Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE After supper they finished their parcels, and brought them all down to the sitting room. The tree was there, looking very cheerful, although the candles on it were not yet lit. It was hung with tinsel and little sparkling ornaments, and had at the top the fairy doll that had been on every Christmas tree since George was little.

The parcels were put into a big sack, and this was set at the foot of the tree, ready for the morning. Timmy immediately went to sniff at it, from top to bottom. 'He can smell his Christmas bone,' said Anne. 'Timmy, come away. I won't have you guessing my present!'

Later they played games, and Timmy joined in. He was so excited that he began to bark, and Uncle Quentin stormed out of his study at once, and appeared in the sitting room.

'George! I've told you before I won't have Timmy barking in the house. Yes, I know it's Christmas Eve, but I can't STAND that barking. Why must he have such a loud one? It's enough to deafen me. I'll turn him out. He can go to his kennel!'

'Oh no, Dad- not on Christmas Eve!' said George, horrified. 'Timmy, go and lie down- and BE QUIET!' 'He's to go out to his kennel, said her father. 'That's my last word Out, Timmy, OUT!'

So out poor Timmy had to go, his tail well down. He felt puzzled. The children had been shouting, hadn't they? It was their way of barking. Well, why couldn't he shout in his own way, which was barking?