Amish Country Arson by Fay Risner Read Free Book Online Page A

porch.
    Biscuit was in hot pursuit. Noah and Daniel
dropped their plywood and pelted the skunk with rocks which didn't
help change the animal's direction.
    Nora raised the living room window. “Can I
help?”
    “Are you crazy? Don't go out there with that
skunk,” Aunt Tootie ordered.
    “For once, Aunt Tootie is recht. Stay in the
house where you're out of that skunk's line of fire,” Hal said.
    “How do you like that? My niece just said I
was only right once,” huffed Aunt Tootie to her sister.
    “That's what she said all right,” Nora agreed
distractedly as she watched the skunk coming closer.
    Hal clapped her hands and shouted. That
didn't help so she begged, “Please, skunk, don't go under the
porch!” The skunk was too busy ducking rocks and out running the
dog to pay attention to her. Hal resorted to prayer. “Please God
don't let him go under the porch.”
    The cat size black blur kept coming with
Biscuit right behind him. Hal feared the dog would chase the skunk
up the porch steps. She climbed in the porch swing and grabbed hold
of the chain to steady herself when the swing swayed.
    The skunk sensed the dog right behind him. He
stopped, brace his feet and lifted his tail. Biscuit skidded to a
stop and took the close range spray in the face. Angry, Biscuit bit
the skunk's tail, before the effects of the pew caused the dog to
flatten on the ground. He whined as he rubbed his smarting eyes
with his paws.
    The skunk whipped around and lunged at
Biscuit. He dug his claws into the dog's face and bit him. Biscuit
gave a deep throated growl as he wrestled to get loose. The skunk
gave up his hold.
    The dog decided he was more interested in his
discomfort than he was the skunk. He rubbed his face and nose with
a paw where the skunk bit him. That didn't help so Biscuit tumbled
across the yard, thinking he'd rub the stink off his coat.
    To Hal's relief, the skunk change directions.
Instead of coming up the porch steps, he ran along side the porch
and came around the end. Too late, Hal screamed at him to go away,
but the skunk paid her no mind as he dived down the hole.
    The boys raced around the end of the porch
and looked across the yard. “Where did the skunk go?” Noah
asked.
    “Under the porch,” Hal said nasally, holding
her nose.
    The screen door slam behind John. He was
armed with a rifle.
    Hal snapped, “You're too late!”
    Jim peered out the screen door. “Where's the
skunk now?”
    “Where else? Under the porch,” Hal said
tersely. Biscuit started up the steps. Hal yelled, “Stop that dog.
Don't let him on the porch. He needs a gute bath before he comes up
here. Check to see how bad his face wounds are. The skunk bit
him.”
    Daniel scrunched up his face and tried not to
breath deep as he grabbed the dog around the neck. “There is an
open area on Biscuit's cheek where the skin is laid back, and a
little blood beside his nose.”
    John grimaced. “That is not gute. Daniel you
give the dog a bath. Noah you run to the phone shed and call the
vet. Tell him what has happened and ask him what we should do.”
    Daniel guided the dog around the house then
yelled from out back. “Noah, bring water and tomato juice.”
    “I'll get the water and juice for Daniel.
Also, some peroxide for the wounds,” Hal said. “Why does Noah need
to call a vet?”
    “The skunk could have rabies. It is not
natural for one to come out in the day time,” said John.
    Hal put her hands to her face. “Ach,
nah!”
    When Noah came back, he panted between words
as he flopped onto the couch. “The vet says if we catch the skunk
he will send in his brain to be tested. It may take two weeks to
get the results. We are to keep Biscuit penned up and be very
careful around him until the vet gets back to us.”
    “I figured that. I already put Biscuit in the
tool shed for recht now,” John said.
    Daniel stood in the kitchen door with his
hands in his pockets. “I got the bath tub down from the nail in the
mud room. I have