A

WHAT A DAY

Jack tucked up in bed snug and warm was trying to go to sleep. He was
very tired after such an exciting day, but there was too much noise.
Outside the wind was howling, it whistled through the trees and rattled
the shutters, in the farmyard below cans were blown about, clanging as
they rolled along the ground. It was dark in his bedroom; the oil lamp
had gone out, Jack crept out of bed and opened the curtains; in the sky
was a full moon that shone into his room making shadows creep around
the walls. Shivering with cold he jumped back into bed snuggling under
the covers until only his head could be seen, he was beginning to feel
scared and shut his eyes tightly but it was no good he could not go to
sleep, as he lay there he began to think about what a lovely day it had
been.

Jack was just getting dressed when he heard the front door open. He ran
down the stairs with his shirt flapping about. "Grandad, you are
early," he said as he jumped off the bottom stair.
"Well! We have a lot to do today young man," Grandad replied, catching
Jack who snuggled into his Grandad's rough jacket which smelled of pipe
tobacco, Jack loved that smell. His Grandad was a burly man, with a
tanned face, unruly grey hair and a bushy beard, he had dark brown eyes
that sparkled when he smiled, and he was always smiling.
"Come on then young Jack, finish getting dressed and put a thick warm
jumper on, it's getting a bit blowy outside. I will see if your mother
has our food ready."
"Alright," said Jack, running back up the stairs. Grandad went into the
kitchen where in the middle was a large table set for breakfast at one
end and at the other end that was near to the big cooking range, there
was food cooling on trays, and a picnic basket waiting to be packed the
smell of warm pastry and onions filled the room.
"Hello Nancy, something smells good," he said as Jack's mother was just
taking pasties out of the oven,
"I just have to put these in and then it's ready," she said, in the
basket she had put ham sandwiches, a nice piece of cheese, apples fresh
off the tree, a large can of milk, two slices of homemade fruit cake,
and two hot pasties wrapped in a cloth to keep them warm.
"Well I think you have enough there to last all day," said Jacks
mother as she went back to the stove to make the tea.
"Give Jack a shout will you Dad? Breakfast is ready, and here is your
tea. I have put something in it to keep out the cold."
"Thanks Nancy, you know how to look after your old dad," he said, one
of those jolly smiles lighting up his face. He went to the bottom of
the stairs and shouted,
"Jack hurry yourself, or we will miss the tide."
Down the stairs came Jack, two steps at a time,
"Sorry Grandad!" he gasped. "Come on lets have breakfast so we can get
off," he said as he sat down at the table,
"Come on Mum, Grandad is in a hurry," said Jack looking at his
Grandad.
"Well, no one is going anywhere until this breakfast is eaten," she
said putting a plate of bacon and egg in front of Jack with a slice of
hot buttered toast and a cup of tea, it didn't take Jack long to clear
his plate.
"Come on Grandad, we can go now," Jack said, smiling at his
mother.
Wrapped up in their warm clothes they trundled down the garden path to
the road, where Grandad's old car was.
"Right young Jack, you climb in and I will pass the basket, put it in
the back seat and be careful of the fishing rods." Jack took the basket
and placed it on the back seat, and then climbed into the front seat.
Grandad got in and started up the engine saying,
"Just listen to that, not bad for an old banger is it?"
" No, Grandad. It's great but can we get off now?" Jack replied
impatiently. The car sauntered away, out of the village and onto the
coast road.
They went for about two miles following the winding track. Going up a
steep hill the road began to narrow. Grandad drove very slowly around a
sharp bend and in the distance there it was.
"Look! Look! Grandad I can see the hut," Jack shouted all
excited.
"Soon be there now," said Grandad, going slowly down the hill, past
some very large boulders, along a small rough track and they were
there. Trees, splendid with their new bright green leaves surrounded
the hut, the water looked calm and peaceful, but in the distance dark
clouds were forming and looked a bit menacing. Grandad brought the car
to a standstill at the side of the hut. Jack climbed out of the car all
exited, he was in a hurry to go into the hut brushing the cobwebs from
around the door they went in, it was very chilly and dark inside.
"Come on Jack," Grandad said lighting the lamp, "We will soon have the
fire going and then we will have a drink and something to eat." Jack
was busy, wiping cobwebs off his face, but he didn't mind for this was
his favourite place to be with his Grandad.
It was soon lovely and cosy in the hut, the stove pot in the middle of
the room was hot with glowing logs; the pan on the top was boiling
ready to make the tea. Jack had put a cloth on the old table and took
out the food from the basket carefully. They sat down on old chairs
that once had padded seats, which had now worn away. Jack, who was
enjoying his food and laughing at his Grandad's old stories, suddenly
jumped.
"What is the matter?" Grandad asked.
"Didn't you hear that Grandad?" Jack said.
"All I can hear is the wind, but let's go out to have a look," Grandad
replied.
They went outside, the sky was black, and the sea was lashing against
the rocks, the gulls were screeching, or was it the gulls, thought
Grandad. The wind was howling through the trees.
"Something is wrong," Grandad, said, "You stay here Jack. I can just
make out a shape over there, and I don't think it's the rocks, it looks
like a dog, and it looks as if he's stuck." Grandad walked a little way
towards the shape then came back to Jack. "Fetch me some of the ham off
our sandwiches Jack. " Jack fetched some ham and hurried back.
"Let me come with you Grandad, I can help," Jack said with an
appealing look on his face.
"Right, come on then," agreed Grandad, "We must hurry and be on our way
home before this storm really breaks, and keep close to me." They went
slowly towards the dog, as they got closer it stopped yelping and lay
down very quiet.
"Grandad let me give him some ham?" Jack asked,
"Very well but be careful, go slowly," said Grandad. Jack got down on
his knees and crept towards the dog holding out the ham. The dog looked
at Jack then took the ham off his hand. What a thing to do thought
Jack, fighting back the tears that threatened to roll down his face,
the dog had been fastened to a rock that would have been covered in
water when the tide came in.
"Grandad come and help me to get him out," shouted Jack.
"I'm right here," Grandad replied, and with his pocketknife cut the
rope from the rock. Jack picked up the dog. "What can we do now
Grandad?" he asked, raising his eyes wishfully at his Grandad.
"Well we can't do any fishing with this storm approaching, we had
better give this little feller a warm while we pack up and load the
car." Jack walked back to the hut hugging the dog. When they were back
inside, Jack got an old towel and gave the dog a rub. He was small,
black, and very scruffy.
"Look Grandad isn't he cute and I don't think he has been starved,
because he is not very thin."
"Come on, we had better take him with us, I don't know what your mother
will have to say but we can't leave him here," suggested Grandad. With
the car packed and ready to go everything had been tied up and the hut
locked. Grandad climbed in and started the engine, which startled the
dog but he settled down again lying on Jack's knee. They started on the
journey home taking their time because of the wind.

When they arrived back home, Jack's mother was looking out for
them.
"I didn't think you would stay out long with this storm coming over,
there you both were, hoping for a good day out. Well father I think you
had better stay the night, I wouldn't like you to drive home in this
weather. Come on then, both of you out of the car so we can all go in
and get warm do you have anything that I can take in?" she asked as
Grandad got out of the car.
"Take the basket Nancy. I think we can manage everything else," he
said, looking back and winking at Jack. Jack and Grandad took out what
they needed and Grandad locked the car. Jack carried the dog, and
walked behind his Grandad up the path.
"Now leave the explaining to me, I know how to handle your mother,"
said Grandad as they went in looking agitated. Jack put the dog down,
and it went straight to the cooking range where he knew it was
warm.
"What is this dog doing in my kitchen?" Jack's mother screeched.
"Now Nancy, we found it tied up where it would have drowned as the tide
came in. We will look after it just for tonight you wouldn't turn a dog
out in this weather, would you? Tomorrow we will take it to the dog's
home."
"You know I don't like animals in the house, so it will have to go
tomorrow, for tonight it can sleep in the porch," Nancy snapped.
"But Mother it is so cold in there," Jack replied near to tears, his
Grandad noticed the look on Jack's face.
"Look Nancy, I am sleeping on the couch in here so I can look after the
poor little thing, if it makes any mess I will see to it, so that's
that settled." Grandad said with a firm voice.
"Come on then, time for supper then we can all get some rest," Nancy
replied knowing when she's beaten.

Jack could not sleep with the noise of the wind and rain; it was eerie
in his room. The moon had gone behind a cloud so it was quite dark now.
He could hear such strange noises but was too scared to get out of bed.
Just then, he could see a light under his door, the door opened and his
mother came in.
"Is the storm keeping you awake Jack?" she asked.
"Yes Mother and there are such strange noises, it's a bit scary and my
lamp has gone out," Jack replied.
"Well put on your dressing gown and come with me, we'll all have a hot
drink in the kitchen where it's warm." Jack did as he was told and
followed his mother down the stairs, she opened the kitchen door and
his Grandad was there with a big grin on his face. Jack could hear some
strange noises, he looked at his mother and she was smiling, she turned
Jack round and there in front of the range was a basket that had the
dog in it and five beautiful new puppies. Jack stood there with tears
running down his face. "Oh! Grandad! Oh! Grandad" was all he could
say.