Trapped! Read Online Free Page B

the truck. The kids cheered as Jacob rolled the door shut.
    “We did it!” Benjie yelled. All the kids high-fived one another while Mrs. Sunburg clapped.
    In the midst of the excitement, a police car drove up.
    “You the folks who saw a pig fall off a truck?” the police officer asked.
    All four kids answered at the same time.
    “We were right there, by the curve,” Mary said.
    “The driver was going way too fast,” Alex said. “The back end of the pickup fishtailed when he went around the curve.”
    “He had three other pigs in the truck, and nothing to keep them from falling out,” Rocky said. “This one tumbled right over the tailgate.”
    “The pig’s name is Piccolo,” Benjie said, “because she makes a high, squeaky noise.”
    “Wait, wait,” the officer said, holding up his hands. “One at a time.” He pointed to Mary. “You first.”
    Mary told him exactly what had happened, trying to remember every detail.
    “The driver didn’t see or hear you?” the officer asked.
    “I think he saw me,” Alex said. “When I yelled at him that he’d lost his pig, he hit the brakes, and I thought he heard me and was going to stop, but he didn’t. Instead, he drove away.”
    Eric spoke next, introducing himself and Jacob. “We’re with Foothills Animal Rescue,” he said. “We’ve loaded the hog in our van and we’ll take her to a veterinarian. Her injuries don’t appear life-threatening, but she’s pretty banged up; she’ll need treatment.”
    “You call her a hog, not a pig,” Alex said. “What’s the difference?”
    “When a pig weighs more than one hundred twenty pounds,” Eric said, “it’s considered a hog. This girl weighs at least twice that much.”
    “Even though she weighs a lot,” Alex said, “I like the word pig better than hog.”
    “So do I,” said Rocky.
    “After she’s been treated for her wounds,” Jacob said, “we’ll need a place for her to stay. We’re mainly a wildlife rehabilitation group. We sometimes take in domestic animals, but our shelter isn’t really equipped for farm animals. That’s one big porker.”
    “We’ll take her,” Benjie said.
    “Where are we going to keep a pig?” Alex asked.
    “At Mrs. Sunburg’s house. She’s a foster parent for the animals.”
    “Pigs make wonderful pets,” Mrs. Sunburg said, “but I would need to have a pen built. A pig that size needs plenty of space.”
    “We could build a pen for you,” Alex said.
    “My dad will help,” Benjie said.
    “We’ll all help.” Rocky looked hopefully at Mrs. Sunburg.
    “Please, Gramma?” Mary said. “I’ll take care of her. I’ll muck out the pen and feed her.”
    “The vet could probably keep the pig overnight,” Eric said. “Can you have a pen ready by tomorrow?”
    “Yes!” the kids replied.
    “A pen may not be necessary,” the police officer said. “There are only a few houses in this area; it shouldn’t be too hard to find out who owns this animal.”
    “Surely you don’t plan to give the pig back to that truck driver,” Mrs. Sunburg said. “If you find him, it seems to me he should be ticketed for having an unsafe load.”
    “She’s right,” Eric said. “It isn’t legal to endanger an animal while transporting it.”
    “He was speeding,” Mary said. “We can all testify to that.”
    “He didn’t stop at the scene of an accident,” Alex said. “That’s a crime, too.”
    The police officer looked from one to the next.
    “I agree that you need to find that truck driver,” Jacob said, “but not to return the hog. Find Hogman so you can file charges.”
    “For people who just happened to see a pig fall off a truck, you all seem to know a lot about the law.”
    “I’m a licensed humane officer,” Eric said.
    “I’m a trained animal rescue worker,” Mrs. Sunburg said.
    “I’m a spy,” Benjie said.
    The officer nodded. Then he wrote down each of their names, addresses, and telephone numbers. “Since the driver left the scene,”