Free The Good Dog by Avi Page B

slaves?”
    â€œMaybe it’s because you look like a dog but you’re wild. That confuses people. Can we bring you some food?”
    â€œI’m a meat eater,” Lupin growled. “Real meat. Fresh meat. I’d rather die than eat the rubbish you dogs eat.”
    Aspen and McKinley exchanged looks.
    McKinley lifted his eyes to the wolf. “If we get fresh meat for you, will you eat?”
    â€œIf it’s real, yes.” Lupin sounded weaker.
    â€œI’ll get you some.” McKinley trotted off a ways.
    Aspen followed him. “What are you going to do?”
    â€œGet what she wants.”
    Aspen wagged her tail. “Maybe I better stay here.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œMcKinley, I think she’s worse than she lets on. She might need me to bring water.”
    McKinley looked at his friend with admiration. “I’ll get back as quick as I can.”

16
    M cKinley raced down the hill to Fox Haven Way, then moved along Porcupine Way above the pups’ gathering place. He saw no sign of Jack—which was good, because the pup was the last one McKinley wanted around. He looked up. Clouds were coming in. The sun’s position suggested midafternoon. A smell of snow was in the air. He needed to hurry. The boy would be coming home soon.
    Outside his house McKinley looked and sniffed for any clue that the man or woman were home. Neither the car nor truck was parked out front.Relieved, he worked the front door open and slipped inside.
    Once in the hallway he took a deep breath. No humans. To be absolutely sure, he barked a few times, something he was not supposed to do inside. He checked the sleeping rooms. No one. But in Jack’s room, piled up in a corner, was a pile of the things Jack took when he went into the woods and slept: his large foot coverings, a bottle, his new backpack.
    Seeing that the pup was serious about finding Lupin and going with her, McKinley sighed with frustration. Though he knew it was his job to stop him, he had to deal with the wolf first.
    He hurried to the food place, lifted his head, and sniffed. The room smelled of the food Sarah had recently brought into the house. Particularly strong was the smell of fresh meat—just as he had hoped.
    Usually, humans’ meat was kept in the box that was cold. A few times, using paws and jaws, McKinley had opened its door just out of curiosity.Not that he had ever removed anything from inside. That would be bad. But today he was dealing with an emergency.
    After a small struggle he worked the door open. But McKinley knew from the chilly smells that the meat he was looking for wasn’t there.
    This was puzzling. Using his front paws for support, McKinley stood on his hind legs and peered along the flat places where the people mixed up their food. What he saw was a deep, shining bowl. Though covered, a strong smell of meat was coming from it. The meat was there. But could he get to it?
    Even as McKinley had the thought, he felt guilty. What he was attempting to do, was, by every house rule, very bad. Just to think of the humans’ anger caused him to hang his head and lower his tail.
    But he had to save Lupin.
    McKinley made two attempts to jump up to the bowl. But there was no room to make a running start.
    Maybe he could get to the bowl by pushing it forward to the edge of the flat place. He had to try, so he jumped up to where Jack sat to eat and, using his forepaws, pulled himself along the back of it. With his rear legs he kicked himself up onto the narrow place where the humans kept the talking thing. It went crashing to the floor.
    Heart thumping, McKinley squeezed over the top of the box that was cold until he reached the far side. The bowl was just below him now. He was about to jump down when he heard a voice:
    â€œIf you would like to make a call, please hang up and dial again.”
    McKinley froze. Neither sight, sound, nor smell suggested anyone had come into the room.
    Even so,