Free Dog Gone by Carole Poustie Page B

I’d ever get Grandpa’s rod back. And, funnily enough, I had a feeling the rod would somehow help me get Lucky back.
    Just as I was about to climb to a different spot in the tree, I heard a cough below me. Thinking it was Gran, I opened my mouth to yell out hello, but snapped it shut the instant I saw who it was.
    What on earth was Brody Callahan doing in my yard – with my fishing rod? Why wasn’t he at school? He peered cautiously in through each window, as if he didn’t want to be seen. He even went round to the back door and knocked loudly, then ran and hid behind the peppercorn tree. I had a perfect view of the top of his head. I held my breath and prayed I wouldn’t sneeze.
    After a little while, Brody knocked at the door, then hid behind the peppercorn tree again. What was he going to do? Burgle Gran’s house?
    Brody opened the back door and slipped inside. What was he doing inside our house? Maybe he was going to return the fishing rod? I didn’t know what to do. But he came out again, still with the fishing rod. He looked around for something and started to brush away dead branches and some junk that had collected behind Gran’s rose garden at the back of the yard. What was he up to?
    I carefully climbed to the other side of the tree to get a better view. A grating noise in the yard made me jump, and I gasped, nearly slipping off my branch. I made a wild grab at a clump of leaves just above my head and they pulled off in my hand, leaving behind a twiggy fishbone that danced up and down, threatening to give away my hiding place.
    Luckily, Brody was too busy to notice. He tugged at something heavy, then shifted his position to get a better grip, giving me a clear view of what seemed to be a large circular metal plate with handles at each side.
    Whatever it was suddenly came away. Brody fell backwards, grunting as he did. I could see the metal plate had covered a circle of bricks. When Brody got to his feet and peered down into the middle of them, I realised he’d uncovered the old well.
    Brody picked up my fishing rod then dropped it down. He looked very pleased with himself as he rubbed his hands together, before starting to pull the cover back on.
    I wasn’t going to let him just walk away. I’d had enough of Brody Callahan wrecking my life. I reached around behind me to grab a branch so I could lower myself down quickly, before Brody had a chance to get away. As I did, a scream came from the direction of the well. I looked back to see that several of the bricks were missing from around the top.
    Where was Brody?

Chapter 16

    I raced over to the well and peered down. It was like looking at the sky on a moonless night. Nothing but black. ‘Brody!’ I yelled, ‘Brody, are you okay?’
    There wasn’t even a whimper.
    â€˜Brody!’ I thought he must be dead. Or unconscious. Maybe he was under water? But then I remembered the old well had gone dry and wouldn’t have any water in it. So he’d have landed on – what? I felt sick.
    â€˜Brody!’
    There was still no answer. I tugged at the lid, trying to get it all the way off so I could have a better look inside. It was much heavier than I expected. Brody was very strong to have moved it at all. Even though I pulled so hard that it felt like my arms would rip out of their sockets, I couldn’t budge it.
    Next, I tried sitting on the ground and shoving with my feet. The lid jerked back a few centimetres. Yes!
    The sun had come out from behind a cloud, which helped me peer into the dirty greyness. But all I could vaguely make out was a lumpy shape near the bottom. Was it the top of Brody’s head? It was on an awkward angle. He’d fallen a long way. Then the sun went in and the well went black.
    â€˜Brody!’
    No answer – I’d have to go for help.
    Just as I got to my feet, I heard the faintest of sounds from down the well. I kneeled back down and yelled out to