Waggit's Tale Read Online Free Page B

there’d been any danger, that is,” said Gordo, who was irritated by her adoring looks at Tazar. Lady Magica raced up to him playfully.
    â€œNo you wouldn’t!” She laughed. “’Cause you’re a great big lazy lump.” She nipped him affectionately on the ear.
    â€œOw, that hurt,” he said. “It really did.” And then he sighed because he had loved Magica for a long time.
    â€œSome protector,” she said. “Come on. If you wantto protect me you have to catch me first.” And with that she leapt agilely down the steep side of the hill, hopping from tree root to rock, until she disappeared into the woods.
    Gordo lumbered after her, tumbling and crashing down the last part of the incline, and landing with an awful bang beside the path, which he crossed, but not before nearly colliding with a man on a bike, who shouted terrible things to him as he, too, disappeared into the woods.
    â€œI really don’t know what’s going to become of that boy,” Gruff complained. “He doesn’t seem to have a brain between his ears, and as for his manners…” Gruff’s voice trailed off as if Gordo’s manners were beyond description. “But when you get to my age,” he continued, “nothing seems as good as it used to be, particularly the way young puppies behave.”
    This last remark was directed toward Waggit and was accompanied by a stern look.
    â€œWell,” Gruff sighed, “might as well face up to whatever discomforts the day will bring. Best to meet them head-on, I always say, except for the ones that take you by surprise early in the morning.”
    And on that note of disapproval he slowly walkedaway with the limp that only seemed to bother him when he was feeling truly sorry for himself.
    Gruff’s departure left five dogs on the hill. Two of them, Cal and Raz, had spent most of their time doing what they did best: wrestling with each other, rolling over and over until they were both covered in dead leaves, bits of twig, and a lot of mud. They had called a time-out through sheer exhaustion, and now, their tongues hanging out, they stood looking toward Tazar for something else to do.
    â€œI’m going to the Skyline End,” Tazar said, nodding toward the tall buildings that fringed one end of the park. “Yesterday I saw lots of Uprights digging holes with those big scooper machines that eat the earth. Uprights that dig holes always have a lot of food. Besides, I want to see what they’re doing. I mean, once they start, you never know where they’ll dig holes next. You two coming?” he said to Cal and Raz. They were still panting too much to say anything but nodded their heads in agreement.
    â€œWhat about us, boss? Me and Waggit?” said Lowdown, who, like many short people, was always sure that he was being left out of things.
    â€œYou take Waggit and show him the park. Show himwhere to go and where not to go. Show him what a Ruzela looks like, and where Tashi’s ground is, but don’t go too close.”
    â€œOkay, boss.” Lowdown could not hide the disappointment in his voice.
    â€œAnd, Lowdown, find out if he can hunt.”
    â€œI’ll do my best,” he said without much enthusiasm.
    â€œAre you all right with that, Waggit?” Tazar asked the puppy.
    â€œYeah, that’s great, ’cause I want to see if I can find my own…Upright. He’ll probably be looking for me.”
    Waggit had been about to say “owner” but had caught himself just in time. He hoped they hadn’t noticed, but he suspected, from the way they ignored what he said, that they had.
    â€œWe’ll be off then,” said Tazar. “You two take care of yourselves, and have a nice day.”
    Tazar, Cal, and Raz went down the hill, running at full tilt until they disappeared from sight.
    Lowdown looked at Waggit. “What do you want to do first?” he