CHAPTER 1 The greyhounds huffed and chuffed Their toenails clicked the cobblestone I knew these alleys like the pads of my paws The Grey Sisters were fast but they didn’t know the twists and turns like I did As long as I kept my head-start the Grey Sisters would never catch me But those dogs were fast After all greyhounds were made to race Now I was in a race for my Well I didn’t know what the Grey Sisters wanted I just knew they were scary and I needed to get away I ran and ran I turned and turned I zipped 1
and zapped My chest heaved My legs launched my body forward Until I saw where I was Just behind Mario’s I ducked behind the Dumpster If I barked loud enough Mario would hear me and answer the alley door Maybe he’d bring me the steak burrito extra hot I was so crazy about I drooled just thinking about it But I didn’t have time to think The Grey Sisters were getting closer I could smell their bacon breath Bark Bark Bark Huff Chuff Bark Bark Bark Mario Mario Bark Bark Huff Huff Chuff I froze A snout poked into my butt Oh no A Grey Sister I growled but was too afraid to look My body tensed The hair along my spine stood straight up I was ready to fight But I hoped I wouldn’t have to 2
Poke Poke Poke Woof Mario Woof Poke Poke Giggle Wait What Giggle Giggle Poke Shake Huh Poke Pet Pet Hold on I cracked open one eye Then the other A girl with bushy hair like a squirrel’s tail smiled at me Wait a minute Where was I Silly Penny Hannah said Hannah My tail thumped I wasn’t back in the alley after all I was at the Mayfair House with the Helper Hounds 3
CHAPTER 2 I stretched across the cool floor My front pads landed on Sparkplug He turned around fast and happy-barked in my face I took two quick sniffs Did Sparky have the bacon breath You were drooling and barking in your sleep Penny Hannah said She ran her hand down my back And your hair is standing up Bad dream Hannah scrunched her red eyebrows at me It was nice of her to ask me about my dream It was pretty scary So I sat up and shook it off But I was at Mayfair House in my bright red Helper Hounds vest to help Hannah with her bad dreams 4
