“No, he doesn’t,” said George, “He’s always deep in the middle of some wonderful idea, and he hates to be disturbed. It will suit everyone if we go off on a hike.”

“Julian says he will telephone to us tonight and arrange everything,” said Anne. “I hope it will be a nice fine week-end. It will still be October, so there’s a chance of a bit of warm sunshine.”

“The woods will be beautiful,” said George. “And won’t Timmy enjoy himself, Let’s go and tell him the news.”

The boarding-school that the two girls were at was one that allowed the children to bring their own pets to school, There were kennels down in the yard for various dogs, and Timmy lived there during term-time. The two girls went to get him.

He heard their footsteps at once and began to bark excitedly. He scraped at the gate of the kennel yard, wishing for the thousandth time that he could find out how to open it.

He flung himself on the two girls, licking and pawing and barking.

“Silly dog. Mad dog!” said George, and thumped his back affectionately. “Listen, Tim - we’re going off for the week-end with Julian and Dick! What do you think of that? We’re going on a hike, so you’ll love it. All through the woods and up the hills and goodness knows where!”

Timmy seemed to understand every word. He cocked up his ears, put his head on one side and listened intently while George was speaking.

“Woof,” he said, at the end, as if he approved thoroughly. Then off he went with the girls for his walk, his plumy tail wagging happily. He didn’t like term-time nearly as much as the holidays - but he was quite prepared to put up with kennel life so long as he could be near his beloved George.

Julian rang up that night as he had promised. He had got everything planned already. Anne listened, thrilled.

’It sounds super,’ she said. “Yes - we can meet where you say, and we’ll be there as near as we can on time. Anyway, we can wait about if you others aren’t there. Yes - we’ll bring the things you say. Oh Julian, won’t it be fun?”

’What’s he say?’ asked George impatiently when at last Anne put the receiver down. “You might have let me have a word with Julian. I wanted to tell him all about Timmy.”

“He doesn’t want to waste an expensive telephone call listening to you raving about Timmy,” said Anne. “He asked how he was and I said “fine”, and that’s all he wanted to know about Tim. He’s made all the arrangements. I’ll tell you what they are.”

The girls went off to a corner of their common-room and sat down. Timmy was there too. He was allowed in at certain times, and so were three other dogs belonging to the girls. Each dog behaved well - he knew that if he didn’t he would be taken back to the kennels at once!