Stick Dog Slurps Spaghetti (2 page)

Poo-Poo and Stripes thought a game of tug-of-war sounded like a fun idea too. Even Stick Dog seemed intrigued by the prospect. It would be, he suspected, a terrific distraction from their hunger.

Mutt shook his head as he answered and explained. “No, we can't play now. I ate the whole thing. I was going to bring it back, but while I carried it in my mouth, I tasted some of those loose strings on the end. You know, the frayed threads at the end of a piece of rope? I love those things. I just had to stop and chew on them. And before I knew it, the rope was gone.”

“The whole thing?” Stripes asked. “There's nothing left to play with?”

“I'm sorry,” Mutt said. He seemed truly sad
about the entire thing. “Sometimes, I just can't help chewing and swallowing things. It wasn't very nice of me. I could try to find another piece of rope. Maybe I have some stuck in my fur that I forgot about.”

Mutt immediately began to shake, and several things—including a bottle cap, two pencils, an empty potato chip bag, and a red mitten—shot quickly out from his fur.

But there was no rope.

The disappointment on Mutt's face was clear. He felt like he had let down his friends. Poo-Poo, Stripes, and Karen were discouraged too. They wanted to play tug-of-war.

Stick Dog knew he had to do something to lift their spirits. They were all hungry. There was no rope to play with. Mutt felt terrible about eating the rope—and now consoled himself by chewing on the mitten.

“You know what?” Stick Dog declared to the group. “I don't think I've ever wanted to play tug-of-war so badly in my life. All this talk about it has made me remember just how fun it is.”

He smiled and looked at his friends. He focused on Karen last.

“I bet I could beat you in tug-of-war,” he said, and pointed at her.

“NO WAY!” she screamed. She hopped up and down at the challenge.

“Let's try to get another piece of rope and find out,” Stick Dog suggested.

“Great idea!” Mutt declared after dropping the mitten from his mouth. “And I promise not to eat this one!”

Karen, Poo-Poo, and Stripes thought it was an excellent idea too. They followed Stick Dog, hurrying off to the hardware store, where Mutt had found that first length of rope.

Stick Dog knew his friends' attention had
already turned away from their lack of food. What he didn't know was this: their search for rope would lead them to something utterly delicious.

“Okay, Mutt,” Stick Dog said as they skid to a stop behind the hardware store. The sun had set. Stick Dog noted that the lights were off in the store, and he scanned the area for humans. It looked plenty safe. “Where did you find that piece of rope yesterday?”

“Right over there,” Mutt answered, and pointed. “By the corner of that Dumpster. On the ground.”

They trotted over to the Dumpster and looked all around. They found two bottle caps, a dented soda can, and a dried-up marker—but no rope.

Mutt tucked the bottle caps, soda can, and marker into his fur for safekeeping.

“Karen?”

“Yes, Stick Dog? What can I do for you?”

“Can you take a look under the Dumpster for another piece of rope?”

“You want me to dive under the Dumpster?”

“If you don't mind,” replied Stick Dog. “I think you're the only one of us who can fit comfortably under there.”

“Humph!” Karen said, and exhaled loudly. “Are you saying I'm short?! Is that what you're implying?”

Stick Dog paused a few seconds before answering. He appeared to be carefully contemplating his response.

“Not at all,” he said. “I'm saying you're perfectly proportioned for this task.”

“Perfectly proportioned?”

“That's right.”

“Perfectly?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect?”

“Correct.”

Karen smiled and dove toward the edge of the Dumpster. She squished and squiggled herself past the bottom edge, squirming and
squashing herself with great determination and conviction. Once past the edge there was plenty of room underneath the Dumpster. Karen was more comfortable and able to stand up.

Stick Dog, Mutt, Stripes, and Poo-Poo stood at the edge of the Dumpster waiting for Karen's report.

“Anything?” Stick Dog called after a minute.

“You were right, Stick Dog,” Karen called back. “I really am just the right size for a job like this. None of you giant behemoths could fit under here.”

Stick Dog grinned a bit. “That's certainly true.”

“I mean, I was just looking at myself under here,” Karen said proudly. “My length and my shape are quite unique. I can explore strange new places—like under this Dumpster. I can boldly go where no dog has gone before. I can fit where no other dog can fit. I'm truly an amazing canine specimen.”

“You certainly are right about that,” confirmed Stick Dog.

“Imagine—just imagine—if one of you humong-a-saurs tried to get under here,” Karen said, and giggled. She seemed to be visualizing just such a thing. “It would be ridiculous. I'd have to pry you guys out with a crowbar.”

Stick Dog said, “I suppose you would.”

“What was the word you used?” Karen asked from beneath the Dumpster.

“When?”

“When you wanted me to come under here. When you were describing me?”

“‘Proportioned'?”

“No. Something else.”

“‘Perfectly'?”

“That's it!” Karen yelped. “Perfect! Yessiree! I like that word, all right.”

“I do too,” Stick Dog said, and smiled—he
couldn't help himself. He loved how quickly Karen's mood had changed.

“Stick Dog?”

“Yes?”

“Why am I under here again?”

Stick Dog shook his head ever so slightly. “You're looking for a piece of rope. Remember?”

“We all want to play tug-of-war,” Poo-Poo said, trying to help.

“I ate the last rope,” called Mutt to refresh her memory.

“Oh, right. Rope,” Karen said. You could
tell she was turning her head all around to search for rope now that she remembered. She kept bumping the top of her head against the bottom of the Dumpster.

Stripes wanted to know how Karen's search was going. “Anything?” she called.

“No. Nothing. Just an old Styrofoam container. I'll push it out.”

“Shoot.” Mutt sighed. “I really wanted to find some rope to play with. And you know, I wanted to eat it when we were done playing.”

“You would eat some more rope?” Stripes asked.

“Sure,” Mutt answered immediately. “It provides great chewing satisfaction—and it tastes pretty good too.”

Karen used her nose to nudge the Styrofoam container all the way out from beneath the Dumpster. She squeezed out right after it.

“No rope. Just this thing,” she said, and bumped her nose on the box's lid to point at it. When she did, it popped open. It happened so quickly they didn't even notice the words and picture on the lid.

All five dogs leaned down and peered inside.

They couldn't believe their eyes.

“Ropes!” Mutt exclaimed.