The Muddy Paws

The Carters at number 18 had a dog called Pepper. She was a small black-and-white terrier with a lot of energy and very short legs.

Every morning, Mr. and Mrs. Carter went to work. Pepper stayed in the backyard. The yard had a tall wooden fence, a doghouse, a water bowl and a lot of toys. The gate had a lock.

In September, Mrs. Carter came to Nora's porch with Pepper in her arms. Pepper was brown. Completely brown. She was covered in dry mud, from her nose to her tail.

"Nora, I need help," said Mrs. Carter. "This happens every day now. We leave in the morning. Pepper is clean. We come home at five. Pepper looks like this."

"Is there mud in the yard?" asked Nora.

"No! That's the thing. The yard is grass. It hasn't rained for a week. The gate is locked. The fence is two metres high. Pepper can't jump more than twenty centimetres."

Pepper sneezed. A little piece of mud fell on Nora's porch.

"I think it's a job for my assistant," said Nora.

Dev came over after school. He listened to the story. Then he looked at Pepper and said, "Camera."

"Camera?"

"We put a camera in the yard. My old phone. It can record all day. Then we see what she does."