."
But I was looking at Holmes. Of the three people in the room, he'd been the only one to not react to my appearance. I wiggled out of Miss Bennett's embrace and went over to him. I dropped the newspaper onto his lap and nudged the article I'd read. Holmes glanced over it, and looked at me. I glared at him, and growled softly. Holmes assumed an air of nonchalance.
"So you thought I was going to replace you like you were some old furniture?" he asked in a low whisper. "Be assured, Elizabeth, I was sure that I would fail in finding a proper dog. I doubt that any dog in London, or even in England, has the sense of smell you possess. And admittedly, you do deserve some credit for catching the crook, and now for finding the valuables."
He turned away from me. And my heart melted like ice. There was nothing else he could have said that could have made me feel better. He had missed me. In his own way, he had missed me. I put my head on his knee. Then, with a soft whine, I licked his hand. I had told him, as best I could, that I forgave him. Holmes looked at me again, and rubbed my head. We were on good terms again.
I now had to think for a few minutes about my course of action. I could either go straight home, or I could sleep here and then head out in the morning. I decided that I would stay here, because I was exhausted. So I curled up in a shadowy place, keeping the box securely in my front paws, and fell into a peaceful sleep.
I woke up in the morning fresher and feeling better than ever. I was ready to go home. Unfortunately, I wasn't entirely sure how to get there. I had always ridden with my head on Holmes' knee, listening to him and ignoring the countryside. Now, I regretted ever doing so. I was about to howl with frustration again when I caught sight of a cab coming into the station. Of course! I thought, it's easy! All I need to do is follow that cab to its post. I know the way to home from there!
I crawled out of my hiding spot and headed towards the cab, still dragging the box behind me. As I got there, I heard the passenger say to the driver, "I will be back at five. If you will be here for me, I'll give you a sovereign."
"Yes, sir!" Said the driver happily. This short conversation gave me the chance to clamber aboard the back of the cab and haul up the box. I had decided that it would be easier to ride than to walk, as I'd been doing enough of that. The man left, the driver clucked to his horses, and we were off at a slow trot. I didn't mind. I wanted a nice rest before I walked some more. But to my horror, we passed right by the cab post. Evidently the driver was giving the horses a little exercise. I would have jumped, but I was afraid that I would hurt my leg even more. I closed my eyes in despair.
"Oh, sir, please wait! Would you give me a ride to 221 B Baker Street?"
My eyes snapped open. I evidently had fallen asleep. But that didn't matter. 221 B Baker Street? Why, that was Holmes' address! This lady, or whoever it was, was going to make life easier for me!
"Why, certainly, miss. Climb aboard."
I took a quick glimpse at the woman. My eyes widened. It was Miss Bennett. I looked out at the landscape. There was the Bennett Estate. My Gosh, I realized, she must be going to see if there's been any word on the treasure. And it'll be right behind her. This situation was so funny that I laughed softly all the way to Baker Street.
***
When the cab stopped at Baker Street, I hopped down immediately and took up position under the window. Miss Bennett got out, paid off the driver, and went to the door without even noticing the bedraggled mutt on the street. Good, I thought, It's better this way. I want Holmes to be the first one to know I'm back.
I waited for a few minutes, until I was sure that Miss Bennett was up there. Then I let out such a racket of barking and yapping that the other houses opened windows and yelled at me to shut up. Finally, Holmes' window opened, and Watson poked his head out.
"Shut up, you mutt!" he roared, and threw something at me. I glared at him indignantly. He obviously couldn't recognize me. It was time to show who I really was. I threw back my head and howled the Baskerville howl. Watson, who was about to pull his head back in, stopped and stared at me in amazement. Then he pulled his head back in. "Holmes!" He cried to the other unseen occupants, "It's Elizabeth! She's right outside!"
There was the scrape of a chair, and then Holmes' face appeared at the window. I looked at him right in the eye defiantly. My look told him that I knew that he'd been looking for another dog, and that I wasn't going to forget it for a long time. Holmes pulled his head back in, and a few minutes later the door opened, and out came Mrs. Hudson, Holmes' housekeeper. She looked at me with misty eyes.
"Oh, poor dear." She said to me. "Look at what's happened to you. Come on, let's get you upstairs."
I didn't wait for any more. I grabbed the hook of the box and went upstairs as fast as I could. I burst into the sitting room, where Holmes, Watson, and Miss Bennett were, and I dropped the box at Miss Bennett's feet and collapsed on the floor. Miss Bennett looked at me for an instant, and then her eyes flew to the box. She let out a small gasp.
"Father's valuables! She found them!"
She grabbed the box and opened it. The paper fluttered out, but she ignored it. She pushed the side to unlock the secret compartment, and pulled out all the treasures one by one. "They're all here! Thank the Lord!" It was then that she turned her attention to me. She knelt on her knees and put her arms around my neck.
"Thank you, Elizabeth. Thank you for saving my treasures."
I was pleased with the attention I was receiving. Then, suddenly, pain shot through my leg. I yelped and turned my head. Watson removed his hands quickly.
"Sorry," he said, "But I was examining your ankle. It's pretty bad, but if you keep off of it for a week or so, you'll be fine."
But I was looking at Holmes. Of the three people in the room, he'd been the only one to not react to my appearance. I wiggled out of Miss Bennett's embrace and went over to him. I dropped the newspaper onto his lap and nudged the article I'd read. Holmes glanced over it, and looked at me. I glared at him, and growled softly. Holmes assumed an air of nonchalance.
"So you thought I was going to replace you like you were some old furniture?" he asked in a low whisper. "Be assured, Elizabeth, I was sure that I would fail in finding a proper dog. I doubt that any dog in London, or even in England, has the sense of smell you possess. And admittedly, you do deserve some credit for catching the crook, and now for finding the valuables."
He turned away from me. And my heart melted like ice. There was nothing else he could have said that could have made me feel better. He had missed me. In his own way, he had missed me. I put my head on his knee. Then, with a soft whine, I licked his hand. I had told him, as best I could, that I forgave him. Holmes looked at me again, and rubbed my head. We were on good terms again.