The Tail Wagger's Big Book

By Herbert Strang

This vintage book contains a collection of charming short stories related to dogs. It was originally intended to introduce children to the delights of owning a pet dog, and is therefore ideal for animal-loving children today. Profusely illustrated and utterly endearing, this volume would make for a fantastic addition to any family collection and is not to be missed by collectors. Contents include: "Busy", "The Return Visit", "The First Tail-Waggers". "Hullo! Everybody", "Toby", "The Faithful Pilgrim", "Never Again", "Dogs with Jobs", "A Friend in Need", "Pat and the Pin", "Bob-Tailed Ben", "Tammie's Temper", "Dog Friends I Have Known", "Catch-As-Catch-Can", et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with its original artwork and text.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vintage Dog Books
• Release date: Sep 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781473341159

Book preview

BUSY

THERE was once a little dog whose real name was Tim, but who was always called Busy. Fred Cooper, his master, never knew how the name came; but it stuck to him, and suited him down to the ground.

He was a Yorkshire terrier, very busy and curious, and always digging about the hills; for Busy believed that he would one day find a splendid pile of bones hidden in them.

He lived with Fred and Mrs. Cooper in a pretty stone cottage on the slopes of the Mendip Hills. Sometimes in the summer Mrs. Cooper took in a lodger, a kind, quiet man in spectacles, called Mr. Mortimer, whom Busy adored, for Mr. Mortimer had much the same interest in digging and crawling about the caves and hills as Busy. He was a geologist.

Sometimes Fred would go with Mr. Mortimer. Armed with ropes, lanterns, and hammers, the two would set off, leaving Busy behind; for he had once disgraced himself by worming his way into a hole, and Fred and Mr. Mortimer had had to spend ten hours in getting him out of it.

One sunny Saturday in August, Mr. Mortimer started early.

Dicker’s Hole to-day, Fred. You’ll join me after school?

Rather! said Fred. And it’s a half-holiday, sir.

I’ll join you at once, Mr. Mortimer! barked Busy, jumping round him.

Busy, you little idiot, said Fred, catching him by the scruff of the neck, and putting him under a hen-coop, stay there!

Busy had been let out when Fred returned to collect his things at midday, and his hopes rose high. I’m coming! I’m coming! he barked. I’ll show you!

Mother, please shut up Busy till I get off, cried Fred. And the unhappy Busy was shut in the scullery.

Kind Mrs. Cooper fed him, and let him out at two o’clock. He went to the porch and sadly watched the hills, his head on one side. A fat, well-known figure came panting over the brow of the hill. It was Towzer, the spaniel from Fairways Farm, out for a gentle rabbiting excursion. Busy raced towards him.

Towzer was annoyed, for he was a lazy dog. He had only wished to sit on the top of a warren in the sun, and scare young rabbits when they popped out of their holes. Now Busy would worry him, and make him run all over the place.

He dropped behind some gorse bushes, hoping to shake his new companion off; but of course, Busy found him, and left him no peace, barking round him and worrying him, till at last with sighs and groans the fat spaniel rose, and the two started off together.

Towzer’s hunting ground generally was a warren on Greenway’s hillside; but now Busy had a better idea. At that time, the rabbits would mostly be below in the bushes, and so to the bushes they went. Towzer’s job was to lumber through and scare them, Busy’s to nip round on the far side and catch the unwary runaway as it was bolting out.

Towzer lumbered into the bushes, and gave a mighty shout. He must have found something, thought Busy. Towzer did not come out. Nothing came out. Busy barked; then he leapt over some low bushes—but instead of landing on solid earth, he trod on air. He found what Towzer had found: he was falling down one of the old limestone shafts of the