So there was Mr. Dearly, lucky man, with one hundred delightful Dalmatians. He decided he must take a large country house. Happily, he could afford this, as the Government had again got itself into debt and he had again got it out. And this time he had been rewarded by an income to save his income tax on. So he had retired from business except for being always ready to help the Government with its sums.

One fine day in January, when the snow was all gone, he said to Mrs. Dearly, Let’s drive out to Suffolk and return the little blue cart to Master Tommy Tompkins, and also hunt for a country house. And we’ll have a look at the house where the puppies were imprisoned not that we’ll take that one.

Mrs. Dearly laughed at such an idea.

They took Pongo and Missis with them, and Lucky came as a stowaway, under a seat because he wanted to see the Sheepdog again and be made a Captain. (He didn’t stay under the seat long, and everyone was delighted to see him when he came out). When they reached Dympling they went for a walk round the village and met Tommy Tompkins out with the Sheepdog. So the little blue cart was returned then and there rather a relief to the Dearlys, who wouldn’t quite have known what to say to Tommy’s parents. They didn’t have to say anything to Tommy, as he still wasn’t quite talking (though his chuckling noises were at last beginning to sound more like Human than like Dog). The Dearlys saw at once that Pongo, Missis, and Lucky knew the Sheepdog and the tabby cat that came hurrying up.

And now we’ll find Cruella’s house,€ said Mr. Dearly.

When they got to Hell Hall there was a large notice outside, saying: For Sale CHEAP. Owner gone to warm climate.€ And the gates stood wide open. The house was empty.

(The Baddun brothers were now in jail for assaulting the man who came to take away the television, which had never been paid for. They weren’t minding jail much, because meeting so many criminals was almost better than television; and they now had high hopes of one day appearing on What’s My Crime?€)

What a hideous house!€ said Mrs. Dearly.

What a lovely wall!€ said Mr. Dearly. One thing had been worrying him. If he took a hundred Dalmatians into the country, how was he to prevent them from running wild? This magnificent wall was just the thing. If only the house were not so hideous!

Suppose it was painted white,€ he said, and the blocked-up windows were put back? There’s a lovely pond in front almost a lake.€

Mrs. Dearly shook her head. But when they got into the house and saw the fine, large rooms and imagined them all white instead of red, she began to feel different.