Read Online Waggit Forever by Peter Howe - Free Book Online Page A

say.”
    As they turned to go back, Waggit suddenly saw the familiar sight of a blue and white police car coming toward them as it drove downtown.
    â€œRuzelas,” he warned. “Down.”
    This warning applied more to Waggit than it did to Lowdown, who was pretty much “down” all the time. The difference between him standing and lying flat out was no more than an inch or two. The two dogs lay partially hidden by some bedraggled daisies. The car drew close and stopped at the traffic light. They held their breath. Luckily the officer in the passenger seat was on his cell phone, and the driver was looking up at the light, waiting for it to change. Finally it did and they left.
    â€œPhew,” said Waggit. “That was close. Let’s get to the crossover as quickly as we can.”
    As quickly as they could was still pretty slow, but they finally made it, and started going in what they hoped was the direction of the haven. Suddenly Lowdown let out a yelp of pain. Waggit turned to see him standing on three legs, holding one off the ground, with a grimace of pain across his face.
    â€œWaggit,” he said, “I can’t go on. I gotta rest.”
    â€œOkay, old pal,” said Waggit reassuringly. “We’ll stop here for a while under this car—let you catch your breath and rest your leg.”
    Waggit noticed that all the cars were parked on the opposite side of the street. Why this was he had no idea, but there was a solitary vehicle on their side that they crawled underneath; and they settled down for a rest. Even Waggit was feeling tired, especially after having stayed up all night coupled with the stress of the journey. They were just contemplating a nap when the roar of a diesel engine rattled the air. A truck pulled up in front of their hiding place. They heard its door open and shut and then saw the feet of its driver approach them. He paused, and suddenly his face appeared by the front wheels. Fortunately the two dogs were resting up against the rear tires, and he seemed too preoccupied to notice them. He looked around at the front end of the vehicle and then went back to the truck. The dogs had no alternative but to stay where they were and see what happened. There was a roar from the truck’s engine, a clanging of metal, and the sound of chains being dragged across the pavement. Then to their surprise the front of theirhiding place rose up, and the whole vehicle lurched forward, leaving them unprotected and under the full gaze of a traffic cop.
    â€œHey! What the…?” she yelled at them. “Get away from here.”
    Although they didn’t understand a word she was saying, they did as they were told. Lowdown hobbled along on three legs, with Waggit behind him, making sure they weren’t being chased. Far ahead of them their former shelter was being towed to a pound, but not one for dogs.
    When they had put enough distance between them and the traffic cop, Lowdown stopped, panting so violently that his whole body shook.
    â€œI’m beginning to wonder,” he gasped, “whether I would’ve been better off waiting for the Ruzelas to get me. The Great Unknown can’t be worse than this.”
    â€œIt is,” said Waggit, who had been there. “Trust me on this one.”
    When they had both regained their breath, they continued at a more leisurely pace. The neighborhood they were passing through was less well kept than the blocks near the park, and there were more people on the streets. These people didn’t seem bothered by twostray dogs wandering by, and sometimes greeted them with “Hey, doggie, doggie,” and “Here, boy,” which Lowdown and Waggit deliberately ignored.
    They soon approached a vacant lot between two houses. A chain-link fence sealed off the empty space, and the lower part of the enclosure was covered in frayed black tarpaulin. The two dogs had almost passed the lot when they heard a soft