Noodle by Ellen Miles Read Free Book Online Page B

in Noodle’s soft, sweet-smelling neck, giving him one last kiss. Tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but one of them dropped onto Noodle’s nose.
    “Tell you what, Lizzie,” Mrs. Rispoli said, kneeling down so that she was looking straight at Lizzie. “We’ll be at our cabin all summer. It’s the little one with the moose antlers. Do you know the one I mean?”
    Lizzie wiped away another tear and nodded. “I love that cabin.”
    “Well, I hope you and your brothers andBuddy will be regular visitors. Don’t you agree, Sophia?”
    Sophia nodded eagerly. “We can teach Buddy and Noodle to jump off our dock, the way Blackie used to.” She smiled shyly at Lizzie.
    Mrs. Rispoli reached over and gave Noodle a pat. “And I know for sure that Bronson — I mean, Noodle — will always be happy to see you and his new best puppy friend, Buddy.”
    Wow! Lizzie couldn’t believe her luck. Finally she would find out what it was like to be at one of those cool Loon Lake cabins — with Buddy! Plus, she would still be able to watch Noodle grow up. She started to feel a little bit better.
    Lizzie sniffed and nodded. “That sounds good,” she said. She tried to smile. “Thank you.” It was time. She gave Noodle one last hug, then walked over to put him gently into Sophia’s arms.
    “No,” said Mrs. Rispoli, leaning down to kiss the top of Noodle’s head. “Thank
you,
for saving our precious puppy.”

PUPPY TIPS
    If your dog runs off or gets lost:
    • Call the police and tell them about your missing pet. Give as much information as you can: his name, what he looks like, where he was last seen, and his personality (a shy dog might only come to a stranger who is holding a treat, while a friendly dog is easier to approach).
    • Call your local Humane Society or animal shelter to find out if your dog was found and brought there.
    • Make some signs that list all the same information you told the police, along with a photograph. Put them up in your neighborhood, in the place where you last saw your dog, and in any other areas that are familiar to her (like a park where you take her to play with other dogs). Make sure to put your phone number on the sign! It can be helpful to offer even a small reward.
    If you find a missing dog:
    • Approach the dog carefully, as you would with any dog you don’t know. Make sure it is friendly. Ask an adult for help.
    • If the dog is wearing a collar, check the dog’s tags. Some dogs wear tags with their owner’s name and phone number.
    • Call the police and your local Humane Society and let them know you have found a missing dog. If you can’t keep the dog in your house or yard, take it to the shelter.
    • Put up some signs about the dog you found.

Dear Reader,
    When Django, my black Lab, was only about six months old, he fell through the ice just like Noodle did! It was in a much smaller pond than Loon Lake. For a moment, I thought I was going to have to jump in after him, but fortunately he was able to scrabble his way back onto shore.
    I thought Django might be scared of water after that, but he wasn’t. Most black Labs love to swim! Do you know a dog that likes to swim?
    Yours from the Puppy Place,
Ellen Miles

Don’t miss any of these
other stories by Ellen Miles!
    THE PUPPY PLACE
    Goldie
    Snowball
    Shadow
    Rascal
    Buddy
    Flash
    Scout
    Patches
    Noodle
    Pugsley
    Princess
    Maggie and Max
    TAYLOR-MADE TALES
    The Dog’s Secret
    The Pirate’s Plot
    The Cowgirl’s Luck
    The Penguin’s Peril
    SCHOLASTIC JUNIOR CLASSICS
    Doctor Dolittle
    The Pied Piper
    The Twelve Dancing Princesses
    The Wind in the Willows

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Ellen Miles is crazy about dogs, and loves to write about their different personalities. She is the author of more than 28 books, including The Puppy Place and Taylor-Made Tales series as well as
The Pied Piper
and other Scholastic Classics. Ellen loves to be outdoors every day, walking, biking, skiing, or swimming, depending on