Presented here is a compact explicit difference scheme of high accuracy for solving the extended Boussinesq equations. For time discretization, a three-stage explicit Runge-Kutta method with TVD property is used at predicting stage, a cubic spline function is adopted at correcting stage, which made the time discretization accuracy up to fourth order; For spatial discretization, a three-point explicit compact difference scheme with arbitrary order accuracy is employed. The extended Boussinesq equations derived by Beji and Nadaoka are solved by the proposed scheme. The numerical results agree well with the experimental data. At the same time, the comparisons of the two numerical results between the present scheme and low accuracy difference method are made, which further show the necessity of using high accuracy scheme to solve the extended Boussinesq equations. As a valid sample, the wave propagation on the rectangular step is formulated by the present scheme, the modelled results are in better agreement with the experimental data than those of Kittitanasuan.