One sunny morning Rufus was sitting by the window and watching the clouds skate across the sky. Tom was having his breakfast and then they would go for a walk. Rufus loved going for walks, there were always so many sticks to play with in the park and lots of space to run around in.
After breakfast Tom and Nic put on their shoes took Rufus' lead down from the shelf. They went out the door, with Rufus trotting happily at their heels. Then they walked to the car and opened the doors. "This is odd," thought Rufus. We don't go to the park in the car."
"We're going somewhere different for our walk today Rufus," said Nic as he lept into the boot. "We're going to meet Auntie Sam and go round the lake."
Rufus wasn't sure what a lake was, but he was very excited. Rufus loved to see his Auntie Sam, she always liked to play and sometimes snuck him treats when she thought Nic wasn't looking!
They drove down the motorway, with Rufus sniffing all the smells that came in on the big gusts of wind through the windows. It would be great to see his Auntie Sam, maybe the lake was a toy that she had for him!
When they got to Auntie Sam's house she gave him a big cuddle and Rufus licked her face to show her how happy he was to see her. Rufus liked Auntie Sam's house, there was a sweet little garden and sometimes a cat to chase! He couldn't see anything he thought might be the lake though.
On they went in the car, down little windy lanes, until they pulled up in a big space full of cars. "Is this the lake?" Rufus wondered.
"Come on Rufus!" said Tom, leading the way under a big stone bridge that looked and smelt like it had been there for hundreds of years.
On the other side of the bridge Rufus had a big surprise! There was the biggest puddle he had ever seen! It had trees in the middle and lots of strange animals floating on the top!
"This is the lake," said Auntie Sam, so on they went, Rufus sniffing and wagging his tail in happy surprise.
Rufus loved the lake, he crept up to the edge and gave it a little sniff. The day was hot and he was awfully thirsty, "I wonder if I can drink some of this?" thought Rufus. He stuck his little pink tongue in the water and wagged his tail with glee. The water was really fresh and tasty, it was ever so delicious!
Rufus watched the floating animals, some of them were brown, but some of them had shiny green heads! They made a funny quacking sound and kept bobbing their heads in the water. As Rufus watched, one of them started flapping its wings and with a big swoooosh was flying through the air!
"Ah! These must be birds!" thought Rufus. "They're much bigger than sparrows though!"
"Are you watching the ducks?" asked Auntie Sam. "They're far too quick for you to catch!"
Rufus thought this was a challenge, so he ran towards the water, to float on it like the ducks.
Suddenly Rufus sank! He kicked his legs and with a splutter made it to the top! All the ducks had gone, so he paddled back out of the water and dried himself with a big shake. Auntie Sam was right, the ducks were too fast for him!
Rufus pottered on, taking his humans with him. He sniffed and ran and played with the sticks that had washed up to shore. Soon the sun was ready to sleep, so off they headed back to the car. "I love lakes," thought Rufus, "We'll have to come back soon!"
After breakfast Tom and Nic put on their shoes took Rufus' lead down from the shelf. They went out the door, with Rufus trotting happily at their heels. Then they walked to the car and opened the doors. "This is odd," thought Rufus. We don't go to the park in the car."
"We're going somewhere different for our walk today Rufus," said Nic as he lept into the boot. "We're going to meet Auntie Sam and go round the lake."
Rufus wasn't sure what a lake was, but he was very excited. Rufus loved to see his Auntie Sam, she always liked to play and sometimes snuck him treats when she thought Nic wasn't looking!
They drove down the motorway, with Rufus sniffing all the smells that came in on the big gusts of wind through the windows. It would be great to see his Auntie Sam, maybe the lake was a toy that she had for him!
When they got to Auntie Sam's house she gave him a big cuddle and Rufus licked her face to show her how happy he was to see her. Rufus liked Auntie Sam's house, there was a sweet little garden and sometimes a cat to chase! He couldn't see anything he thought might be the lake though.
On they went in the car, down little windy lanes, until they pulled up in a big space full of cars. "Is this the lake?" Rufus wondered.
"Come on Rufus!" said Tom, leading the way under a big stone bridge that looked and smelt like it had been there for hundreds of years.
On the other side of the bridge Rufus had a big surprise! There was the biggest puddle he had ever seen! It had trees in the middle and lots of strange animals floating on the top!
"This is the lake," said Auntie Sam, so on they went, Rufus sniffing and wagging his tail in happy surprise.
Rufus loved the lake, he crept up to the edge and gave it a little sniff. The day was hot and he was awfully thirsty, "I wonder if I can drink some of this?" thought Rufus. He stuck his little pink tongue in the water and wagged his tail with glee. The water was really fresh and tasty, it was ever so delicious!
Rufus watched the floating animals, some of them were brown, but some of them had shiny green heads! They made a funny quacking sound and kept bobbing their heads in the water. As Rufus watched, one of them started flapping its wings and with a big swoooosh was flying through the air!
"Ah! These must be birds!" thought Rufus. "They're much bigger than sparrows though!"
"Are you watching the ducks?" asked Auntie Sam. "They're far too quick for you to catch!"
Rufus thought this was a challenge, so he ran towards the water, to float on it like the ducks.
Suddenly Rufus sank! He kicked his legs and with a splutter made it to the top! All the ducks had gone, so he paddled back out of the water and dried himself with a big shake. Auntie Sam was right, the ducks were too fast for him!
Rufus pottered on, taking his humans with him. He sniffed and ran and played with the sticks that had washed up to shore. Soon the sun was ready to sleep, so off they headed back to the car. "I love lakes," thought Rufus, "We'll have to come back soon!"
