I will tell you everything later,€ said Pongo.

He was faced with a problem. He now knew that his terrible suspicions were justified and it was time Missis learned the truth. But if he told her before dinner, she might lose her appetite, and if he told her afterwards, she might lose her dinner. So still he said nothing. And he made her eat every crumb of dinner and then join him in asking for more which the Nannies gave with delight.

It may be a long time before we get another meal,€ he explained.

While the Nannies fed the Dearlys, the dogs made their plans. Perdita at once offered to come to Suffolk with them.

But you are still much too delicate for the journey, dear Perdita,€ said Missis. Besides, what could you do?

I could wash the puppies, said Perdita.

Both Pongo and Missis then said they knew Perdita was a beautiful puppy-washer but her job must be to comfort the Dearlys. And she felt that herself.

If only we could make them understand why we are leaving them!€ said Missis, sadly.

If we could do that, we shouldn’t have to leave them,€ said Pongo. They would drive us to Suffolk in the car. And send the police.€

Oh, let us have one more try to speak their language,€ said Missis.

The Dearlys were sitting by the fire in the big white drawing room. They welcomed the two dogs and offered them the sofa. But Pongo and Missis had no wish for a comfortable nap. They stood together, looking imploringly at the Dearlys.

Then Pongo barked gently, Wuff, wuff, wuffolk!

Mr. Dearly patted him but understood nothing.

Then Missis tried. Wuff, wuff, wuffolk!€

Are you telling us the puppies are in Suffolk?€ said Mrs. Dearly.

The dogs wagged their tails wildly. Buy Mrs. Dearly was only joking. It was hopeless, and the dogs knew it always would be.

Dogs can never speak the language of humans, and humans can never speak the language of dogs. But many dogs can understand almost every word humans say, while humans seldom learn to recognize more than half a dozen barks, if that. And barks are only a small part of the dog language. A wagging tail can mean so many things. Humans know that it means a dog is pleased, but not what a dog is saying about his pleasedness. (Really, it is very clever of humans to understand a wagging tail at all, as they have no tails of their own). Then there are the snufflings and sniffings, the pricking of ears all meaning different things. And many, many words are expressed by a dog’s eyes.