Pugsley Read Online Free Page A

and coming. . . .
    Pugsley gave her that big-eyed innocent look again.
    Then he took off down the stairs, trailing the toilet paper all the way into the living room before the roll rattled itself empty. While Lizzie waddedup the paper, Pugsley entertained himself by dashing in huge circles through the downstairs rooms. He did three laps, then he reversed direction and did three more laps the other way.
    “Lizzie!” Mom yelled from the den, where she was trying to pay some bills.
    “I know, Mom!” Lizzie called back. Her voice was muffled by the giant tangle of toilet paper in her arms. “I’ll grab him in a sec!”
    And that was just Friday night.
    On Saturday, Pugsley ate some of Mom’s expensive lemon-scented soap and then burped lemon-scented bubbles all day long.
    On Sunday, he tore the stuffing out of every single one of Buddy’s toys.
    On Monday, he ate the mail before Mom or Dad could read it.
    And on Tuesday, Mr. Pest jumped right
splash
into the tub while Lizzie was helping Mom give the Bean his bath.
    What a naughty puppy!
    The only time he was good was when Lizzie was giving him her full attention, like when she held him and petted him by the fireplace. At times like that, Pugsley was relaxed and happy and quiet.
    When Wednesday finally really did arrive and she and Pugsley were at Bowser’s Backyard, Lizzie listed Pugsley’s crimes for Aunt Amanda.
    “Oh, dear,” said Aunt Amanda. “I bet your mother isn’t very happy about that.” She shook her head.
    Lizzie thought she saw a tiny smile on her aunt’s lips. “It’s not funny!” she said, even though she knew that some of the things Pugsley had done were pretty hilarious. “If he keeps acting this way, Mom won’t let him stay with us. And we’ll never find him a forever home. Mom had a friend at work who thought she might like a pug, but when she came over to meet Pugsley, he jumped up and licked her all over. Then he ate the handles off her purse while she and Mom werehaving coffee. She left in a big hurry. Mom was
not
happy.”
    Aunt Amanda’s smile disappeared. “You’re right,” she said. “It’s serious. Pugsley has
got
to learn to behave.”
    Lizzie felt a knot forming in the middle of her stomach. “What about Camp Bowser?” she asked in a tiny voice. She already knew the answer.
    Aunt Amanda shook her head. “Well,” she said, “I was hoping for your help this weekend, since I have six dogs coming up. But Mr. Pest is not invited. I can’t deal with a handful like him on top of everything else.”
    Lizzie’s heart sank. She didn’t even have to ask. She already knew the answer. She wasn’t invited, either. If Pugsley had to stay home, so did she. Even if it meant missing out on going to Camp Bowser, something Lizzie was dying to do. After all, she had promised to be responsible for the little pug puppy.

CHAPTER SIX
    Lizzie’s friend Maria came over after school on Thursday. During the walk home, Lizzie gave Maria the Pugsley update. “This morning when I went to put on my sneakers, I couldn’t find them. I had to look all over the house,” she said. “Finally I found the right one in the laundry room, wedged under the dryer. The left one was in the Bean’s room, under a pile of toys. And both of them were pretty chewed up.” She held up one foot for Maria to see and waggled her big toe through a hole in her sneaker. “I know it wasn’t Buddy who did it. He got over his chewing phase a long time ago.”
    Maria groaned. “Mr. Pest. That nickname is perfect for him. I never heard of such a naughty puppy.”
    “What am I going to do?” Lizzie asked. “No way is Mom going to let him stay much longer if he doesn’t quit being so bad.” Lizzie had stayed up late the night before, paging through all her puppy and dog training books. She couldn’t find a single idea about how to deal with Pugsley. Most of the books said the same thing Amanda did: “Ignore bad behavior.” That did not seem to work with Mr.