The Case of the Swirling Killer Tornado Read Online Free

already there—dripping rainwater and shivering.
    â€œNice work, son, but we don’t have a minute to spare. We’ve got to sound the alarm and warn Sally May and Loper. I’ll bark and you moan. Ready? Let ’er rip!”
    And with that, we threw ourselves into the very dangerous task of moaning, barking, and warning our friends that the Charlie Monsters had invaded our ranch.

Chapter Four: The Polka-dot Midget

    A s you might have already guessed already, initiating the Moan and Bark Maneuver re­vealed our location to all the Charlies.
    See, by that time the Charlie Monsters had advanced and captured most of the important positions around Headquarters, and even though we couldn’t exactly see them, we knew they were there.
    Yes, we knew they were there, sprinting from building to building on their hairy green legs and setting up listening devices that would zero in on the sounds of our barking. It was just a matter of time until they found us, and then . . . gulp.
    We didn’t have a moment to spare. Huddled together on the back porch, pressing our dripping bodies against the screen door, we barked and moaned. And then we moaned and barked. We HAD to get word of the attack to Loper and Sally May, because if we failed in this mission . . . gulp again.
    But our best barking and moaning had no effect. No lights came on in the house. No one opened the door to let us in. No one rushed outside to help us defend our position.
    Things were looking pretty bad.
    KA-BLOOEY!
    Another 88 exploded nearby, and in that brief but brilliant flash of light I saw . . .
    â€œDrover, did you see what I just saw?”
    â€œI don’t think so. I’ve got my eyes covered with my paws. What was it?”
    â€œI’m almost sure I saw . . . a bunch of little green Monster Men.”
    â€œOh my gosh!”
    â€œEach one of ’em had six legs, Drover, six hairy green legs. And big heads with three eyes. They’re out there running around in the rain and mud.”
    â€œOh my gosh, they’re looking for US!”
    â€œI’m afraid you’re right.”
    â€œAnd if we keep on barking, they’ll find us.”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œOh Hank, I want to go home!”
    â€œYou are home, Drover, but I don’t think this is what you had in mind.”
    â€œIt’s not. Do you reckon they eat dogs?”
    â€œOh sure, no question about it. They eat dogs until they’re full and then they eat some more, just for sport.”
    I could feel the little mutt shivering. “What are we going to do?”
    â€œI was just asking myself that same question, Drover. We’ve failed to wake up Loper and Sally May with our barking. The only course of action left to us is to . . . chew our way into the house.”
    I heard him gasp. “Chew our way . . . you mean, through the door?”
    â€œExactly. We’ll take out the screen door first and then go to work on the wooden door.”
    â€œGosh, won’t they be mad?”
    â€œSure, they’ll be mad. They’ll be furious. After all, they want to eat us.”
    â€œOh my gosh! You mean Loper and Sally May want to eat us too?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œEven our friends want to eat us!”
    â€œWait a minute. I’m talking about the Charlie Monsters. Who or whom are you talking about?”
    â€œWell . . . I thought maybe Loper and Sally May would be mad if we chewed up their doors.”
    â€œOh. No, quite the contrary, Drover. If they were here right now, I’m sure they’d want us to chew down the doors, the walls, or whatever to save our­selves. Do you think they’d want to lose their entire Security Division?”
    â€œWell, I hope not.”
    â€œBelieve me, son, they’ll be delighted to see us. Now, let’s go to work on this screen. Go to Full Claws and Teeth.”
    Boy, you should have seen us digging on that screen door! We hit it with Full Claws and