The lost Bow

Jake, Midge and Booker-T ran into the park and hurried to the pond where they found Snappy sitting on a big rock near the edge of the pond.

“Hey there Snappy,” said Midge. “What are you doing?”

“I am relaxing here on the rock enjoying the cool morning breeze,” smiled Snappy. “What are you doing this morning?”

“We came to play with you in the water,” said Jake.

“Oh, and Midge, you have pretty bows on your head,” said Snappy. “You look pretty with them. You don't want to get them wet.”

“I know,” said Midge. “You go play in water and I will sit here by the tree and watch you.”

“But that is no fun,” frowned Snappy. “How long will you sit there before you can't anymore and are in the water?”

“I will be fine,” said Midge. “My mistress would not be happy if I got the bows wet and myself wet after my bath this morning.”

“Just not fair Midge,” said Snappy. “But if you think you will be okay just watching by the tree, okay.”

Midge walked to the tree and sat down to watch her friends playing in the pond. Time seemed to pass slowly and the longer Midge sat there, the more anxious she became and wanted to go play.

“How are you doing Midge?” called Jake from the water's edge.

“I'm good Jake,” said Midge. “You have fun.”

“I don't think you are good,” said Booker-T. “I see you getting anxious over there to come join us.”

“Oh, this is hard, but I can't come in the water,” said Midge. “My bows would get wet.”

“I know,” said Snappy. “Just doesn't seem too fair for you to sit there while we play.”

“Maybe we can find something else to play and not in the water,” said Jake.

“What do you want to do?” asked Midge. “Snappy likes to play in the water.”

“It is okay Midge,” said Snappy. “I can do what you want to do, but I will be slower moving you know.”

“I know, but it is okay,” said Midge. “You know we don't mind if you are slow. We will always wait for you.”

“Maybe we can play hide and seek,” said Booker-T. “There are lot of hiding places with the trees and rocks here near the pond.”

“Okay,” said Snappy. “I will close my eyes and you all hide.”

Snappy faced the big tree and closed his eyes and started to count. Midge, Jake and Booker-T ran to find themselves a hiding place from Snappy.

“Ok,” said Snappy. “Here I come. Where are you? I will find you.”

Snappy was walking around looking for the three hiding spots. From above, Gabby swooped down and soon there was a big splash. Snappy quickly turned to see Midge standing in the water dripping wet from head to her toes.

“Midge!” screamed Snappy. “What are you doing in the water?”

“Gabby scared me when he swooped down like he did and I fell into the water from behind that rock,” said Midge. “Oh, my mistress is going to be so mad at me for getting wet and my bows are so wet.”

Jake and Booker-T came running from their hiding places and stood laughing at Midge dripping water from head to her toes.

“It is not funny Jake!” said Midge.

“Why are you in the water Midge?” asked Booker-T. “I thought you didn't want to get wet.”

“I didn't,” said Midge. “Gabby scared me and I fell back into the water.”

“Oh, my,” said Snappy. “You were too close to the edge of the pond. Not a good place to hide.”

“I know it now,” said Midge.

“What happened to the other bow?” asked Jake. “You had two bows on your head when we came to the park. Now you only have one.”

“Oh no,” cried Midge. “I am going to be in a lot of trouble if I go back with only one bow and all wet.”

“We will help you find it Midge,” said Snappy. “Don't cry. It will be okay.”

“Yes Midge,” said Booker-T. “Your mistress knows you are a dog and will get dirty playing.”

“She might be okay with me getting dirty,” said Midge shaking her head. “But she isn't going to be happy with me losing one of the bows.”

“We will find it Midge,” said Jake as he stepped into the water where Midge fell in.

“Look!” said Booker-T. “Over there near that rock. Is that Midge's bow floating on the water?”

“I think so,” said Gabby as he swooped down and grabbed the pink thing out of the water and flew it to where Midge was standing.

“Yes, that is my bow,” said Midge. “Thank you Gabby for getting it from the water. Why did you come flying in here so fast? You scared me and I fell into the water.”

“I had some exciting news to tell you all,” said Gabby. “So I was hurrying to come see you. I didn't know you were hiding by the edge of the water. I didn't see you there.”

“It will be okay Midge,” said Jake. “Lay the bow on that rock by the tree in the sun. The sun will dry it off. Jake pulled the other bow off Midge's head and laid it on the rock beside the other one.

“Now that both of the bows are off my head, how will we get them back on my head before my mistress sees me?” asked Midge.

“I don't know,” said Booker-T. “I didn't think of that part of the problem. Wow, you will probably have to carry them home in your mouth and lay them on a table in your house.”

“Oh wow, this is not too good,” said Midge. “She is going to be very upset with me.”

“Maybe she won't be too upset,” said Jake. “She is a nice person and she loves you.”

“I hope so,” said Midge. “I guess I should have stayed home today and waited to play at the park til tomorrow.”

“That probably would have been the right thing to do,” said Snappy. “But it is hard to sit and watch your friends go play and you can't.”

“Yes it is,” said Midge. “I'm glad I came to play. I will be okay. Think I better take the bows and go home now before she gets home.”

“Okay Midge,” said Jake. “I will come with you.”

“That's okay if you want to stay with the others and play,” said Midge.

“No, it is okay, we are all going to walk with you to the house,” said Booker-T. “We can sit on the porch and rest. We played enough now so time for short nap.”

“Ha ha,” said Jake. “You are always ready for a short nap.”

Booker-T, Jake and Midge said good-bye to Snappy and hurried across the park. When they arrived at Midge's house, she put the bows on the table in the house and joined Booker-T and Jake on the front porch swing. Booker-T was already starting to fall asleep.