Question

It was like lighting a fuse:duke shimmied himself u - shaped in anticipation

Answer 1

This line means Duke's energetic excitement when Hooper's healthy hand held his collar to make him sit quietly on the floor beside his bed. Duke had been poking and nudging Hooper for so many days to get up and take him out for a walk. When Hooper held his collar he thought he was going to take him out of the house. So he became very excited, and started shaking and moving his body in anticipation to go out.