It was their very favourite television programme. Two ladies and two gentlemen, in faultless evening dress, had to guess the crime committed by a lady or gentleman in equally faultless evening dress. Stern moralists said this programme was causing a crime wave and filling the prisons, because people committed crimes in the hope of being chosen as contestants. But crime is usually waving and the prisons are usually full, so probably. What’s My Crime?€ had not made much difference. Both the Badduns longed to appear as contestants, but they knew they would never be chosen unless they committed a really original crime, and they had never been able to think of one.

We could kill the pups after What’s My Crime? Jasper,€ said Saul. We ought to do it tonight, while they’re sleepy. They’ll be more dangerous when they’re wide awake.

It’s a nuisance, that’s what it is,€ said Jasper. And whatever way we do it, we shall be exhausted. First the killing and then the skinning!€

Maybe we’ll get the knack of the skinning,€ said Saul. Then we can skin while we watch the telly.

Still, ninety-seven pups!€ said Jasper. Then a wild gleam came into his eyes. Saul, I bet no one else has ever murdered ninety-seven Dalmatians. It might do the trick for us! It might get us onto What’s My Crime?

Now you’re talking!€ said Saul Baddun. You and me, in evening dress with carnations in our buttonholes and all England watching us. But we must think out some really striking way of doing our crime. Could we skin them alive?€

They’d never keep still,€ said Jasper. What about boiling them?

Pongo whispered to Missis, We shall have to attack. It’s our only hope.

I’ll get the biggest pups to help you,€ said Lucky quietly. We’ll all help. I can bite quite well.€

And then something happened! The Cadpig, whose eyes were fixed on the silent television screen, gave three short, sharp barks. No human ear would have known that those barks meant What’s My Crime?€ but the Baddun brothers, startled by the noise, looked towards the Cadpig and, in doing so, noticed the television screen. Saul Baddun let out a roar of rage; Jasper Baddun gave a howl of misery. It was on! What’s My Crime? but without any sound, of course. They were missing it, their favourite of all programmes, and just when for the first time they had hopes of appearing on it! They hurled themselves at the television set. Saul turned the sound on full blast. Jasper adjusted the picture. Then they flung themselves down on their mattresses, grunting with delight.

They won’t stir for the next half-hour,€ whispered Lucky.

At last Pongo’s brain sprang into full action! Instantly he whispered to Lucky, March the pups out to the stableyard! Your mother and I will mount guard over the Badduns.€