“Hee-hee-hee.”
We looked up.
That mean squirrel was back! He was perched on a tree limb, holding a handful of nuts.
“Here’s your chance,” Jillian said to our skunk friend.
Stinkball looked at us. She was scared.
“You can do it,” I whispered.
Jillian nodded. “You have to try!”
“We’ll be right here,” I whispered. “We’ll talk you through it. Don’t worry.”
The squirrel looked at Stinkball with a gleam in his eyes and let one fly.
Plunk!
Stinkball ducked, and the nut missed.
“Come on, Stinkball,” I said. “You have to stand up and be a skunk. Remember: ‘Stomp your feet. Raise your tail. You got moves. You will not fail.’ ”
Stinkball looked at me. Then she looked at the squirrel.
“Hee-hee-hee,” said the squirrel. He picked up another nut and was about to throw it.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
Stinkball stomped her feet.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
“Look!” Jillian said. “She’s starting to defend herself.”
Stinkball raised her tail.
The squirrel just laughed.
Another nut came flying. Zoom … plunk!
It hit poor Stinkball right on her bootie. Stinkball looked at us again.
“ ‘Don’t be scared. Don’t be blinky. Turn around and make a stinky,’ ” I whispered.
Stinkball turned around and lifted her tail. Nothing happened.
“Hee-hee-hee.” The squirrel wound up for the pitch.
“Let it rip, Stinkball!” I cheered.
Stinkball lifted her tail higher and … pssst … It wasn’t a huge stink, but it was bigger than the last one. The spray hit that squirrel in the face. He dropped the nuts and ran.
“Go, Stinkball!” We cheered.
We were all jumping and cheering. Then Jillian stopped. She had an idea. I could tell by the gleam in her eyes.
“We could use Stinkball to help us stop the robbery,” she said. “We could get Stinkball to hide by our front door. When Mom and Dad come out to go to the hospital, Stinkball can spray them.”
“Great idea,” I said. “But it’s got to be a big, bad smell. Then they won’t be able to go anywhere. If they tried to rob a place, the police would be able to follow their scent.”
I turned to Stinkball. “We have a job for you. It might be dangerous. Are you in?”
Stinkball flexed her muscles.
We laughed.
She jumped up and down. She was excited to help us.
“All this is making me hungry. Let’s celebrate with lunch,” I said.
We made sandwiches and brought them outside to eat.
“Stinkball, eat up!” I said. “We have a big job tonight. You need your strength.”
Stinkball looked at me.
“I think she needs one more bug-eating lesson,” Jillian said.
“Great.” I rolled my eyes.
After watching me catch a bunch of bugs, Stinkball finally got the idea.
A juicy bug appeared. Stinkball caught it and chomped down on that bug. She smiled.
I helped her! That warm, wonderful feeling filled me again.
“You did a good job teaching her,” Jillian said. “It must feel good.”
“It will feel even better now that I can stop eating bugs,” I said. “Blech!”