CHAPTER 3
Smarty Paws
The screen door banged shut as Ellie, followed by her four-legged friend, bounded into the backyard. Her cape rippling in the wind, she breathed in the day. Squirrels chittered in the treetops. Birds glided from branch to branch. A breeze sailed coolly through the warm sunshine. It was perfect for having fun with somebody, and who better than Super Fluffy? Thanks to him, Ellie could say so long to Saturdoom. Saturday was Saturplay!
“Let’s play fetch!” Ellie exclaimed. “I’ll throw the ball, then you catch it and bring it back to me. Understand?”
“Ruff!” Super Fluffy answered.
Ellie’s arm swung back. She lobbed the ball across the yard.
Quicker than a dog could scratch a flea, Super Fluffy snapped up the ball, dropped it at Ellie’s feet, and waited patiently for the next throw.
Ellie threw the ball a few more times, and each time, Super Fluffy brought it back lickety-splickety.
“Wow, you’re good at this game!” Ellie said. “I’m going to throw extra hard this time, so watch carefully.” Her arm whirled around like a Ferris wheel and sent the ball soaring. It tore through the air, startling a flock of pigeons. After kissing a cloud, it fell onto the rooftop and rolled into the gutter.
Super Fluffy was already sitting attentively at the downspout. When the ball shot out, he caught it and trotted back to Ellie.
What a super-smart dog! Ellie thought as Super Fluffy sniffed a caterpillar. He knew exactly where the ball would end up!
Ellie gave the pup’s ears a friendly scratch. “If you can fetch, I bet you can do other things. How about we find out?”
“Ruff!” Super Fluffy agreed.
“Let’s start with some easy tricks,” Ellie said. “Sit.”
Super Fluffy was already sitting.
“Oops! I mean, shake hands.”
Super Fluffy lifted his paw, and Ellie shook it kindly.
“Beg.”
Super Fluffy whimpered. He looked up at Ellie with the sweetest pair of puppy-dog eyes she had ever seen.
“Adorable!” Ellie cried. “How could anybody say no to that face?”
It looked like those tricks were too easy. Flexing her brainpower, Ellie came up with some trickier things. “Can you walk on two legs?”
On his hind legs, Super Fluffy marched forward, then backward.
“Speak?”
“Ruff!” Super Fluffy barked.
Ellie guessed that meant hello — close enough. “Okay, Smarty Paws,” she said, rubbing her hands together. She was going to give him the trickiest trick of all. “Can you pat your head and rub your tummy — and stick out your tongue — at the same time?”
With his tongue hanging out, Super Fluffy patted his head with one paw and rubbed his tummy with the other. He’d learned the trick lickety-split!
Ellie’s jaw dropped as the dog bowed. Not even Mom and Dad could do that, and they could make a spotted zebra.
Super Fluffy amazed Ellie with some more tricks. Then they went back to playing fetch, which he was expert at. After Super Fluffy had retrieved the ball with his eyes closed, Ellie heard a scuffling sound. Suddenly a voice yelled, “Help!”
Ellie immediately shot into the air and surveyed the neighborhood.
Outside Hole-in-One Donut Shop, a lady was waving wildly. “My purse! My purse!” she cried. “That thief stole my purse!” She pointed down the street, where a man was running away with a yellow bag.
Holey glazed donut! Ellie thought. Someone needed her help!
Faster than you could eat a Long John, Ellie sprang into action. She soared to the top of the shop and plucked off the giant donut-shaped sign. Flying up from behind the thief, Ellie threw down the sign.
“Gotcha!” she said, catching him in the middle. He wiggled and squiggled, but the donut hole held him tightly.
With the thief in the donut’s clutches, Ellie reached for the lady’s purse. But it was gone!
“It was here a minute ago,” Ellie muttered. She looked around on the sidewalk.
“Ruff!” At Ellie’s side, Super Fluffy held up the purse. Without a second glance, he raced over and returned it to the lady.
Ellie was wowed. That dog was super great at a lot of things, but fetching topped them all!