“Let Timmy out for me, Julian, will you?” called George. “Anne doesn’t want me to leave her, even to take old Timmy out for his last walk. Just open the door and let him out. He’ll come in when he’s ready.”

“Right!” called Julian, and opened the front door Timmy trotted out, tail wagging. He loved his last sniff round. He liked to smell the trail of the hedgehog who was out on his night-rounds; he liked to put his nose down a rabbit-hole and listen to stirrings down below; and he loved to follow the meanderings of rats and mice round by the thick hedges.

“Isn’t Timmy in yet?” called George from the top of the stairs. “Do call him, Ju. I want to get into bed. Anne’s half-asleep already.”

“He’ll be in in a moment,” said Julian, who wanted to finish his book. “Don’t fuss.”

But no Timmy had appeared even when he had finished his book. Julian went to the door and whistled. He listened for Timmy to come. Then, hearing nothing, he whistled once more.

This time he heard the sound of pattering footsteps coming up the path to the door. “Oh there you are, Tim,” said Julian. “What have you been up to? Chasing rabbits or something?”

Timothy wagged his tail feebly. He didn’t jump up at Julian as he usually did. “You look as if you’ve been up to some mischief, Tim,” said Julian. “Go on — up to bed with you — and mind you bark if you hear the smallest sound in the night.”

“Woof,” said Timmy, in rather a subdued voice, and went upstairs. He climbed on to George’s bed and sighed heavily.

“What a sigh!” said George. “And what have you been eating, Timmy? Pooh — you’ve dug up some frightful old bone, I know you have. I’ve a good mind to push you off my bed. I suppose you suddenly remembered one you buried months ago. Pooh!”

Timmy wouldn’t be pushed off the bed. He settled down to sleep, his nose on George’s feet as usual. He snored a little, and woke George in about half an hour.

“Shut up, Timmy,” she said, pushing him with her feet. Anne woke up, alarmed.

“What is it, George?” she whispered, her heart thumping.

“Nothing. Only Timmy snoring. Hark at him. He won’t stop,” said George, irritated. “Wake up, Timmy, and stop snoring.”

Timmy moved sleepily and settled down again. He stopped snoring and George and Anne fell sound asleep. Julian woke once, thinking he heard something fall — but hearing Timmy gently snoring again through the open doors of the two rooms, he lay down, his mind at rest.

If the noise had really been a noise Timmy would have heard it, no doubt about that. George always said that Timmy slept with one ear open.

Julian heard nothing more till Joan went downstairs at seven o’clock. He heard her go into the kitchen and do something to the kitchen grate. He turned over and fell asleep again.