Waggit Again by Peter Howe Read Free Book Online

uphill until the tracks and the fields were on the same level. The rails went around a sharp bend, and then he saw it—a railroad crossing over a road with two barriers on either side, their arms pointing to the sky, followed by another steep turn in the track.
    â€œHere,” he yelled to the others. “This must be where the trains slow down.”
    Felicia and Lug hurried to catch up with him, Felicia striding along but Lug lumbering beside her, panting profusely.
    â€œWell done, Waggit,” she congratulated him. “You found it. This is the perfect place to wait.”
    She put her pack down on the grass next to the roadand sat on it, first of all taking out a bottle of water, some of which she drank, the rest of which she shared with the dogs. It was now around the middle of the day and the sun was quite hot. There was no shade, and the animals were soon panting. Several cars and trucks passed along the road, but their drivers paid no heed to the strangely dressed woman and the two dogs. Suddenly there was a clanging sound that made both dogs leap to their paws, and the barriers began to descend.
    â€œOkay,” said Felicia, “let’s wait until we see a suitable car, one that we can jump on to.”
    â€œI can’t jump,” whined Lug, “at least not very well.”
    â€œThis comes as no surprise,” she remarked, looking at his chunky body, “so I will help you get on board before I jump myself. Waggit will go first since he’s the fastest.”
    â€œIf he’s the fastest, why doesn’t he go last?” complained Lug.
    Waggit was beginning to find the dog’s constant grumbling a little irritating, but he tried to answer him as patiently as he could.
    â€œYou see, if I’m already on the train I can help Feliciaget you on board quicker. That will give her more time to get on herself.”
    â€œAbsolutely correct, Waggit,” Felicia declared. “Now let’s get ready.”
    The sound of the approaching train was getting louder, and as it came into sight it blew two sharp blasts of its whistle.
    â€œLook for a car that has enough space for the three of us to sit comfortably,” said Felicia while she secured the pack to her back.
    As it came closer to the crossing the train slowed to almost walking pace. The engine groaned as it went by, straining to pull its long line of wagons. The first of these had a large cylindrical tank mounted on it that left no room for anyone, either dog or human, to sit. They waited tensely as car after car passed, each one identical to the first.
    â€œOh, come on,” said Felicia. “There must be something else on a train as long as this.”
    But as it turned out there wasn’t. After what seemed like hours the last tanker car passed, pushed by another engine at the rear.
    â€œWhat rotten luck,” said Felicia. “Now we’ll have to wait for the next one.”
    â€œWhy don’t we walk on a little way while we’re waiting?” Waggit asked, longing to get out of the sun.
    â€œI don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Felicia. “We’ll never get a spot better than this. It’s worth waiting here. The train has to slow for both the crossing and the bend, and when the locomotive goes around the curve the engineer can’t see us get on, so it’s perfect. I know it’s hot, but with a bit of luck we won’t have to wait too long.”
    Luck, however, seemed to be in short supply that day, and it was hours before the dogs’ ears pricked up at the sound of the next train. By that time they were dispirited and irritable, and even Felicia’s soothing influence was beginning to wear thin. Waggit actually growled at Lug when the pit bull lay down too close to him. Their mood wasn’t improved any by the fact that once again the first cars on this train were tankers, but then they saw a line of boxcars that looked promising. As