Read The Secret Dog for Free Online Page A

that support teacher off when he pulled the rabbit’s ear too hard. That was really brave!’
    ‘I didn’t think  . . .  anyone noticed,’ Josh said quietly. He always felt invisible at school. Unless he was being told off.
    ‘Well, you were wrong,’ Yvonne said, still facing away.
    Josh thought a moment. ‘Maybe I was wrong about the bird too,’ he said softly. ‘You
did
help me rescue her.’
    Yvonne turned to face him. ‘Do you mean it?’
    Josh nodded. ‘I’m just used  . . .  to doing things by myself.’
    Yvonne pointed to the tub nest. ‘The mother comes every couple of minutes to feed her.’
    After a few minutes, Josh said, ‘It’s not just the mother. It’s the father too. He’s the black one with the yellow beak. There!’
    Yvonne kept her eye on the nest. ‘You’re right! You know a lot about birds.’
    ‘I spend a lot of time watching them,’ Josh said. ‘You have to if you want to give them what they need.’
    ‘You’re good at that?’ Yvonne asked.
    ‘With animals,’ Josh admitted. ‘I’m not very good at figuring out people.’
    Yvonne smiled, as if she knew what Josh was talking about. ‘What will happen to the fledgling?’
    ‘She’ll be ready to leave the nest soon,’ Josh said.
    ‘Oh,’ Yvonne said, disappointed.
    ‘She’ll still be there tomorrow,’ Josh reassured her.
    ‘Can I come and watch her after school?’ Yvonne asked. Her voice had become almost inaudible.
    ‘Of course,’ Josh said. ‘She’s your bird too!’
    Yvonne gave him a shy smile. For a brief moment, Josh had a wild, unreasonable thought: Maybe this girl could become his friend. But then he pushed it out of his mind.
     
    * * *
    The next day, as usual, Josh had rushed back to Reggae’s shed to spend time with her at lunchtime. But he’d returned to school early, because he had to try to look up his English homework on the computer in the library. They didn’t have one at home.
    He didn’t notice Yvonne until she sat down next to him. ‘You weren’t at lunch,’ she said. ‘Aren’t you hungry?’
    Josh was starving. But he shook his head. And hurriedly pressed the minimise icon on the screen. He didn’t want Yvonne to see the Help page he was looking at.
    But he was too late. ‘
I
can help you with English,’ Yvonne said. She added quickly, ‘If you want.’
    Josh shook his head. If Yvonne realised how thick he was, she’d never talk to him again.
    Luckily, Yvonne switched the subject. ‘You used to have lunch all the time. Six months ago you stopped. Why?’
    Josh didn’t know what to say. He skipped lunchbecause he needed the money for dog food. But he
couldn’t
tell her that  . . .
    ‘It’s hard to explain.’
    Yvonne suddenly seemed very interested in the way the librarian was putting books onto the shelves. Had he been too sharp?
    ‘Honest, it’s not you,’ Josh added quickly.
    Yvonne turned back to him and nodded slightly.
    Josh had a thought and, after a moment, decided to chance saying it out loud.
    ‘Would you like to come to see our bird with me after school?’
    Yvonne smiled.
     
    * * *
    Two days later, the baby bird was standing on the side of the tub now, stretching her wings.
    ‘Isn’t it lovely?’ Yvonne said. ‘Just think: she wouldn’t be there if we hadn’t rescued her!’
    For a moment, Josh was annoyed at the ‘we’. But he had to admit it had been fun watching the bird with Yvonne over the last couple of days. She’d even walked with him here today – that made it two days in a row. He’d miss all this now that the fledgling was about to fly its nest.
    ‘About lunch,’ he said. ‘I skip it on purpose. But you mustn’t tell anyone.’
    ‘I can keep a secret,’ Yvonne said firmly.
    Josh believed her. He couldn’t figure out her moods but he’d noticed something about her the last couple of days. He’d always thought of her as someone who talked with everyone and who had lots of friends. But actually, she spent most of her time