Class 10 English Notes 2026-27 – CBSE NCERT Solutions
Chapter 1: A Triumph of Surgery
Author: James Herriot
Main Characters:
Mrs. Pumphrey—A very rich and caring lady
Tricki—her pet dog
Mr. Herriot—Veterinary doctor (also the narrator)
Summary:
Mrs. Pumphrey is extremely rich and over-pampered her pet dog Tricki. She gave him unhealthy food like cream cakes, chocolates, malt, cod liver oil, Horlicks, wine, and brandy. As a result, Tricki became hugely fat (like a bloated sausage), listless, and sick.
Mr. Herriot advised her to stop giving unhealthy food and give Tricki plenty of exercise, but she could not refuse Tricki anything. Finally, Tricki had to be hospitalized.
In the hospital, Mr. Herriot gave Tricki no food for two days (only water) and later allowed him to play with other dogs. Tricki recovered quickly.
Mrs. Pumphrey kept sending Tricki eggs, wine, and brandy. Mr. Herriot consumed them himself and even thought of keeping Tricki as a permanent guest because of the extra food and drinks.
When Tricki recovered, Mrs. Pumphrey was overjoyed and called it “A Triumph of Surgery”—even though no actual surgery was done. The real problem was over-pampering and over-eating.
Important Points:
Tricki became sick because of over-pampering and overeating.
Mrs. Pumphrey thought Tricki was suffering from malnutrition.
Treatment: Strict diet + plenty of exercise.
No real surgery was performed.
Important Questions:
Why did Mr. Herriot think of keeping Tricki as a permanent guest?
What really happened to Tricki?
How did Mr. Herriot treat Tricki?
Why did Mrs. Pumphrey call it a “Triumph of Surgery”?
Chapter 2: The Thief’s Story
Author: Ruskin Bond
Main Characters:
Hari Singh – 15-year-old thief (narrator)
Anil—25-year-old struggling writer (kind and simple-hearted)
Theme: Kindness and education can transform anyone.
Summary:
Hari Singh is a young thief who keeps changing his name to stay away from the police and old employers. He meets Anil at a wrestling match and asks for work. Anil cannot pay him but offers food if Hari can cook. Hari lies and says he can cook.
Anil takes him home and teaches him cooking, reading, and writing. Hari starts liking working for Anil. He steals ₹1 daily from the shopping money (Anil knows but stays quiet).
One day Anil brings a bundle of notes (from selling a book) and keeps it under the mattress. Hari steals the money (₹600) and goes to the railway station. It starts raining. Hari realizes that education can give him a respectable life, and Anil is the only person who trusted him. He returns, puts the money back, and sleeps.
The next morning, Anil gives him a ₹50 note and says he will now pay him regularly. The note is still wet—Anil knew about the theft but showed no anger, only trust and kindness. This transforms Hari forever.
Important Lines:
A greedy man shows fear, a rich man shows anger, and a poor man shows acceptance.
Anil showed no anger, only sympathy, compassion, love, affection, and trust.
Important Questions:
How did Anil change Hari Singh?
Why did Hari Singh return the money?
What is the role of education in someone’s life?
Chapter 3: The Midnight Visitor
Author: Robert Arthur
Main Characters:
Ausable—Fat, slow, witty secret agent with an American accent
Fowler—Young, romantic writer
Max—Thin secret agent with a gun
Henry—Waiter
Summary:
Fowler is disappointed to see Ausable—he expected a smart, slim secret agent, but Ausable is fat and slow.
Ausable tells Fowler he is about to receive an important paper that can change the country’s future. When they enter the room, Max is waiting with a gun and demands the report.
Ausable fabricates a story that someone had entered through the balcony earlier, and he had asked the management to block it, but they hadn’t. Suddenly there is a knock. Ausable says it must be the police (whom he had called for extra protection).
Max gets scared, jumps out of the window (thinking there is a balcony), and falls. Actually, there was no balcony. Henry the waiter had come with drinks.
Ausable outwitted Max with his presence of mind and a fabricated story.
Important Points:
Ausable’s appearance: Fat, slow, sloppy, American accent; knows German and French.
Key word: Fabricated a story.
Most important question: How did Ausable get rid of Max?
Chapter 4: A Question of Trust
Author: Victor Canning
Main Character: Horace Danby—About 50 years old, makes locks, good citizen but not completely honest.
Summary:
Horace Danby commits one robbery every year to buy rare and expensive books. He is a meticulous planner—he gathers all information (where the family has gone, number of servants, name of the dog, wiring, safe, value of jewels, etc.).
This time he plans to rob Shotover Grange. Inside the house, he meets a lady in red who claims to be the owner’s wife. She calls the dog by its name (Sherry), threatens to call the police, and gives him an option—open the safe for her (she has forgotten the code), and she will let him go.
Horace opens the safe without gloves. Three days later, the police arrest him because his fingerprints were found. After being jailed, he becomes an assistant librarian. He gets angry whenever someone talks about “honor among thieves.”
Important Points:
Horace was a meticulous planner.
The lady in red deceived him.
Theme: Question of trust—even thieves cannot trust each other.
Important Questions:
How did the lady in red dupe Horace Danby?
How was Horace a meticulous planner?
Where did Horace go wrong?
Chapter 5: Footprints without Feet
Author: H.G. Wells
Main Character: Griffin—Brilliant but lawless and eccentric scientist.
Summary:
Griffin discovers a drug that can make a person invisible. Instead of using it for good, he misuses it.
He sets fire to his landlord’s house, wanders naked in London (feeling cold), steals clothes from a theatrical company, hits a shopkeeper, and steals money. He goes to the village of Iping, takes two rooms at an inn, and pretends to be a scientist needing privacy.
When his money runs out, he steals from the clergyman. When the landlord and landlady try to check his room, he hits them. Finally, he becomes furious, removes his clothes (becomes headless/invisible), and escapes after attacking Mr. Jaffers (the policeman).
Important Points:
Griffin was a brilliant scientist but a lawless person.
He misused his discovery.
Key episodes: London store, theatrical company, Iping village (clergyman’s house and inn).
Important Questions:
Griffin was a brilliant scientist but a lawless person. Justify.
How did the invisible man first become visible?
Why did Mrs. Hall find the scientist eccentric?
Quick Exam Tips
Focus on the most important questions of each chapter.
Learn the key English lines and phrases.
Practise extract-based questions.
Next: Class 10 English First Flight – Chapter-wise Notes
This is the complete English version of the Class 10 Footprints Without Feet chapter revision article.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many chapters are there in Class 10 English Footprints without Feet?
There are 10 chapters in the Footprints Without Feet supplementary reader. For half-yearly exams, most schools include the first 4–5 chapters.
2. What is the main theme of the chapter “A Triumph of Surgery”?
The chapter shows that over-pampering and overfeeding can make a pet sick. The real treatment for Tricki was a strict diet and exercise, not surgery.
3. Why did Mrs. Pumphrey call it “A Triumph of Surgery”?
Mrs. Pumphrey believed that a major surgery had been performed on Tricki. In reality, no surgery was done—Tricki recovered only through a controlled diet and exercise.
4. What is the central idea of “The Thief’s Story”?
The story shows that kindness, trust, and education can transform even a thief into a better person.
5. Why did Hari Singh return the stolen money?
Hari Singh realized that education could give him a respectable life, and Anil was the only person who trusted him completely. This made him return the money.
6. How did Ausable get rid of Max in “The Midnight Visitor”?
Ausable used his presence of mind and fabricated a clever story about a non-existent balcony. Max got scared and jumped out of the window, falling to his death.
7. What is the main theme of “A Question of Trust”?
The story highlights that there is no honor among thieves. Horace Danby was cleverly deceived by another thief (the lady in red).
8. How was Horace Danby a meticulous planner?
Horace studied every detail before the robbery—the family’s absence, the number of servants, the dog’s name, the safe, the wiring, and the value of the jewels.
9. Who was Griffin in “Footprints without Feet”?
Griffin was a brilliant but lawless scientist who discovered a drug that made the human body invisible. He misused his discovery for personal gain.
10. Why is Griffin called a lawless scientist?
Although Griffin was scientifically brilliant, he used his invention for wrong purposes—setting fire to a house, stealing clothes and money, and attacking people.
11. Are these notes enough for the Class 10 half-yearly English exam?
Yes, these notes cover complete summaries, important points, and key questions of the first five chapters, which are most important for half-yearly exams.
12. Which chapters of Footprints without Feet are most important for exams?
A Triumph of Surgery, The Thief’s Story, The Midnight Visitor, A Question of Trust, and Footprints without Feet are the most important and frequently asked chapters.