Chapter Four

They took off running.

Goodness!  I don’t want to be left behind, so I took off running.

On to the coyote hill they went.  It was rocks, and hot and dry.

I was following along as fast as possible when I slipped and fell. Crashing my face down onto a huge rock.

It Hurt!

It hurt so bad that I must have passed out.

When I woke up, a squirrel was putting its paws on me and chittering.  “Wake-Up, Doggie. Please wake up.  It’s not safe here.  You have to wake up!”

I opened my eyes, sat up a little, and shook my head.

OH!

MY!

THAT HURTS!

“What hurts?” Squirrel asked.

“My mouth!  Right by my nose.”

“Can you walk?”

“I think so.”  I heaved myself up.  Gave myself a gentle shake, leaving my head still.  “I’m up,” I said through my swollen upper lip.  “I think I broke my mouth.”

“Maybe you’d better go home, Doggie.  I think you need to tell your homan.”

“Me too.  But I’m not sure where I really am.  Do you know the way back to my house?”

“I know some of the way,” Squirrel replied.  “Follow me, we can get you back to the equipment area, then, maybe, you will know how to get home.  If not, I’ll try to find a raccoon to help you.”

So—- gradually, gradually Squirrel and I limped back around Coyote Hill, then over through the brush, under the fence, then FINALLY the equipment area.

“Here,” I whimpered, “Here, I really have to rest.”  I fell under the leveler and instantly fell to sleep.