That Furball Puppy and Me by Carol Wallace, Bill Wallance Page B

any of your nonsense. There’s lots to do and not much time to get ready!” Mama jumped around and started working again.
    I looked up at the Mama and Daddy. There was excitement in the house. There was a happy feeling. I liked this. I liked the good feeling.
    For a while it seemed as if there was nothing but sad in the house. I was sad because my Flea flew south for the winter. The Mama and Daddy were sad because of Muffy. Muffy was the brown dog who lived in the backyard. She was very old and not very friendly to me. I think it was because Muffy’s bones and legs hurt so bad. I think it was because she didn’t feel well.
    The Mama and Daddy had to take Muffy to the vet. Even before they left the house, the sadness had crept in. They moved slow—as if they really didn’t want to go. When they came home, the sad feel in the house was even worse. Water leaked from the Mama’s eyes when they came inside. I don’t know what happened to Muffy. I don’t know why she didn’t come home from the vet. I do know that the Mama and Daddy were very, very sad.
    Now, for the first time in a long while, they were happy. It made me happy, too. It made me feel good.
    Fact was, it made me feel so good that I marched straight to the front door. I put my paws on the wood and meowed as loud as I could.
    â€œLet me out!” I demanded. “Out. Now!”
    It wasn’t long before Mama came. She leaned down and stroked my head, then she opened the door for me. Feeling bigger and braver and stronger than I had ever felt before, I pranceddown the sidewalk. I marched straight to the big barn and stood at the crack between the two giant doors.
    The smell of rodents was everywhere. I pushed my head in through the crack. I knew the rats were there. This time I was sure I could handle them.
    With a little wiggle, I slipped inside. I paused a moment, letting my eyes get used to the dark. Four large, dark forms sat by the grain bin. Crunching sounds came to my ears. I guess the rats were gnawing on some kernels of corn. A knot kind of stuck in my throat when I swallowed. These creatures were even bigger than I remembered.
    I eased closer. The rats didn’t seem to notice as I inched toward them. Suddenly two of them spotted me and darted for a hole in the corner.
    When they ran, it made me feel big and brave.
    But …
    The two other rats stopped eating and looked up. They
didn’t
run.
    â€œHey, Nora. Look at the little kitty cat!”
    â€œYeah, Smitty. I’ve seen him before. He’s the fraidy-cat, remember?”
    The one called Smitty took a step toward me. “Yeah, he’s the one we chased. Nearly got him, too. Reckon he’s slower now? He’s a lot fatter, almost big enough to eat.” Smitty licked his lips.

    Nora’s yellow eyes pierced like hot embers as the two rats glared at me.
    My stomach did a flip-flop. I backed slowly toward the door. Both rats inched forward. They moved apart—one came at me from the right, the other from the left. I felt my tail fuzz. It sprang straight up behind me, almost as big around as the rest of me was.
    They stopped and stared. Not even their whiskers twitched. Then they moved again, quicker this time. I felt a shiver as I suddenly realized they were trying to surround me. They were trying to block my escape from the big, dark barn.
    Without taking my eyes from them, I backed up.
    â€œNow!” Nora hissed in her ratty voice. “Let’s get him!”

CHAPTER 2
    O kay … maybe I overdid it with the happy feeling. Maybe I needed to talk to myself like Mama did. Maybe I needed to get more excited and more worked up. Maybe I needed to spend a little more time trying to convince myself that I really was big and brave and strong, before I tried to face the rats.
    I was just lucky I made it through the crack between the two wooden doors. As big as I was fuzzed up, I was surprised I managed to make it. Once safely