She saw lots of black patches on the moonlit floor but had quite forgotten that all the pups were now black. Then she remembered and as she drew nearer to the sleeping pups, tears sprang to her eyes.

Look, look at all the puppy-beds!€ she cried. What good people must live here!€

It can’t be the kind of place I thought it was,€ said Pongo.

He was about to wake the puppies when Missis stopped him. Let me sit by the stove for a little while,€ she said.

Not too long, my dear,€ said Pongo.

He need not have worried. Missis sat still for only a few minutes. Then she got up, shook herself, and said brightly, Let us start now. Things are going to be all right.€

An hour or so later, just before the evening service, the Verger said to the Vicar, I think there must be something wrong with the stove, sir.€

On every hassock he had found a small circular patch of soot.

Miracle Needed

LAST lap before supper, said Pongo as they started off again across the moonlit fields.

It was the most cheering thing he could have said, for the ninety-seven puppies were now extremely hungry. He had guessed this because he was hungry himself. And so was Missis. But she was feeling too peaceful to mind.

They went on for nearly two miles; then Pongo saw a long row of cottage roofs ahead across the fields.

This should be it,€ he said.

What is that glow in the sky beyond the roof-tops? asked Missis.

Pongo was puzzled. He had seen such a glow in the sky over towns which had many lights, but never over a village. And this was a very bright glow. Perhaps it’s a larger place than we expected it to be,€ he said, and did not feel it would be safe to go any nearer until some dog came to meet them. He called a halt and barked news of their arrival.

He was answered at once, by a bark that said, Wait where you are. I am coming.€ And though he did not tell Missis, Pongo felt there was something odd about this bark that answered his. For one thing, there were no cheerful words of welcome.

Soon a graceful red Setter came dashing towards them. They guessed, even before she spoke, that something was very wrong.

The bakery’s on fire!€ she gasped.

The blaze, due to a faulty chimney, had begun only a few minutes before the fire engine had not yet arrived. No one had been hurt, but the bakehouse was full of flames and smoke all the food spread out for the Dalmatians was burned.

There’s nothing for you to eat and nowhere for you to sleep,€ moaned the poor Setter she was hysterical. And the village street’s full of people.€ She looked pitifully at Missis. All your poor hungry puppies!€