Muddy Paws Read Online Free Page A

the vet, to . . . to—”
    â€œI know. I heard you talking to him,” Beth interrupted, feeling a lump rise in her throat. “I’m so sorry.”
    Martin shuffled his feet. “Yeah, well. I know Ella’s old and everything and I’m not ready to let her go, but Dad could be . . .” He lifted his head and looked past Beth into the kitchen. She saw an expression of complete amazement come over his face. “I don’t believe it!”

    â€œWhat?” Beth whipped around and saw Ella padding out of the kitchen. The old dog was moving easily. Her coat looked glossy and her eyes were bright and alert.
    Ella trotted up to Martin and jumped up to be pet. “Woof !” she barked happily, wagging her tail and giving him a wide doggy grin.
    â€œLook at her! It’s like a miracle. She’s not even limping!” Martin threw his arms around Ella and hugged her, burying his face in her fur.
    Ella barked, licking him all over his face.
    â€œJust wait until Dad sees her! There’s no way he’ll be taking her to the vet now!” Martin’s face was lit up like a Halloween pumpkin.
    Beth beamed with joy as she watched the two of them. She bent down to pet Storm. “Thanks again, Storm. This time from Martin and Ella. They’re going to have a great summer together,” she whispered.
    Storm wagged his little tail happily.

Chapter FIVE
    â€œElla seems to have found a new best friend since that puppy arrived,” Emily Badby said as she was clearing away lunch the following day.
    Beth was helping her aunt load the dishwasher. She smiled, wishing that everyone knew just how true that was! But, of course, she would never tell them or anyone else how magical Storm was.
    Oliver Badby was finishing a cup of tea and Martin had just come back into the kitchen after taking some food scraps outside to the pigpen.
    Storm was stretched out under the table. Suddenly his eyes flashed with mischief. Leaping out, he ran around the huge farmhouse table, his ears laid back and his tail streaming behind him.
    Across the room in her bed, Ella’s ears pricked up. With a spring in her step, she shot toward the silly puppy and started chasing him. Storm suddenly swerved, leaped into her empty bed, and threw himself down. Ella jumped straight in after him. Seconds later, the two of them were curled up together, licking each other.
    Everyone laughed.
    â€œThat’s one way to sneak into a warm bed! You know, Ella and Storm could almost be a mother and her puppy,” Martin said fondly.

    Then they heard the rumbling sound of a heavy trucks pulling up outside in the yard. Martin ran to the window and looked out.
    â€œIt’s here, Dad! The Fergy’s arrived!” he shouted, dashing outside.
    Beth’s uncle and aunt went outside to look. Beth followed curiously, wondering what was going on.
    A large flatbed truck stood in the yard. On the back of it, there was a tomato-red tractor. Oliver went to speak to the truck driver and then they began the unloading. A few minutes later, the red tractor stood in the yard.
    Martin walked around it, his eyes shining. “It’s supercool, isn’t it?”
    â€œI guess it’s okay,” Beth said, shrugging. She couldn’t see what was so exciting about a boring old farm machine.
    â€œOkay?” Martin gave her an incredulous look. “Are you kidding? That’s a 1952 Massey Ferguson tractor.”
    Beth wasn’t impressed. “It’s kind of old, isn’t it? Does it still work?”
    Her uncle chuckled. “Fergy’s going to work very well. Wait until you see her pulling a plow. She’s going to help me win the cup in the vintage class at the plowing competition in a few weeks.”
    â€œDad’s county champion at plowing,” Martin said proudly.
    To Beth, winning things for making straight lines down a field seemed like a very weird thing to do. Don’t they watch any TV