George Adamson Lives with Apes

The Dogs Tale

The twosome parted in the hallway and George began to climb the ladder to his bunk. About halfway up the young elf suddenly felt a nagging urge to peep through his spy hole. Tiredness momentarily forgotten, George made his way to the side of the attic and lay on the floor. He closed one eye and looked with the other through the tiny gap. It was the middle of a very warm September and the sun was only just starting to leave the sky very slowly and reluctantly. George could make out the castle grounds clearly beneath him. There was nothing there. George was just about to go back to bed when movement from way below distracted him again, something small and black was jumping around in the long grass. It was the puppy, it was playing just beyond the boundary fence. George couldn't remember what point the moon was up to in it's monthly cycle. He paused for a moment, then crept to the attic door and made his way back down the stairs. The young boy was extra careful as he passed the teachers rooms in the hallway and made it to the door without a hitch. He slipped outside into the fresh warm air. George took in a few lungfuls then looked around at the edge of the grounds towards the fence. The puppy was still there, playing with a gnarled old stick. George crept closer to the boundary. The puppy spotted him and its upright ears pointed forwards, watching with interest as the young boy approached.

"Hello." Called George and he patted his knees. The puppy carried on watching but now its long fluffy tail was wagging. The small dog was similar to an Alsatian except that it was completely black. As George got closer to the pup he noticed that it had unusual dark blue eyes and that they were only just visible underneath a black floppy fringe of fur. The puppy's tongue lolled out of the side of its mouth and his tail wagged so quickly now that its body shook from side to side.

George reached the gates and crouched down. There was a gap where two bars were bent and he peered through.

"Come on boy," George called again. "come here."

The puppy cocked its head on one side. The floppy fringe completely covered its eyes and the dog flicked the hair away with a shake of its head. There was something familiar to George about the way the pup did this. The small canine appeared to consider the request for a moment then leapt over to where the boy stood, pushing its head through the gap in the gate to be stroked. George doubted whether this cute pup could have anything to do with the beast of Slaven castle. He was scratching underneath the puppy's chin when it turned around and looked towards the forest. The young boy strained his ears, he could hear someone calling in a gruff deep voice but he couldn't quite make out what was being said. The voice called again and George froze with shock, this time there was no mistaking what had been shouted.

"ANGUS! WHERE ARE YOU BOY?"

The puppy let out a bark of excitement and George heard a rustling coming towards them. The young boy was terrified but he forced himself to stand. Angus the floppy haired puppy looked up at him, tail wagging. This time the approaching Mr McClary froze. George trembled so badly that his knees knocked together but he fought to get them under control and won. Holding onto the gate for support the young boy forced himself to speak.

"Mr McClary we need to talk. I have spoken with Lord McGuinness and I think I know where the round and the deed are but I need your help to get them."

Mr McClary scratched his black hairy chin for an eternity, then he took a huge bunch of keys from his pocket, found a large gold one and used it to open the tall stiff gate. George opened his mouth in wonder, this would be the first time he had left the confines of the castle since he had been a few months old. An overwhelming sense of excitement flooded his body and he held onto the bars of his former prison to steady himself for a moment. Mr McClary waited patiently and the boy finally composed himself enough to step through, the huge hairy man shut the gate behind him.