Take Your Last Breath. Lauren Child

Gruemeister. ‘Only bark at intruders, that’s what I taught him, but he doesn’t listen.’

      In cabin 4A, Brant Redfort sat up in bed, yawned and rubbed his eyes. He switched on the radio, but to his great disappointment the only station he could get any reception on was one playing the most awful music. In fact he wondered to himself if it was music at all.

      ‘What is that dreadful noise?’ moaned Sabina. ‘Sounds like violins having the most vivid of disagreements.’

      Brant switched it off in disgust. He had been looking for a pleasant sound to block out the barking dog, but it wasn’t going to happen.

      ‘I can’t take much more of this yapping,’ he said. ‘How about an early breakfast up on deck honey?’

      ‘Good idea Brant. That bow-wow is beginning to give me the most dreadful headache. Honestly, you’d think they would have raised him better. Can you imagine if Ruby yelped like that?’

      ‘Well, no honey, but then she isn’t a dog.’

      ‘But you know what I mean Brant.’

      ‘Sure I do honey; Ruby is a far better daughter than Pookie would ever be.’