When we reached the house Matthew went up the steps to the front
gate and I followed him. I thought he was going to go into the
garden; but the gate was locked. A dog came running down from
the house; and he took several pieces of meat which the
cat's-meat-man pushed through the bars of the gate, and some
paper bags full of corn and bran, I noticed that this dog did not
stop to eat the meat, as any ordinary dog would have done, but he
took all the things back to the house and disappeared. He had a
curious wide collar round his neck which looked as though it were
made of brass or something. Then we came away.
"The Doctor isn't back yet," said Matthew, "or the gate wouldn't
be locked."
"What were all those things in paper-bags you gave the dog?" I
asked.
"Oh, those were provisions," said Matthew--"things for the
animals to eat. The Doctor's house is simply full of pets. I
give the things to the dog, while the Doctor's away, and the dog
gives them to the other animals."
"And what was that curious collar he was wearing round his neck?"
"That's a solid gold dog-collar," said Matthew. "It was given to
him when he was with the Doctor on one of his voyages long ago.
He saved a man's life."
"How long has the Doctor had him?" I asked.
"Oh, a long time. Jip's getting pretty old now. That's why the
Doctor doesn't take him on his voyages any more. He leaves him
behind to take care of the house. Every Monday and Thursday I
bring the food to the gate here and give it him through the bars.
He never lets any one come inside the garden while the Doctor's
away--not even me, though he knows me well. But you'll always be
able to tell if the Doctor's back or not-- because if he is, the
gate will surely be open."
So I went off home to my father's house and put my squirrel to
bed in an old wooden box full of straw. And there I nursed him
myself and took care of him as best I could till the time should
come when the Doctor would return. And every day I went to the
little house with the big garden on the edge of the town and
tried the gate to see if it were locked. Sometimes the dog, Jip,
would come down to the gate to meet me. But though he always
wagged his tail and seemed glad to see me, he never let me come
inside the garden.
