Rascal's Seaside Adventure by Holly Webb Page A

break up from school at the end of the week,” Mum said, but she was looking worried. “Ellie, I’m not absolutely sure we’re going to take Rascal…”
    Ellie stared at her. “But we have to! We can’t just leave him behind.”
    â€œNo, of course not, but he might have to go to kennels. You know how fussy Gran can be – she worries about the mess you and Lila and Max make, let alone a puppy.”
    Ellie felt like crying. She had been imagining showing Rascal all her favourite places in Green Bay. Maybe he’d even want to go in the sea with her! “I don’t want to go without him…” she said, hervoice all sniffly. “Please, Mum! He’d hate being in kennels, away from all of us.”
    â€œIt’s true, Mum,” Lila put in. “He’d be really miserable.” Max nodded too.
    â€œI know.” Mum got up and gave Ellie a hug. “I’ll talk to Gran about it. After all, Rascal’s so much better behaved now, isn’t he?Was he good at training tonight?”
    Ellie swallowed, and glanced over at Dad. “Well, most of the time…”

Chapter Two
Last Day
    Mum was still really unsure about taking Rascal on holiday, especially after Ellie had told her about him weeing during dog training. She’d phoned Gran, and they’d talked about it for ages, while Ellie had sat on the stairs listening, and watching Rascal rolling over and over down the hallway with his squeaky bone. He was so cute – how could Gran not love him?
    Ellie told her best friend Christy all aboutit as they waited in the playground for the morning bell on Friday – the last day before the holidays.
    â€œMum said that Gran’s agreed, but she’s still really not keen on having a puppy to stay, so we’ll all have to make sure he behaves,” she explained.

    Everyone was tearing round excitedly, making sure they all had phone numbers for meeting up during the summer. Ellie, Christy and their friend Lucy had clubbed together and bought a lovely mug with dogs on for their teacher, Mrs Harley, who liked dogs too. They were going to give it to her at the end of school.
    â€œI bet your gran will like him when she gets to know him,” said Christy.
    Ellie sighed. She hoped so, but she just wasn’t sure. Gran was one of those people who always looked perfect – her hair was styled like she’d just come out of the hairdresser, and she never, ever spilt anything on her clothes. Her house was the same – always tidy, with a lot of small andvery breakable china ornaments dotted around. It really wasn’t the best sort of place to take Rascal. “She’s just not a dog person…” Ellie said. “But at least we’ll be out on the beach most of the time, so he won’t be getting under her feet.”
    â€œActually, that’s a good idea,” Christy agreed. “Why don’t you take him for loads of long walks along the beach? That way, he’ll be too tired to be naughty.”
    Ellie smiled. “Good plan, and I’m going to try and get him to come swimming with me. That’ll definitely wear him out. Jo said that Jack Russells usually love swimming. I’m just so glad Gran said yes in the end. He would have hated going to kennels, and I’d really miss him!”
    Christy nodded. “Bouncer’s going to stay with my uncle when we go away to France. We did send him to kennels once, but he was really grumpy when we picked him up. He went down to the end of the garden and sulked for a whole day.”
    Ellie giggled. Bouncer was Christy’s gorgeous golden Labrador, and he was so happy and friendly that she couldn’t imagine him having a strop.
    â€œYou’re really lucky getting to take Rascal with you,” Christy said enviously. “You’ll have such a good time.”
    â€œI should think Rascal would probably tear a boarding kennel apart,”