Сканирование, верстка - Polina S.
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Текст по изданию: Доуди Смит. Сто один далматинец. Серия "Английский клуб"
                   Изд. "Айрис Пресс", Москва, 2003.
От издателя:
	"Любите ли вы собак? У вас дома есть собака? Каков бы ни был ответ, вас непременно заинтересуют захватывающие приключения похищенных отвратительной Мерзеллой д'Яволь маленьких далматинцев и их родителей, изо всех сил старающихся спасти своих щенков от неминуемой гибели. Чтение этой книги, написанной живым образным языком, делает изучение английского языка увлекательным процессом.
	*Книга подверглась незначительной адаптации и сокращению."

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Dodie Smith
THE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS

Chapter One
___________
THE HAPPY COUPLES

  Not long ago, there lived in London a young married couple of Dalmatian dogs named Pongo and Missis Pongo. They were lucky enough to own a young married couple of humans named Mr. and Mrs. Dearly, who were gentle, obedient, and unusually intelligent. They understood quite a number of barks: the barks for "Out, please!", "In, please!", "Hurry up with my dinner!", and "What about a walk?". And even when they could not understand, they could often guess.
  Mr. Dearly, who had an office in the City, was particularly good at arithmetic. Many people called him a wizard of finance. He had done the Government a great service (something to do with getting rid of the National Debt). Also the Government had lent him a small house on the Outer Circle of Regent's Park - just the right house for a man with a wife and dogs.
  Before their marriages, Mr. Dearly and Pongo had lived in a bachelor flat, where they were looked after by Mr. Dearly's old nurse, Nanny Butler. Mrs. Dearly and Missis had also lived in a bachelor flat where they were looked after by Mrs. Dearly's old nurse, Nanny Cook. The dogs and their pets met at the same time and shared a wonderfully happy double engagement. Neither of the Nannies was capable of running a smart little house in Regent's Park. Nanny Cook and Nanny Butler met and after a few minutes of deep suspicion, took a great liking to each other. And they had a good laugh about their names: "What a pity we're not a real cook and butler. That's what is needed now."
  And then they both together had a great idea: Nanny Cook would train to be a real cook and Nanny Butler would train to be a real butler.
  And so when the Dearlys and Pongos got back from their joint honeymoon, there were Nanny Cook and Nanny Butler, fully trained, ready to welcome them into the little house facing Regent's Park. And soon after that something even happier happened. Mrs. Dearly took Pongo and Missis across the park to St. John's Wood, where they called on their good friend, the Splendid Veterinary Surgeon. She came back with the wonderful news that the Pongos were shortly to become parents. Puppies were due in a month.
   "Let us all go for a walk, to celebrate," said Mr. Dearly, after hearing the good news; so off they all set along the Outer Circle. The Dearlys led the way. Then came the Pongos, looking noble. They had splendid heads, fine shoulders, strong legs, and straight tails. The spots on their bodies were jet-black and mostly the size of a two-shilling piece; they had smaller spots on their heads, legs and tails. Their noses and eye-rims were black. They walked side by side with great dignity, only putting the Dearlys on the leash to lead them over crossings. Nanny Cook (plump) in her white overall and Nanny Butler (plumper) in a well-cut tail-coat and trousers completed the procession.
   It was a beautiful September evening, windless, very peaceful. There were many sounds but no noises. Birds were singing their last song of the day. "I shall always remember this happy walk," said Mr. Dearly. At the moment, the peace was broken by a motor-horn. A large car was coming towards them. It stopped at a big house just ahead of them and a tall woman came out on to the front-door steps. She was wearing an emerald satin dress, several ropes of rubies, and absolutely simple white mink cloak which reached to her ruby-red shoes. One part of her hair was black and the other white - rather unusual.
   "Why, that's Cruella de Vil," said Mrs. Dearly. "We were at school together. She was expelled for drinking ink." The tall woman saw Mrs. Dearly and came down the steps to meet her. So Mrs. Dearly had to introduce Mr. Dearly.
   "Come in and meet my husband," said the tall woman. "But you were going out," said Mrs. Dearly, looking at the chauffeur who was waiting at the open door of the large car. It was painted in black and white stripes.
   "No hurry at all. I insist on your coming."
   The Nannies said they would get back and take the dogs with them but the tall woman said the dogs must come in, too. "They are so beautiful. I want my husband to see them," she said.
   As they walked through a green marble hall into a red marble drawing-room Cruella's absolutely simple white mink cloak slipped from her shoulders to the floor. Mr. Dearly picked it up.
   "What a beautiful cloak," he said. "But you'll find it too warm for this evening."
   "I never find anything too warm," said Cruella. "I wear furs all the year round. I worship furs, I live for furs! That's why I married a furrier."
   Then Mr. de Vil came in. He was a small, worried-looking man who didn't seem to be anything besides a furrier. Cruella introduced him and then said: "Where are those two delightful dogs?" Pongo and Missis were sitting under the grand piano feeling hungry. "They are expecting puppies," said Mrs. Dearly, happily.
   "Oh, are they? Good!" said Cruella. "Come here, dogs!"
   Pongo and Missis came forward politely.
   "Wouldn't they make beautiful fur coats?" said Cruella to her husband. "For spring wear, over a black suit. We've never thought of making coats out of dogs' skins. They would go so well with my car and my black-and-white hair." Pongo gave a sharp bark.
   "It was only a joke, dear Pongo," said Mrs. Dearly. Then she said to Cruella: "I sometimes think they understand every word we say."
   And it was true of Pongo. Missis did not understand quite so many words as hr did.
   "You must dine with us next Saturday," said Cruella. And as Mrs. Dearly could not think of a good excuse (she was very truthful) she accepted.


Chapter Two
___________
THE PUPPIES ARRIVE

   Cruella de Vil's dinner party took place in a room with black marble walls, on a white marble table. The food was rather unusual. The soup was dark purple. And what did it taste of? Pepper! Everything tasted of pepper, even the ice-cream which was black. Cruella shivered and huddled herself in her absolutely simple white mink cloak. Mr. and Mrs. Dearly left as early as they felt was polite.
   "What a strange name de Vil is," said Mr. Dearly. "If you put the two words together, they make d e v i l. Perhaps Cruella is a lady-devil! Perhaps that is why she likes things so hot!"
   Mrs. Dearly smiled, for she knew he was only joking.
   Then she said: "Oh, dear! As we've  dined with them, we must ask them to dine with us. And there are some other people we ought to ask. We'd better get it over before Missis has her puppies."
   It must have been about three weeks later that Missis began to behave in a very peculiar manner. She explored every inch of the house, playing particular attention to cupboards and boxes. And the place that interested her most was a large cupboard just outside the Dearly's bedroom. The Nannies kept buckets and brooms in it. "Bless me, she wants to have her puppies there," said Nanny Cook.
   Mr. Dearly consulted the Splendid Veterinary Surgeon; the Vet said that Missis needed a small enclosed place where she would feel safe. And she'd better have the broom cupboard at once and get used to it.
   So out came the brooms and buckets and in went Missis, to her great satisfaction. The dinner party was to be that very night. As there were quite a lot of guests the food had to be normal. Cruella used so much pepper that most of the guests were sneezing. Cruella was busy peppering her fruit salad when Nanny Butler came in and whispered to Mrs. Dearly. Mrs. Dearly asked the guests to excuse her, and hurried out. A few minutes later, Nanny Butler came in again and whispered to Mr. Dearly. He excused himself and hurried out. Those guests who were not sneezing made polite conversation. Then Nanny Butler came in again.
   "Ladies and gentlemen," she said dramatically, "puppies are arriving earlier than expected. Missis has never before had been a mother. She needs absolute quiet." The guests rose, drank a whispered toast to the young mother, and tiptoed from the house.
   All except Cruella de Vil. "I must see the darling puppies," she cried. Cruella flung open the door and stared down at the three puppies. "But they are mongrels - all white, no spots at all!" she cried. "You must drown them at once."
   "Dalmatians are always born white," said Mr. Dearly. "The spots come later."
   "Are you sure those horrid little white rats are pure Dalmatian puppies?"
   "Quite sure," snapped Mr. Dearly. "Now please go away. You are upsetting Missis."
   Nanny Butler firmly showed her out of the house.
   There was now a fourth puppy. Missis washed it and then Mr. Dearly dried it, while Mrs. Dearly gave Missis a drink of warm milk. Soon she had a fifth puppy. Then a sixth - and a seventh. Eight puppies, nine puppies! Surely that would be all? Dalmatians do not often have more in their first family. Ten puppies! Eleven puppies! Then the twelfth arrived and it did not look like its brothers and sisters. Instead of kicking its little legs, it lay quite still. The Nannies said that it had been born dead.
   Mr. Dearly held the tiny creature in the palm of his hand and looked at it sorrowfully. Something he had once read came back to him. He began to massage the puppy and suddenly its legs moved! Its mouth opened! It was alive!
   Mr. Dearly quickly put it close to Missis so that she could give it some milk at once, and it stayed there until the next puppy arrived - for arrive it did. That made thirteen! The front door-bell rang. It was the Splendid Vet. "Excellent!" said the Splendid Vet. "And how is the father bearing up?"
   The Dearlys felt guilty. Pongo had been shut up in the kitchen. They wanted to have him up. At that moment there was a clatter of toenails on the polished floor of the hall - and upstairs, four at a time, came Pongo.
   "Careful, Pongo!" said the Splendid Vet because mother dogs did not usually like to have father dogs around when puppies had just been born. But Missis was weakly thumping her tail. "Go down and have your breakfast and a good sleep," she said - but nobody except Pongo heard a sound. His eyes and his wildly wagging tail told her all he was feeling, his love for her and those fine pups enjoying their first breakfast. He went downstairs with his head high and a new light in his fine, dark eyes. For he knew himself to be the proud father of fifteen.


Chapter Three
___________
PERDITA

   "And now," said the Splendid Vet to the Dearlys, "you must get a foster mother."
   Missis would do her best to feed fifteen puppies, doing so would make her terribly thin and tired. And the strong puppies would get more milk than the weak ones. The puppy Mr. Dearly had brought to life was very small and would need special care.
   The Splendid Vet said the foster mother would have to be some poor dog who had lost her own puppies but still had milk to give.  And until the foster mother was found, they could help Missis by feeding the pups with a doll's feeding bottle or old-fashioned fountain-pen filler.
   As soon as the shops opened, Mrs. Dearly went out and bought a doll's feeding bottle and a fountain-pen filler. And then Mr. Dearly and the Nannies took turns at feeding puppies. Mrs. Dearly fancied this job herself but was busy telephoning, trying to find a foster mother. The Nannies were too fat to be comfortable in the cupboard, so soon Mr. Dearly got the feeding job all to himself and became very good at it and just a bit bossy.
   Neither the Splendid Vet nor Mrs. Dearly could find a foster mother anywhere in London. Mrs. Dearly now started to ring up Lost Dogs' Homes outside London. It was late afternoon when she heard of a mother dog with some milk to give, nearly thirty miles from London. So she got the car from the old stable at the back of the house and drove off hopefully. But when she got to the Dogs' Home she found that the mother dog had already been claimed. Mrs. Dearly was glad for the dog's sake, but terribly disappointed.
   It was now almost dark, a gloomy, wet October evening. It had been raining all afternoon. As she started back for London, the weather made her feel more and more depressed. She was driving across a lonely stretch of common when she saw what looked like a bundle lying in the road ahead of her. She slowed down and as she drew closer she saw that it was not a bundle but a dog. She stopped the car and got out. The dog was so plastered with mud that Mrs. Dearly couldn't see what kind of dog it was. What she could see, by the light from the car's headlights, was the poor creature's pitiful thinness. She spoke to it gently. Its drooping tail gave a flick, then dropped again.
   She patted it and tried to get it to follow her. It was willing to, but its legs were wobbly. She picked it up and carried it. It felt like a sack of bones. Then she saw that this was a mother dog and that in spite of its starving condition it still had some milk to give.
   Mrs. Dearly sprang into the car and drove as fast as she could. In London suburbs she stopped at a little restaurant. Here the owner let her buy some milk and some cold meat and lent her his own dog's dishes. The starving dog ate and drank and settled to sleep.
   She got home just as the Splendid Vet was arriving to see Missis and the puppies. He carried the stray dog in and down to the warm kitchen. "She ought to have a bath," said Nanny Cook, "or she'll give our puppies fleas." The dog was carried into a little room which had been fitted up as a laundry. The stray seemed delighted with the warm water.
   Pongo stood on his hind legs and kissed the wet dog on the nose, telling her how glad he was to see her and how grateful his wife would be. At that moment, Nanny Cook began to wash off the soap - and everyone gave a gasp. This dog was a Dalmatian, too! But her spots, instead of being black, were brown - which in Dalmatians is called not "brown", but "liver".
   "We'll call her Perdita," said Mrs. Dearly, and explained to the Nannies that this was after a character in Shakespeare. "She was lost. And the Latin word for lost is "perditus". Though Pongo had very little Latin, he had, as a young dog, tried Shakespeare (in a tasty leather binding).
   Perdita was able to feed two little puppies. She had fed and washed them and was now having a light supper. Then she told Pongo her story. A farmer, her owner, let her run wild. He never gave her the love all Dalmatians need. She had eight puppies, but the farmer didn't give her extra food. One afternoon she woke to find not one puppy in bed with her. She searched the farmyard and ran on to the road, where cars nearly ran over her. Hungry and utterly broken-spirited, she collapsed. Not long after Mrs. Dearly found her.
   Pongo sympathised with all his heart and did his best to comfort her.


Chapter Four
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CRUELLA DE VIL PAYS TWO CALLS

   The next day, five more puppies were brought down to Perdita and she fed them splendidly. Perdita now had her bed in the dresser cupboard where there would not be too much light for the puppies' eyes. These began to open in eight days. And a week after that, the puppies' spots began to show.
   What a day it was when Mr. Dearly saw the first spot! After that, spots came thick and fast. In a very few days it was possible to recognize every pup by its spots. There were seven girls and eight boys. The prettiest of all the girls was the tiny pup whose life Mr. Dearly had saved at birth, but she was very small and delicate. Mr. Dearly called her "Cadpig". Patch, born with a black ear, was still the biggest and strongest puppy. He always seemed to be next to the Cadpig, as if these two already knew they were going to be special friends. There was a fat, funny, boy-puppy called Roly Poly, who was always getting into mischief. And the most striking pup was one who had a perfect horse-shoe of spots on his back - and had therefore been named "Lucky".
   By now it was December but the days were fine and surprisingly warm so the puppies were able to play in the area several times a day. One morning, when the three dogs and fifteen puppies were taking the air, Pongo saw a tall woman looking down over the area railings.
   He recognized her at once. It was Cruclla de Vil. As usual, she was wearing her absolutely simple white mink cloak, but she now had a brown mink cloak under it. Her hat was made of fur, her boots were lined with fur, and she wore big fur gloves.
   Cruella opened the gate and walked down the steps, saying how pretty the puppies were. Lucky, always the ring-leader, came running towards her and nibbled at fur round the tops of her boots. She picked him up and placed him against her cloak, as if he were something to be worn.
   "Such a pretty horse-shoe," she said, looking at the spots on his back. "Are they old enough to leave their mother yet?"
   "Very nearly," said Nanny Butler. "But they won't have to. Mr. and Mrs. Dearly are going to keep them all."
   "How nice!" said Cruella, and began going up the steps still holding Lucky against her cloak. Pongo, Missis and Perdita all barked sharply and Lucky reached up and nipped Cruella's ear. She gave a scream and dropped him. Nanny Butler was quick enough to catch him in her apron.
   Every day now, the puppies grew stronger and more independent. They now fed themselves, eating meat and soaked bread and milk puddings. Missis and Perdita were quite happy to leave them now for an hour or more at a time, so the three grown-up dogs took Mrs. Dearly and Nanny Butler for a good walk in the park every morning, while Nanny Cook got the lunch and kept an eye on the puppies.
   One morning, when she had just let them out into the area, the front door-bell rang. It was Cruella de Vil and when she heard Mrs. Dearly was out she said she would come in and wait. She asked many questions about the Dearlys and the puppies and then said she would walk in the park and hope to meet Mrs. Dearly. Nanny Cook went to the window to point out the nearest way into the park. She noticed a small black van in front of the house. At that very moment it drove off at a great pace.
   Cruella suddenly seemed in a hurry. She almost ran out of the house and down the front-door steps.
   "Can't think how she can move so fast in all those furs," thought Nanny Cook, closing the front door. She hurried down to the kitchen and opened the door to the area. Not a pup in sight.
   "They've been stolen, I know they have!" she cried, bursting into tears. "They must have been in the van I saw driving away."
   Cruella de Vil seemed to have changed her mind about going into the park.
   She was already half-way back to her own house, walking very fast indeed.


Chapter Five
___________
HARK, HARK, THE DOGS DO BARK!

   Through her tears, Nanny Cook could now see Mrs. Dearly, Nanny Butler, and the three dogs, who had just turned for home. As they came across the Outer Circle, Nanny Cook ran to meet them - crying so much that Mrs. Dearly found it hard to understand what had happened. The dogs heard the word "puppies", and rushed down to the area. They went dashing over the whole house, searching. Mrs. Dearly telephoned Mr. Dearly. He came home at once, bringing with him one of the Top Men from Scotland Yard. The Top Man found a bit of sacking on the area railings and said the puppies must have been dropped into sacks and driven away in the black van. He warned the Dearlys that stolen dogs were seldom returned unless a reward was offered. Mr. Dearly was willing to offer it.
   He rushed to Fleet Street and had large advertisements put on the front pages of the evening papers and arranged for even larger advertisements to be on the front pages of the next day's morning papers.
   At last night fell on the stricken household. Worn out the three dogs lay in their baskets in front of the kitchen fire. A terrible suspicion was forming in Pongo's mind. Long after Missis and Perdita had fallen asleep, he lay awake. All through the night he put two and two together and made four. Once or twice he almost made five. He would say nothing about his worst fears until he was quite sure.
   No good news came during the day. In the afternoon Pongo and Missis showed that they wanted to take Dearlys for a walk. Perdita didn't. She was determined to stay at home in case any pup returned and was in need of a wash.
   From the first, it was quite clear the dogs knew just where they wanted to go. They led the way right across the park, across the road, and to the open space which is called Primrose Hill. What did surprise the Dearlys was the way Pongo and Missis behaved when they got to the top of the hill. They stood side by side and they barked.
   They barked to the North, they barked to the South, they barked to the East and West. Each time they began the barking with three very strange, short, sharp harks. "Anyone would think they were signalling." said Mr. Dearly.
   And they were signalling. It was "Dogs' Barking Time". The sharp barks meant: "Help! Help! Help!"
   Within a few minutes, the news of the stolen puppies was travelling across England, and every dog who heard at once turned detective.
   Pongo and Missis made contact with the dogs near enough to answer them, those dogs would be standing by, at twilight the next evening, to relay any news that had come along.
   The next day, a great many people who read the advertisement rang up to sympathize. (Cruella de Vil did.) But no one had anything helpful to say.
   Just before dusk, Pongo and Missis again showed that they wished to take Dearlys for a walk. Again the dogs led the way to the top of Primrose Hill. By this time, though no human ear could detect it, the barks were slightly different. They meant "Ready! Ready! Ready!"
   The dogs who collected news all over London replied first. Reports had come from the West End and from the East End and South of the Thames. They were the same: "No news of your puppies. Deepest regrets."
   Poor Missis! She had hoped so much that her pups were still in London.
   Again and again Pongo and Missis barked the "Ready" signal, each time with fresh hope. Again and again came bitter disappointment. At last the Great Dane over towards Hampstead barked: "Wait!" A most wonderful thing had happened. A Pomeranian had heard a message from a Poodle who had heard it from a Boxer who had heard it from a Pekinese. Dogs of almost every known breed had helped to carry the news. The message had travelled over sixty miles as the dog barks.
   This was the strange story that now came through to Pongo and Missis: an elderly English Sheepdog, living on a farm in a remote Suffolk village, had just been discussing the missing puppies with a tabby cat at the farm. She was a great friend of his. Some little way from the village, was an old house completely surrounded by an unusually high wall. Two brothers, named Saul and Jasper Baddun lived there, but were only caretakers for the real owner. The place had an evil reputation - no local dog would have dreamed of putting its nose inside the tall iron gates.
   The Sheepdog's walk took him past this house, and at that moment, something came sailing out over the high wall. It was an old, dry bone, and on it were the letters S.O.S. Someone was asking for help! The Sheepdog barked a low, shrill bark. He was answered by a high, shrill bark. The Sheepdog picked up the bone in his teeth and raced back to the farm. He showed the bone to the tabby cat, together they hurried to the lonely house. The cat climbed the tree, went along its branches, and then leapt to a tree the other side of the wall. Through the overgrown shrubbery she came to an old brick wall which enclosed a stable-yard. From behind the wall came whimperings and snufflings. She leapt to the top of the wall and looked down.
   One of the Baddun brothers saw her and threw a stone at her. She jumped from the wall and ran for her life. In two minutes she was safely back with the Sheep-dog. "They're there!" she said. 'The place is seething with Dalmatian puppies!"
   The Sheepdog was a formidable Twilight Barker. Tonight he surpassed himself. And so the message travelled, by way of farm dogs and house dogs, great dogs and small dogs.
   "Puppies found in lonely house. S.O.S. on old bone -"
   Missis could not take it all in. But Pongo missed nothing. There were instructions for reaching the village, offers of hospitality on the way. And the dog chain was standing by to take a message back to the pups. Pongo barked clearly: "Tell them we're coming! Tell them we start tonight! Tell them to be brave!"
   Then Missis found her voice: "Give them all our love! Tell Patch to take care of the Cadpig! Tell Lucky not to be too daring! Tell Roly Poly to keep out of mischief!"


Chapter Six
___________
TO THE RESCUE!

   While the Nannies fed the Dearlys, the dogs made their plans. Perdita at once offered to come to Suffolk with them. Both Pongo and Missis knew she was a beautiful puppy-washer but her job must be to comfort the Dearlys. "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."
   Dogs can never speak the language of humans and humans can never speak the language of dogs. Barks are only a small part of the dog language. A wagging tail can mean so many things. 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.
   At eleven o'clock the dogs gave Mrs. Dearly's hands one last kiss and took Mr. Dearly out for his last run. Then all the three dogs went to their baskets in the warm kitchen and the house settled for the night.
   Shortly before midnight, Pongo and Missis got up, ate some biscuits they had hidden, and took long drinks of water. Then they said a loving good-bye to Perdita, who was in tears, nosed open a window at the back of the house, and got out.
   The night was fine, the stars were brilliant, but the wind was keen. Pongo saw Missis shiver. To warm up he started off briskly along the Outer Circle, looking very spirited. Missis kept pace with him. Pongo knew that if he could not cheer up she would never be able to face the hardships that lay ahead. So he began a little speech to give them both courage.
   "We should never lose our liking for adventure, never forget our wild ancestry. Oh, I know we are worried about the puppies but the more we worry, the less we shall be able to help them. We must be brave, we must be gay, we must know we cannot fail. Think of the day when we come back with fifteen puppies running behind us. But I do wish we could have brought your coat."
   "I don't," said Missis bravely. "For if I wore a coat, how should I know how cold the puppies were? They have no coats. Oh, Pongo, how can they make the journey from Suffolk in such wintry weather?"
   "They may not have to make the journey yet," said Pongo.
   Missis stared in astonishment. "But we must get them back quickly or the dog thieves will sell them."
   Pongo knew it was time to tell his wife the truth. He said gently:
   "Dear Missis, our puppies were not stolen by ordinary dog thieves. Try not to be frightened. Our puppies were stolen by Cruella de Vil's orders - so that she can have their skins made into a fur coat. Oh, Missis, be brave!"
   Missis had collapsed. She lay, her eyes full of horror.
   "But it will be all right, dear Missis! They will be safe for months yet. They are much too small to be - to be used for a fur coat yet."
   "I will go back!" she cried. "I will go back and tear Cruella de Vil to pieces."
   "That would do no good at all," said Pongo, firmly. "We must rescue the puppies first and think of our revenge later. On to Suffolk!"
   "On to Suffolk, then!" said Missis. "But we shall come back, Cruella de Vil!"
   "I wasn't quite sure until this evening at the Twilight Barking. You didn't hear as much as I did, Missis. Our puppies are at Hell Hall, the ancestral home of the de Vils." And he knew, though he kept this from Missis, that the S.O.S. on an old bone meant "Save Our Skins".


Chapter Seven
___________
AT THE OLD INN

   Pongo had no difficulty in taking the right road out of London, for he and Mr. Dearly had often driven to Suffolk in their bachelor days. They had decided they must always travel by night and rest during daylight. For they felt sure Mr. Dearly would advertise their loss and the police would be on the lookout for them.
   They had barely entered the sleeping village when they heard a quiet bark. The next moment, a Golden Retriever was greeting them: "Pongo and Missis Pongo? All arrangements were made for you. Please, follow me." He led them to an old inn. "Please drink here, at my own bowl," he said. "Food awaits you in your sleeping quarters but water could not be arranged." (For no dog can carry a full water-bowl.) Pongo and Missis gulped thirstily and gratefully.
   "We are putting you in the safest place any of us could think of. Naturally every dog in the village came to the meeting after the Late Barking - when we heard this village was to have the honour of receiving you. Step this way." At the far end of the yard were some old stables, and in the last stable of all was a broken-down stagecoach.
   "Just the right place for Dalmatians," said Pongo, smiling, "for our ancestors were trained to run behind coaches and carriages. Some people still call us Coach Dogs or Carriage Dogs."
   "And your run from London has shown you are worthy of your ancestors," said the Golden Retriever.
   There was a deep bed of straw on the floor of the coach and neatly laid out on the seat were two magnificent chops, half a dozen of iced cakes, and a box of peppermint creams. "From the butcher's dog, the baker's dog, and the dog at the sweet-shop," said the Retriever. "I shall arrange your dinner. Will steak be satisfactory?" Pongo and Missis said it would indeed. Then they settled down in the straw, close together, and got warmer and warmer.
   How gloriously they slept! It was their first really deep sleep since the loss of the puppies. Even the Twilight Barking did not disturb them. It brought good news, which the Retriever told them when he woke them, as soon as it was dark. All was well with the pups, and Lucky sent a message that they were getting more food than they could eat. This gave Pongo and Missis a wonderful appetite for the steaks that were waiting for them.
   The Retriever told Pongo how to reach the village where the next day was to be spent - this had been arranged by the Twilight Barking. The steaks were finished and a nice piece of cheese was going down well when the Corgi from the Post Office arrived with an evening paper in her mouth. Mr. Dearly had put in his largest advertisement yet - with a photograph of Pongo and Missis (taken during the joint honeymoon).
   Pongo's heart sank; the route planned for them was no longer safe. It led through many villages, where even by night they might be noticed. He said: "We must travel across the country."
   "But you'll get lost," said the Retriever's wife.
   "Pongo never loses his way," said Missis proudly.
   "And the moon will be nearly full," said the Retriever. "You should manage. But it will be hard to pick up food. I had arranged for it to await you in several villages."
   Pongo hated to think dogs might be waiting up for them during the night.
   "I will cancel it by the Nine o'clock Barking," said the Retriever.
   Outside, two rows of dogs were waiting to cheer. But no human ear could have heard the cheers, for every dog had now seen the photograph in the evening paper and knew an escape must be made in absolute silence.
   Pongo and Missis bowed right and left, gratefully sniffing their thanks to all. Then, after a last good-bye to the Retriever, they were off across the moonlight fields.


Chapter Eight
___________
CROSS COUNTRY

   They were well rested and well fed and they soon reached a pond where they could drink. Pongo was relieved to see how well Missis ran and what good condition she was in. "You are a beautiful dog, Missis," said Pongo. "I am very proud of you." After a minute or so he said; "Do you think I'm looking pretty fit?" Missis told him he looked magnificent, and wished she had said so without being asked.
   They ran on, shoulder to shoulder, a perfectly matched couple. The night was windless and therefore seemed warmer than the night before, but Pongo knew there was a heavy frost; and when after a couple of hours across the fields, they came to another pond, there was a film of ice over it. They broke this easily and drank, but Pongo began to be a little anxious about where they would be by daybreak, for they would need good shelter in such cold weather.
   "Should we rest a little, Pongo?" said Missis, at last.
   "Not until we've found some dogs to help us, Missis," said Pongo. Then his heart gave a glad leap. Ahead of them were some cottages! It was full daylight now and he could see smoke twisting up from several chimneys. Surely some dog will be about?
   They reached the first cottage. Pongo gave a low bark. No dog answered it. They went on and soon saw that this was not a real village but just a short row of cottages, some of them empty and almost in ruins. As they reached the very last cottage, a little boy looked out of a window.
   He saw them and quickly opened the door. In his hand was a thick piece of bread and butter. He appeared to be holding it out to them.
   "Gently, Pongo," said Missis, "or we shall frighten him."
   They went through the open gate and up the path, wagging their tails and looking with love at the little boy - and the bread and butter. The child smiled at them fearlessly and waved the bread and butter. When they were only three or four yards away, he picked up a stone, and threw it with all his force. He laughed when he saw the stone strike Pongo, then went in and slammed the door.
   "Are you hurt, Pongo?" cried Missis, as they ran. Then she saw that he was limping. They stopped behind a haystack. Pongo's leg was bleeding. Missis licked his wound and said there was nothing a good rest would not cure. She scrabbled at the haystack, saying: "Look, Pongo, you can creep in and get warm. Then sleep for a while. I will find us some food - I will, I will! The first dog I meet will help me."
   She knew she must find food for them both. Pretending to Pongo that she felt brave had made her really feel a little braver and her tail was no longer down. The first cottage she reached was the one where the little boy lived. And now he was at the back, looking at her! This time, he had an even larger piece of bread and butter, with some jam on it. He ran towards her, holding it out.
   'Perhaps he really means it now,' thought Missis. 'Perhaps he's sorry he hurt Pongo.' And she went forward hopefully - though well prepared to stones. The child waited until she was quite close. He was on grass, with no stones handy. So, instead, he threw the piece of bread and butter. He threw it with rage, not love, but that made it no less valuable.
   Missis caught it neatly. 'Bless me,' she thought, 'he's just a small human who likes throwing things. His parents should buy him a ball.' She took the bread and butter back to the haystack and laid it down by her sleeping husband's nose. Again she pulled the hay round him, and then ran to the road. Now she ran in the opposite direction.
   She was beginning to think she must go back, when she came to an old red-brick archway. Her spirits rose. Surely this must be the entrance to some big country house with many dogs, large kitchens, plenty of food. Joyfully she ran through the archway. But the path was wild. It seemed more like a path through a wood than the approach to a house. More and more frightened, she ran round one more bend - and suddenly she was out in the open, with the house in front of her. The windows twinkling in the early morning sunshine looked cheerful and welcoming, but there was no sign of life anywhere.
   'It's empty!' thought Missis, in despair.
   But it was not empty. Looking out of an open window was a Spaniel, black except for his muzzle, which was grey with age. "Good morning," he said. "Can I be of any help to you, my dear?"


Chapter Nine
___________
HOT BUTTERED TOAST

   It was wonderful how quickly the Spaniel took in the story Missis poured out to him, for he had not heard any news by way of the Twilight Barking. "Haven't listened to it for years," he said. "There isn't another dog for miles. Anyway, Sir Charles needs me at twilight - he needs me almost all the time."
   They were now in a large, stone-floored kitchen. He went on: "Breakfast before you tell me any more, young lady." Missis took one delicious gulp. Then she stopped. "My husband -" The Spaniel interrupted her. "We'll see about his breakfast later. Finish it all, my child."
   So Missis ate and ate and then had a long drink from a white pottery bowl. She had never seen a bowl like it. "That's an eighteen-century dog's drinking bowl," said the Spaniel, "handed down from dog to dog in this family. And now before you get too sleepy, you'd better bring your husband here."
   "Oh, yes!" said Missis eagerly. "Please tell me how to get back to the haystack."
   "Just go to the end of the drive and turn left."
   "I'm not very good at right and left," said Missis, "especially left."
   The Spaniel smiled; then looked at her paws. "This will help you," he said. "That paw with the pretty spot - that is your right paw."
   "Then which is my left paw?"
   "Why, the other paw, of course."
   "Back or front?" asked Missis.
   "Just forget your back paws. Look at your front paws and remember: Right paw, spot. Left paw, no spot. Turn on the side of the paw which doesn't have a spot. I will show you the haystack," he said, and led her out.
   Missis raced off happily across the frosty fields, and feeling very proud when she reached the haystack without getting lost. Pongo was still heavily asleep, with the bread and butter by his nose.
   Poor Pongo! Waking up was awful, the pain in his leg, and his horror at learning Missis had been dashing about the countryside alone. But he felt better when she told him the news. And though his leg hurt, he found he could run without limping.
   The Spaniel was waiting for them. "I've settled Sir Charles by the fire," he said, "so I've an hour or so to spare. Come to breakfast, my dear fellow." Pongo ate and drank. "And now for a long sleep," said the Spaniel.
   He led them up a back staircase to a large, sunny bedroom. "Sir Charles likes me on the bed," said the Spaniel. "Jump on, both of you. No one will come up here till this evening. Sleep well, my children." Pongo and Missis jumped on and relaxed.
   The sunlight, the firelight, the tapestried walls were all so beautiful that it seemed a waste not to stay awake and enjoy them. So they did - for nearly a whole minute. The next thing they knew was that the Spaniel was gently waking them. The sun was already down, the room a little chilly. A silvery bell tinkled. "There! Sir Charles is ringing for me. Tea's ready. Do just as I tell you."
   He led them into a large room at the far end of which was an enormous fire. In front of it sat an old gentleman, there was a screen round the back of his chair. "Please lie down at the back of the screen," whispered the Spaniel. "Later Sir Charles will fall asleep and you can come closer to the fire."
   There was a large table beside Sir Charles - and everything necessary for tea. The man put a slice of bread on a toasting fork four feet long. It was meant for pushing logs. But it was just what Sir Charles needed. He handled it with great skill avoiding the flaming logs and toasting the bread where the wood was red hot. A slice of toast was ready in no time. He buttered it thickly and offered a piece to a Spaniel, who ate it while Sir Charles watched.
   Missis was a little surprised that the Spaniel had not offered her the first piece. She was even more surprised when he received a second piece and ate that too. She began to feel very hungry. Then a third piece of toast was offered - and this time Sir Charles happened to turn away. Instantly the Spaniel dropped the toast behind the screen. Piece after piece travelled this way to Pongo and Missis. Missis felt ashamed of her hungry suspicions.
   At last Sir Charles rose, put another log on the fire, settled back in the chair and closed his eyes. Soon he was asleep. Pongo and Missis sat on the warm hearth and looked at the old gentleman. Somehow he had a look of the Spaniel - or the Spaniel had a look of Sir Charles. Both of them were lit by the firelight and beyond them was the great window, now blue with evening. It was so warm, so quiet, and they were both so full of buttered toast that they fell asleep.
   Pongo awoke with a start. Surely someone had spoken his name!
   The old gentleman was awake and leaning forward. "Well, if that isn't Pongo and his missis," he said, smilingly. "What a pleasure! Can you see them?" said the old gentleman, putting his hand on the Spaniel's head. "Don't be frightened. They won't hurt you. You'd have liked them. Let's see, they must have died fifty years before you were born. They were the first dogs I ever knew. I used to ask my mother to stop the carriage and let them get inside - I couldn't bear to see them running behind. So in the end, they just became house dogs. How often they sat there in the firelight."
   Then Pongo knew that Sir Charles thought they were ghost dogs. "Pongo" was a name given to many Dalmatians of the earlier days when they ran behind carriages. Sir Charles had taken them for Dalmatians he had known in his childhood.
   "Probably my fault," the old gentleman went on. "This house is supposed to be full of ghosts but I've never seen any... Well, Pongo and his pretty wife, after all these years!" Soon his breathing told them he was fast asleep again.
   The Spaniel rose quietly. "Come on with me now," he whispered. "You have given my dear old pet a great pleasure. I am deeply grateful."
   They tiptoed out of the hall and thanked the Spaniel and said good-bye.
   Just before midnight they came to the market town. Pongo paused as they crossed the bridge over the River Stour. "Here we enter Suffolk," he said.


Chapter Ten
___________
WHAT THEY SAW FROM THE FOLLY

   They travelled through many pretty villages to a countryside wilder than any they had yet seen. There were more woods, fewer farms. "I'm so afraid we may go through our village without knowing it," Pongo said. Suddenly, out of the darkness, came a loud "Miaow". They stopped instantly. Just ahead of them, up a tree, was a tabby cat. She said: "Pongo and Missis? I suppose you are friendly? Some dogs Just can't control themselves when they see a cat. You can call me Tib. My real name's Pussy Willow, but that's too long for most people."
   "It suits you so well," said Pongo in a tone he had picked up from the Spaniel, "with your slender figure and soft grey paws." The cat was delighted.
   "Please tell us if all is still well with our puppies. Could we see them - just a glimpse - before we eat or sleep?" asked Missis.
   "It was yesterday afternoon - when I last saw them. Lively as crickets and fat as butter, they were. But you can't see the puppies before they are let out for exercise and that'll be hours yet. Come along and meet the Colonel."
   "A human Colonel?" asked Missis, puzzled.
   "Bless me, no. The Colonel's our Sheepdog. A perfect master of strategy - you ask the sheep. He calls me his lieutenant. He is spending the night at the Folly. Crazy place, but it's coming in very useful."
   Some way ahead of them, a dark mass stood out against the lightning sky. It was a great stone wall. "Your puppies are behind thai," said the cat. As they came nearer, Pongo saw that the wall curved.
   "You'd think there would be a castle inside that wall," said the cat. "And they do say there was going to be, only something went wrong."
   They got through the iron gates and saw the glint of water but it seemed to be black water. Then they saw the reason why. Reflected in it was a black house. Many of the windows in its large flat face had been bricked up and those that were left looked like eyes and a nose, with the front door for a mouth. The whole face looked distorted. It seemed as if the eyes of the house were staring at them. "Well, that's Hell Hall for you," said the cat. "Well may they call it a Folly!"
   The cat miaowed three times and there were three answering barks from inside the tower. An enormous Sheep-dog came out. Pongo saw at once that this was an old soldier man, possibly a slow thinker but widely experienced. He led the way into the Folly. The narrow, twisting stairs went up through five floors, most of them full of broken furniture, old trunks and rubbish. On the top floor was a deep bed of straw.
   "I shall talk you to sleep," said the Colonel. And he told them the story of the Hell Hall. It had once been an ordinary farm-house named Hill Hall. When the farmer had got into debt, he sold it to an ancestor of Cruella de Vil's, who liked its lonely position. Cruella de Vil had the house painted black. She lets the Baddun brothers have it rent free as caretakers. Those were the last words Pongo and Missis heard, sleep wrapped them round.
   An hour later Missis opened her eyes. She heard the puppies barking and dashed to the window. The door to the stable yard opened, and out came a stream of puppies. Surely her puppies could not have grown so much in less than a week? And surely she had not had so many puppies? The whole yard was filling up with fine, large, healthy Dalmatian puppies, but - These puppies were not hers at all! She raised her head in a wail of despair.
   Pongo was beside her in a couple of seconds and stairing at the yard full of puppies. And then they saw him - smaller, even, than they had remembered. Lucky! There was no mistaking that horseshoe of spots on his back. And after him came Roly Poly, falling over his feet as usual. Then Patch and the tiny Cadpig and all the others.
   "Look, Patch is helping the Cadpig to find a place," said Missis, delightedly. "But what does it mean? Where have all those other puppies come from?" Pongo's keen brain had gone into action. He saw it all. Cruella must have begun stealing puppies months before. The largest pups looked at least five months old. Then they went down and down in size. Smallest and youngest of all were his own puppies.
   "Well, now you know," said the Sheepdog. "I was hoping you could have had your sleep out first." 


Chapter Eleven
___________
IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP

   The Colonel took Pongo downstairs to have a drink.
   "I blame myself for letting you in for this shock," said the Colonel. "When the Lieutenant told me the place was seething with Dalmatian puppies I naturally thought she only meant your puppies. After all, fifteen puppies can do quite a bit of seething. But there are about a hundred puppies there."
   Pongo couldn't imagine the Dearlys refusing to help any dog. But getting on for a hundred! Still, the drawing room was very large. "But Colonel," he said, "I could never get the whole lot of them to London."
   "Not as they are, of course. They must learn to march, to obey orders."
   With this wonderful old Colonel to help him Pongo would rescue every puppy. He found his spirits rising now. Something was puzzling him. "Colonel, why did Cruella steal so many puppies? She can't want more than one Dalmatian fur coat?" The Sheepdog looked astonished. "Surely you know her husband's a furrier? I understand she only married him for his furs."
   Pongo found Missis on the bare boards by the window. She had watched until the puppies had all gone in, then fell asleep. He lay down very close to keep her warm.
   It was dark when the Colonel woke them. "Let's be moving," he said, "You shall meet your family." A full moon was rising above the black house. "Colonel, what's that on the roof?" said Pongo. "Surely it isn't television - here?"
   "Oh, yes, it is. And there's hardly a cottage in the village which hasn't got it."
   He outlined his plans, and it soon appeared that television played an important part in them. The Baddun brothers were so fond of it that they could not bear any puppy to bark while it was on. Unless the puppies were warm, they barked like mad. The warmest room in the house was the kitchen - which was where the television set was - so that was where the pups now lived. All this the Colonel had heard from Lucky, during long, barked conversations, "That lad of yours is as bright as a button. He's months ahead of his age," said the Colonel. Pongo and Missis swelled with pride. The plan was that Lucky should bring his brothers and sisters out while the Badduns were watching television.
   "But it will be too cold for them to stay out long," said the Colonel. "I see no reason why you shouldn't spend the night in the kitchen. There is no light except the TV screen, the Badduns stay glued to the TV until it ends and then go to sleep." Pongo and Missis thought this was a wonderful idea.
   "Can we sleep there every night?" asked Missis. The Colonel said he hoped so and that it was at night that the pups would have to be drilled and trained for their march to London.
   The Colonel opened the gate to the stable yard. There stood Lucky, waiting for them. And behind him were all his brothers and sisters. Who could describe what the mother and the father felt during the next few minutes? They tried to be quiet, but there was so much happy snuffling, that the Sheepdog got nervous. "Will they hear in there?" he asked Lucky. "What, the Badduns?" said Lucky - rather indistinctly, because he had his mother's ear in his mouth. "No, they've got their television on extra loud."
   "Quiet, now!" said Pongo. "Quiet as mice!" said Missis. They were pleasantly surprised at how quiet the pups instantly were. Only fifteen tails were wagging. "Now, still!" said Lucky. All the tails stopped wagging. "I'm teaching them to obey orders," said Lucky to the Colonel. "Good boy. I make you a Sergeant. Now I'm off to see my little pet. Tommy, have his bath." Lucky took his father and mother in.
   It was dark and extremely warm in the kitchen. This was because there was central heating in the house. A strange sight they saw. A few feet away from the television two men lay on old mattresses, their eyes fixed on the screen. Behind them were row after row of puppies, small pups at the front, large pups at the back. Lucky whispered: "Father, are you going to rescue them all?" "I hope so," said Pongo, earnestly - wondering more and more how he was going to manage it. "I told them you would, but they've been pretty nervous. I'll just send a word round that they can count on you." Pongo felt great waves of love and trust rolling towards him. And suddenly all the pups were real and living for him, not just a problem he had to face. He felt as if he were the father of them all.
   No one would have guessed that Saul and Jasper Baddun were brothers. Saul was heavy and dark, with a forehead so low that his bushy eyebrows often got tangled with his hair. Jasper was thin and fair, with a chin so sharp and pointed that it had worn holes in all his shirts. Both brothers looked very dirty.
   Drowsiness spread throughout the warm, red room. The Baddun brothers dozed. They didn't much like the programme that was on television and wanted to be fresh for their favourite programme, which was due later. Suddenly there was a thunder of thumps on the front door. The sleeping pups awoke in alarm. The door flung open. Outside, against the moonlit sky, stood a figure in a long white cloak. It was Cruella de Vil.


Chapter Twelve
___________
SUDDEN DANGER

   For a few seconds, she stared into the dimly lit room. Then she shouted: "Saul! Jasper! Turn off that television! And turn on the light!" "We can't turn on the light because we've no electric bulbs left," said Saul. "Well, turn the sound off, anyway," said Cruella. angrily. "I've got a job for you, my lads. The pups must be killed tonight."
   "But they're not big enough to be made into fur coats yet," said Saul.
   "The largest ones are, and the little ones can be made into gloves. Anyway, they've got to die - before someone finds them. There's been so much in the papers about the Dearlys' dogs. All England's on the hunt for Dalmatians. My husband is going to ship the skins abroad - except the ones I keep for my own coat. This lot must be got rid of - quickly."
   "How?" said the Badduns together.
   "Any way you like. Poison them, drown them, hit them on the head. But you must kill them carefully not to damage their skins. Then you can start the skinning. My husband will show you how to do it. I've got to be back to London. Now you'd better get busy. Good night."
   Pongo felt stunned. If only he could think! If only the Sheepdog were there to advise him!
   "One thing's certain," said Jasper. "We can't do it tonight or we shall miss 'What's my crime?'." It was their favourite television programme. Saul turned the sound on full blast.
   "They won't stir for the next half-hour," whispered Lucky. Pongo whispered to Lucky: "March the pups out to the stable yard."
   It was remarkable how quickly the pups left the kitchen, under Sergeant Lucky's whispered directions. Pongo and Missis watched the Badduns anxiously, for the hundreds of little toenails made a clilter-clatter on the kitchen floor. But the Badduns had eyes and ears for nothing but television. All that could be done now was to lead the pups to the Folly.
   There was not room for ninety-seven pups on the ground floor of the Folly, so Pongo marched everyone out on to the heath. As the last pup marched out, the Sheepdog arrived. When he heard the facts he praised Pongo highly. "That was Sergeant Lucky's idea," said Pongo proudly. "Good work, Sergeant-Major," said the Colonel. "But where are we to go?" asked Missis. "Look, the puppies are shivering." The Sheepdog thought and said: "Our big barn for the night, anyway. Pups can keep warm in the straw. It's only half a mile across the heath."
   Half a mile! How little to Pongo and Missis! How much to the tiny Cadpig! She would never have reached the farm at all if the Sheepdog had not given her a lift. He lay down and she climbed on to his back and held on to his long hair with her teeth.
   At last they reached the big barn at the back of the farm where the Colonel lived. The tired pups instantly fell asleep. Pongo, Missis and the Colonel stood at the door, trying to make plans. The Colonel said: "We must get you to London by easy stages, just a few miles a day. I hope to arrange the first stage at once, by Midnight Barking."
   "But my smallest daughter is so weak," said Missis. "How can she make any journey?'' The Colonel smiled: "I have a plan for her. Now, sleep, sleep, both of you."
   They would not have fallen asleep so easily if they had known what the Sheepdog had just seen. Across the heath lanterns were moving. The Badduns were out, searching for the missing puppies.


Chapter Thirteen
___________
THE LITTLE BLUE CART

   Pongo was dreaming he was back in Regent's Park running after a stick thrown by Mr. Dearly, when Lieutenant Willow woke him: 'The Colonel's compliments and would you and your lady please come to him?"
   Pongo woke Missis gently, but she sprang up at once. "All well," said the cat soothingly. ''Food and shelter are arranged for two days ahead. Reception for the Midnight Barking was excellent. Please follow me now."
   They left the barn and crossed the farmyard to the back door of a large farmhouse. In the nursery the Sheep-dog stood beside a little painted bed in which was a two-year-old boy. "This is my pet, Tommy," said the Colonel. "He wants to meet you." Pongo and Missis went to the little boy and he patted them both. Then he made some odd noises. They did not sound like Human nor did they sound like Dog. But the Sheepdog seemed to understand them. "Tommy wishes to lend you something. See, here it is," he said.
   Pongo and Missis then saw a little wooden cart, painted blue. "You can choose two pups." said the Colonel. ''and they can pull the cart forward. Pups at the back can push it with their noses. Your smallest daughter can travel comfortably in the hay, and any puppy who is tired can sit beside her and take a rest." "If we ever get home," said Pongo, "I feel sure Mr. Dearly will return it. Please tell Tommy how very grateful we are."
   The Sheepdog translated this to Tommy, and they said good-bye to him. They went back to the barn and woke the pups. They tried the cart and the Cadpig was pleased.
   Pongo was told the plans made by Midnight Barking. The Colonel hoped to gel them to London in twelve or ten days. Missis felt her heart sink. "When is Christmas Day?" she said. "It's tomorrow, because it's Christmas Eve already." said the Colonel. Pongo guessed his wife's thoughts. "Never mind, Missis," he said. "We'll be home next Christmas."
   It was time to start. The Colonel took them to the crossroads. "I wish I could come with you, but I've got a job to do," he said. Then he and the cat, who was riding on his back, said good-bye and went off so fast that Pongo had to bark his thanks after them.
   The Colonel had just been informed by Lieutenant Willow that the Baddun brothers were now on the outskirts of the village, less than half a mile behind the Dalmatians. He could think of only one thing to do and he set out to do it - with great pleasure. He bit both brothers in both legs. Seldom could four legs have been bitten so fast by one dog.


Chapter Fourteen
___________
CHRISTMAS EVE

   Meanwhile, the Dalmatian army was moving along the road. But progress was not really fast. Every half-mile the whole army had a rest. There was a hint of dawn in the sky now, but Pongo felt sure they could reach the village before it was dangerously light. Suddenly the Cadpig called out: "Look! Little painted houses on wheels!" Pongo knew they were not houses. They were caravans. Gipsies lived in caravans and Gipsies sometimes stole valuable dogs. "Halt!" said Pongo, instantly.
   Between them and the nearest caravan was an open gate. He would lead the puppies through it. The owner of the keenest brains in Dogdom made one of his few mistakes. For in the caravan nearest to them, an old Gipsy woman was awake and looking out of the little window. She saw the Dalmatians and woke her husband.
   The old Gipsy woman never read newspapers. But she knew that here were many valuable dogs. There is a connection between Dalmatians and Gipsies. Many people believe that it was the Gipsies who first brought Dalmatians to England, long, long ago. Gipsies travelled round England with Dalmatians trained to do tricks. Dogs earned money for the Gipsies. The old woman thought how splendid it would be if all these Dalmatians could be trained as money earners.
   "Quick! Close the gate!" she said to her husband. "I will rouse the camp and we will catch the dogs." In less than two minutes, all the gipsies were awake and with sticks. When the puppies reached the gate, it was closed. Pongo barked loudly, hoping that some Gipsy dog might help him. But the Gipsy dogs had all been shut up in the caravans and could not help them.
   But someone else did. Horses are nearly always friendly to Dalmatians - perhaps because of those old days when Dalmatians were trained to follow carriages. A Horse took an instant liking to Pongo, Missis, and all the pups. He opened the gate with his long, strong teeth and swung it back. Out poured the puppies. "What a very large family you and your wife have," said the Horse. "My wife and I have never had more than one. Well, good luck to you."
   Helter-skelter along the road went Missis, the puppies and, finally, Pongo. The shut-in Gipsy dogs heard them and shook the caravans in their efforts to get out. "The caravans bark but the dogs move on," remarked Pongo, when he felt they were out of danger.
   A few minutes later they reached the village where they were to sleep. The Sheepdog's friend, a handsome Collie, was waiting to welcome them. The baker, the butcher and the sweep had already gone to spend Christmas with their married daughters. Soon every pup was safely in and enjoying a splendid sausage roll. The Collie shook his head worriedly when he heard about the Gipsies. "A narrow escape," he said. "The trouble is that Dalmatians are such noticeable dogs. You'd be w much safer if you were black."
   "Like that little nice pup over there," said Missis. "What pup?" the Collie said. "That pup doesn't belong in this village. Who are you, my lad? Where have you come from?" The pup came running to Missis and she said: "Goodness! It is Roly Poly!" The fat puppy who was always getting into mischief had a fight with a bag of soot.
   "Roly Poly," said Pongo, "was there a lot of soot at the sweep's?"
   "Bags and bags," said Roly Poly.
   "Then we are all going to be black dogs," said Pongo. "Ten dogs forward at a time!" commanded Pongo. "Pups roll! Pups rub noses!" In a short time there were ninety-seven pitch black pups.
   "And now, my love," said Pongo to Missis. "Let us take a roll in the soot." Frankly, Missis did not fancy it. She hated soiling her white hair and losing its contrast with her beautiful black spots. She felt much better only when Pongo had helped her with the final touches and said: "Why, Missis, as a black dog, you are slimmer than ever." Then Pongo said: "How does soot suit me?"
   "Suit soots you beautifully," said Missis, and all the pups roared with laughter at her mistake. Now they had five miles to go to another bakery. The moon was rising and the stars were out. There was one specially large, bright star. "The Collie said straight ahead and that star is straight ahead," said Pongo. "So we'll steer by it."


Chapter Fifteen
___________
MIRACLE NEEDED

   They went on for nearly two miles, then Pongo saw a long row of cottage roofs ahead across the fields. They saw a very bright glow over the village. Pongo 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." There was something odd about this bark, there were no words of welcome. Soon a graceful red Setter came dashing towards them. They guessed, even before she spoke, that something was very wrong.
   The poor Setter was hysterical: "The bakery's on fire! There's nothing for you to eat and nowhere for you to sleep. And the village street's full of people." The strange thing was that Missis felt quite calm. She tried to comfort the Setter, saying they would go to some barn. "But no arrangements are made. And there's no spare food anywhere. All the village dogs brought what they could to the bakery," said the Setter. Just then came a whistle. "My pet is calling me," said the Setter. "He's the doctor here. There's no dog at the bakery, so I was chosen to arrange everylhing - because I took first prize in a Dog Show. And now I've failed you." "Go back to your pet and don't worry," said Missis. "We shall simply go to the next village." The whistle came again and the Setter ran off. "Feather-brained as well as feather-tailed," said Pongo. "Just very young. Well, on to the next village," said Missis.
   They started. The pace was certainly good for a couple of miles, then it got slower and slower. "The puppies will have to rest," said Missis. The moment Pongo called a halt the pups sank down on the frosty grass. Many of them at once fell asleep. They could no longer hear any sounds from the village. The world seemed frozen into a silvery, silent stillness.
   Something soft and fluffy touched Pongo's head. Missis whispered: "Look, Pongo! Look at the puppies!" Tiny white dots were appearing on the sooty black coats. Snow had begun to fall. Missis said, smiling: "Instead of being white pups with black spots they are turning into black pups with white spots. How soft and gentle the snow is!"
   Pongo was not smiling. He cried: "If they sleep they will never wake - they will freeze to death beneath that soft, gentle snow! Wake up, pups! Wake up!" The poor pups begged to be left to sleep. Then, from the village behind them, came the blare of the loudest motor-horn in England.
   The pups sprang up. "To the woods!" cried Pongo. Then he saw that the woods were protected by wire netting. But he also could see that the woods ended, not very far ahead. "We must go on," he cried. "There may be fields."
   Pongo knew that the great striped car could travel two miles in less than two minutes. "To the fields!" cried Pongo. "Faster, faster!" The pups ran, then fell back. Though the woods ended, the wire netting still continued, on both sides of them. And the horn sounded again - louder and nearer. "Nothing but a miracle can save us now," said Pongo. "Then we must find a miracle," said Missis. "Pongo, what is a miracle?" It was at that moment that they suddenly saw a very large van drawn up on the road ahead of them. The tailboard was down and the inside of the van was lit by electric light. And sitting there on a newspaper, was a Staffordshire Terrier. He stared in astonishment at the army of pups running towards him.
   "Help, help, help!" barked Pongo. "You'd better hide in my van," barked back the Staffordshire. "The miracle!" said Pongo to Missis. "Quickly, pups! Jump into the nice miracle," said Missis.
   Up went the Cadpig's cart, pulled from the front and pushed from behind. Then more and more pups jumped up until the entire army was in.
   The horn sounded again and now two strong headlights could be seen in the distance. "I'd better put the lights off," said the Staffordshire. Quickly Pongo gave the command: "Pups, close your eyes - or they will reflect the car's headlights and shine like jewels in the darkness. Close them and do not open them until I give the word."
   The horn blared again and again, as if telling the van to get out of the way. Louder and louder grew the noise from the engine. Then with a roar, the great striped car was on them - and past them.
   "You may open your eyes now, my brave pups," cried Pongo.
   "That was quite a car, mate," said the Staffordshire to Pongo. "You must have quite an enemy. Who are you, anyway? Well, you are the missing Dalmatians! Want a lift back to London?" A lift? A lift all the way in this wonderful van! Pongo and Missis could hardly believe it.
   "But why are there so many pups? The newspapers don't know the half of it. They think there are only fifteen missing," said the Staffordshire.
   Pongo started to explain but the Staffordshire said they would talk during the drive to London. "How many days will the journey to London take?" asked Missis. "Days?" said the Staffordshire. "It won't take much more than a couple of hours, if I know my pets. They want to get home to finish decorating their kids' Christmas trees. Ssssh, now!"
   A large man in a rough apron was coming out of a nearby house. The Staffordshire, wagging his tail enthusiastically, hurled himself at the man's chest, nearly knocking him down. "Get down, you Self-launched Bomb," the man shouted with great affection. The Staffordshire jumped inside the van. The man put the tailboard up and shouted: "Next stop, St. John's Wood."
   St. John's Wood! That was where the Splendid Vet lived - quite close to Regent's Park! What wonderful luck! Pongo heard a clock strike. It was still only eight o'clock. "Missis!'' he cried. "We shall get home tonight! We shall be home for Christmas!"
   "Yes, Pongo," said Missis, gaily. But she did not feel as gay as she sounded. Suppose the Deariys did not recognize them now they were black dogs? She kept her fears to herself. Why should she frighten Fongo with them?
   Meanwhile, Pongo had his own worries. He remembered that Cruella intended to wait until people had forgotten about the stolen puppies, and then to start her Dalmatian fur farm again. He asked Ihc Staffordshire's advice. "Why not kill this Cruella?" said the Staffordshire. "And I'll help you." Pongo shook his head. He had come to believe that Cruella was not an ordinary human but some kind of devil. And he didn't want his pups to have a killer-dog for a father.
   On and on through the dark went the mile-eating miracle.


Chapter Sixteen
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THE WHITE CAT'S REVENGE

   The van stopped. Down came the tailboard. Out shot the Staffordshire. He knocked the driver right down. "You, Flying Saucer, you!" said the man. He didn't notice the black dogs streaming out of the van.
   Snow had been falling for hours, so that London was all white. How beautiful Regent's Park looked, snowy under the stars!
   They were close to Cruella de Vil's house. As they drew near to it, Pongo said: "Look, pups. That is our enemy's house." Lucky said: "May we scratch it and bite it?" "You would only hurt your nails and your teeth," said Pongo.
   Missis saw something only a little less white than the snow. It was Cruella's persian cat. Her back was arched and she was spitting angrily. Pongo said quickly: "Madam, none of us would ever dream of hurting you." The cat said: "There are no black dogs round here." "We are not usually black except for our spots," said Pongo. The white cat guessed everything. "And you've rescued all the pups! Bravo! I couldn't be more pleased. I have lost forty-four kittens in early infancy. All drowned by Cruella."
   "Why don't you leave her?" asked Pongo. "I wait for my full revenge,'' said the white cat. "I can't do much on my own - I've only two pairs of paws. I let the place become overrun with mice. And, oh, how I scratch the furniture. Why not let your pups come in and do some damage now?"
   Pongo shook his head. "This is no moment for revenge. We should get the pups home. They are hungry." "Oh, please, let us!" cried the pups. They made so much noise that Missis could not hear what the white cat was now saying to Pongo. At last he turned, quietened the pups, and said: "Missis I now feel that we should do as our friend here suggests. It will take me a long time to explain why, so will you trust me, please?" "Of course, Pongo," said Missis.
   Lucky and two big, loud-barked pups were left on guard. They were sorry to miss the fun, but duty was duty. "Three barks if you see the striped car or hear its horn," Pongo told them, then marched all the other pups after the white cat.
   There was enough light from the lamps on the Outer Circle to show them a big room in which were many racks of fur coats. Pongo barked his orders: "Four pups to a coat, two pups to a stole, one pup to a muff. Present teeth! Tear-r-r!"
   There was not space enough in one room to finish the whole job, so the pups spread themselves throughout the house. The fur flew in every direction. From kitchen to attic the house was filled with a fog of fur. Chinchilla, Sable, Mink, and Beaver, Nutria, Fox... "No more furs to tear now," said the Cadpig. At that moment the pups outside barked the alarm. The pups streamed down into the back yard.
   The striped car went by the end of the passage. A light was on inside and they could see Cruella clearly. The car stopped. Mr. de Vil helped Cruella out. He started to search for his latch-key. Cruella stood waiting, with the cloak hanging round her shoulders. "I shan't sleep if she keeps that cloak," said Missis. "She'll never recognize us now we're black," Pongo said.
   They dashed towards Cruella and seized the cloak. It slipped from her shoulders quite easily - and fell on top of Pongo and Missis. Blindly they ran along the Outer Circle, with the cloak over them and looking as if it was running by itself. Cruella screamed: "It's bewitched! Go after it!" "I think an ancestor of yours is running away with it. You'd better come indoors," said Mr. de Vil.
   The next moment, he and Cruella started to cough. For as they opened the door they were met by a cloud of fur.
   Somehow Pongo and Missis found their way to the passage, where they came from under the coat and dragged it to the back yard. Here the pups fell on it. And that was the end of the absolutely simple white mink cloak.
   Now they were marching along the Outer Circle again. And now they could see the Dearlys' house ahead of them. There were lights in the drawing-room window. "Mr. and Mrs. Dearly haven't gone to bed yet," said Pongo. Lights were shining up from the kitchen. "The Nannies are still awake," said Missis. She said it brightly; no one could have guessed how frightened she was. Why should the Dearlys let a mob of strange black dogs into the house? Suppose they were all turned away - ninety-nine hungry Dalmatians.
   At that moment, snow began to fall again, very, very thickly.


Chapter Seventeen
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WHO ARE THESE STRANGE BLACK DOGS?

   The Dearlys, the Nannies, and Perdita had spent a sad Christmas Eve. In the afternoon the Nannies trimmed the Christmas tree. The Dearlys put Perdita's presents on it but they had not the heart to get out the presents which they had bought for Pongo, Missis, and Fifteen puppies. When snow first began to fall, everyone felt worse than ever. In the evening, the Dearlys invited the Nannies to come up to the drawing-room and they alt played nursery card games. They all pretended to enjoy themselves which was very hard work. At last Mr. Dearly said he would put some Christmas carols on the gramophone.
   Now carols are always beautiful but if you are sad they can make you feel sadder. When Mr. Dearly realized this, he thought: "This must be the last carol we play." It was "Silent Night". Mrs. Dearly put out the lights and drew back the curtains, so that they could see the stars while they listened. Suddenly, everyone in the room heard a dog bark. "That's Pongo," cried Mr. Dearly. They dashed to the window, flung it open wide and stared down. Down below were two black dogs.
   Mrs. Dearly said gently: "You shouldn't be out on a night like this. Go home to your owners, my dears." It happened just as Missis had feared! They were turned away, outcasts in the night. Pongo had a moment of panic. But quickly he pulled himself together. "We must bark again," he said. "They will recognize our voices sooner or later."
   Up in the drawing-room Mrs. Dearly said: "I can't believe that's not Pongo and Missis. And look how excited Perdita is!" Mr. Dearly said: "I shall go down and see if they have collars on. Perhaps I can take them to their homes."
   The front door opened and out came Mr. Dearly. In shot Missis, closely followed by the Cadpig and all her brothers and sisters. Mr. Dearly did not see what was happening until Roly Poly bumped into him in passing. Then he looked down and saw a stream of black pups going through the front door. Suddenly there was a hitch. The two pups dragging the Cadpig's little blue cart could not get up the stairs. Mr. Dearly, who could never see a dog in difficulty without helping, picked the cart up himself. "These dogs are a troop from a circus," he thought.
   The scene in the drawing-room was rather confused. Large as the room was, there was not floor space for all the puppies, so they were jumping on to the tables and chairs and piling up on top of each other. There was rather a lot of noise. Mrs. Dearly was just managing to keep on her feet. The Nannies had taken refuge on top of the grand piano.
   Pongo barked a command: "All pups, roll! Roll, Missis!" And he himself rolled. The Dearlys stared in bewilderment - and then both of them shouted: "Look!" The white carpet was becoming blacker, the black dogs were becoming whiter... "It's Pongo," cried Mr. Dearly. "It's Missis," cried Mrs. Dearly. "It's Pongo, Missis and all their puppies," cried the Nannies. "It's considerably more than all their puppies," said Mr. Dearly - just before Pongo embraced him.
   Missis was embracing Mrs. Dearly. Perdita was absolutely wild, trying to embrace eight puppies at once. They were her own long-lost family! The Nannies got off the piano, picked up the cart and read out: "MASTER TOMMY TOMPKINS, FARMER. DYMPLING, SUFFOLK." "Dympling?" said Mr. Dearly. "That's where Cruella de Vil has a country house."
   And then Mr. Dearly Saw It All. He remembered Cruella's desire for a Dalmatian fur coat. "You must have the law on her," cried the Nannies. Mr. Dearly said he would think about it after Christmas, but now he must think about feeding the pups. He hurriedly telephoned the Ritz, the Savoy, and other good hotels and asked them to send page boys along with steaks. Nanny Butler said: "They must be bathed before they eat." Nanny Cook said: "Nanny Butler and I will work in our bathroom and you two can work in yours. And how about asking that Splendid Vet and his wife to hath pups in the laundry?"
   Mrs. Dearly got out all her best bath salts and bath oils and all the lovely bath-towels given to her as wedding presents. The three bathing teams got to work. It took less time than you would believe, because five pups were put in the bath at a time. By the time the last pup was washed, the steaks were arriving. There were enough for everyone, even the humans - who were by this time pretty hungry.
   There is a mystery to be cleared up. Most people who are good at arithmetic are likely to think there is a mistake in this book. It is called "One Hundred and One Dalmatians". Well, Pongo and Missis and Perdita make three. There were ninety-seven Dalmatian pups at Hell Hall including those belonging to Pongo, Missis, and Perdita. Three and ninety seven make one hundred. Where, then, is the hundred and oneth Dalmatian? On to the last chapter, if you please!


Chapter Eighteen
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THE HUNDRED AND ONETH DALMATIAN

   Christmas Day at the house in Regent's Park was absolutely wonderful. The rather good hotels sent plenty more steaks, the pups were able to play with lots of things in the house which were not intended to be played with. At twilight, Pongo and Missis led the Dearlys up to the top of Primrose Hill and barked over a Dogdom-wide network.
   As soon as Christmas was over, Mr. Dearly decided to act quickly, for he realized that one hundred Dalmatians was too much for one house in Regent's Park. First he advertised - in case any owners of pups wanted to claim them. But none did - for this reason; Cruella had bought all the pups except those stolen from the Dearlys. Only one owner turned up, the farmer who had owned Perdita. And he was quite happy to sell her to the Dearlys.
   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 again got it out.
   One 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." They took Pongo and Missis with them, and Lucky got 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. The little blue cart was returned. The Dearlys saw at once that Pongo, Missis and Lucky knew the Sheepdog and the cat that came hurrying up. When they got to Hell Hall there was a large notice outside saying: FOR SALE - CHEAP. OWNERS GONE TO WARM CLIMATE. And the gates stood wide open. The house was empty.
   "What a hideous house!" said Mrs. Dearly. "What a lovely wall!" said Mr. Dearly. This wall was just the thing to prevent the hundred Dalmatians from running wild.
   "Suppose it was painted white," he said. 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 agreed. "Here we will found a Dynasty of Dalmatians." said Mr. Dearly. Missis was insulted. She thought the word meant a nasty din. But Pongo explained that it meant a family that goes on and on.
   One sunny day in early spring a removal van and an extra large double-decker motor-coach stood outside the house in Regent's Park. The van was for the furniture. The coach was for the Dearlys and the Dalmatians. The Nannies had already gone down by car, to open Hell Hall.
   Mr. Dearly came out of the house with Pongo and Missis. Mrs. Dearly followed with Perdita, and with the white cat on her shoulder. Within the next few minutes, two surprising things had happened. First, just as Missis saw the removal van and said: "Oh, there's a miracle," a Staffordshire Terrier flung itself from the van, said; "Here we are again," to Pongo and Missis, and hurled itself at Mr. Dearly's chest.
   And then the second surprising thing happened. A large car had drawn up and the people in it were looking at Pongo, Missis and Perdita with interest. Suddenly the door burst open and out sprang a superb liver-spotted Dalmatian. He dashed up to Perdita. It was her long-lost husband. His name was Prince. The people in the big car were much touched by his faithfulness to Perdita and at once offered him to the Dearlys, saying they would be glad of a good home for him as they were always going abroad and having to leave him. Prince was delighted.
   So the Dalmatians started for Suffolk, one hundred and one strong.
   When the Dalmatians reached the village of Dympling, all the villagers were out to receive them, with the Sheepdog, the tabby cat, and Tommy Tompkins. Tommy had his little blue cart with him and the Cadpig felt just a bit envious - but she was happy to know she had grown too strong to need any cart.
   The white Persian Cat, who was now a charming cature (kindness make cats kind) was extremely gracious to the farmyard tabby. It was the beginning of a firm friendship.
   At last the motor-coach drove in through the wide open gates of Hell Hall. The pond now reflected a snow-white house. The front of the house still looked like a lace and had an expression but now it was a pleasant expression. The Nannies were waiting at the open front door. Nanny Butler said: "Do you know there is a television aerial on the roof of this house?" And Nanny Cook said; "Seems wasteful not to make use of it."
   Then Mr. Dearly knew that the Nannies wished for television in the kitchen and he at once suggested it. Pongo and Missis were delighted, for they knew how very much their smallest daughter had missed it.

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THE END