Duffy Runs Away

One weekday afternoon the gas meter man came to read the meter so that the monthly gas bill could be computed and a bill sent to the house. Without meaning to, he left the back gate unlatched. Duffy noticed this immediately! Duffy jumped on the gate several times until it finally opened, and he was free. He barked at MacGregor to come along, but MacGregor just sat down and whined. He did not want to go outside the back yard with Duffy.

Duffy lost no time in running off, and when MacGregor could no longer see Duffy, he hurried into the house through the doggy door and barked and barked at Judy until he got her attention. She said, "What is the matter MacGregor?" MacGregor kept barking, trying to get Judy to go to the back yard. Finally she decided to follow him and discovered the open gate. Duffy was long gone.

None of the Campbell girls were home since they had soccer practice, so Judy hurried to see if any of the neighborhood kids were about when she spotted James and some of his brothers. She checked with his mom, and then James, Tyler and Andy began to help Judy find naughty Duffy. MacGregor stayed home sitting down in the back yard and watching all the activity.

The searchers split up and went in different directions. James took off toward the neighborhood park and playground. Tyler walked up toward the next house. Andy headed toward the woods, and Judy got out the car and began to slowly drove around. All either whistled or kept calling "Duffy, Duffy," but no dog appeared anywher.

Down near the park a woman came out of her house and hollered to James to stop for a minute. She wanted to know what was the color of his missing dog, and James told her, "White." "I think I have your dog," she said. "I was cooking in my kitchen when a small white dog came right into my kitchen through our doggy door. I was very surprised!" Duffy had come to play with her Golden Retriever, have a drink of water and maybe some doggy treats. She also told James that she worked for the Humane Society, and that he needed to keep his dog tied up or fenced in, and James explained about the open gate. "How nice of you to help find him!" she said as James carried Duffy back toward the Campbell home.

James returned with Duffy just as the other searchers arrived and told his story. They could not believe that Duffy just went right in someone's doggy door like it was his own. Duffy had been naughty to run away, and his punishment awaited. He was put into his crate and had to stay there till supper time. MacGregor was so happy to see Duffy that he sat right down next to the crate for the rest of the afternoon. They looked like the bookends once again.