CHAPTER 11

“Mystic!”

Ethan tore after the puppy, straight into the bushes. There was no trail here—just brambles and tree branches slapping against his face. But he couldn’t let Mystic get away.

He couldn’t see her, but he could sure hear her yipping and yapping after the bigger dogs, demanding that they give her ball back.

The woods gave way to a grassy field, which was easier to run through.

But Ethan groaned when he saw what was coming up next.

Sand.

The beach!

Would the dogs jump into the water? Would Mystic jump in, too?

Ethan was halfway across the beach before he remembered that dogs weren’t even allowed there. But apparently those dogs hadn’t read the signs, because they’d been here, alright. Ethan followed the paw prints crisscrossing back and forth in the sand, making figure eights around swimmers and beach towels.

As he leapt over a sand castle, a toddler with a shovel stared up at him, eyes wide.

He couldn’t even stop to apologize to the kid’s mother. There was no time. He had to find Mystic. Where was she?

“Mystic!” Devin and the others were calling for her, too. Ethan heard the frantic voices behind him, growing closer.

Then he heard something else: barking coming from the picnic area.

He took off running again, past yet another NO DOGS ALLOWED sign.

It must have been lunchtime, because the picnic area was packed with grills and coolers, people and picnic blankets, grilled hot dogs and plates full of chips and salad. The dogs could be anywhere, following their noses from one feast to the next.

Ethan wasn’t sure whether to look under the tables, around them, or even on them. But when he heard a commotion in the far corner of the picnic area, he knew just where to run.

“Sandy, stop!” he heard someone call.

It was her! The girl with the ponytail.

Right now, Ethan didn’t care at all whether she was Sandstorm, the Gym Defender with the giant Kingler. He just hoped she could stop her dog so that Mystic would stop running, too.

“Sandy. Stop!” She said the word with such force that Ethan almost stopped running, himself.

Then he saw the Yellow Lab pop out from under a picnic table and trot toward the girl, its tail between its legs. There was no tennis ball in its mouth. And there was no Chow Chow running after it.

Ethan felt his hopes pop like a bubble at a Poké Stop. Where was Mystic?

As the girl bent down to grab Sandy’s collar, he hurried toward her. “Have you seen my dog?” he asked. “A little red Chow?”

The girl blew her bangs off her forehead. “I’m not even supposed to be seeing my dog right now,” she said. “My little brother was on dog duty. He was supposed to keep the dogs under control. Dogs aren’t allowed here in the picnic area, you know.”

Ethan almost laughed out loud. “Yeah, I know. But mine got loose, too.” He described Mystic again, hoping the girl would say she’d seen her. But she just shrugged.

“Let’s check the bridge,” she finally suggested. “Maybe Snickers ran back to my brother, Noah. He better have, anyway, or Noah’s going to be in big trouble.”

By then, Devin, Gianna, and Carlo had caught up to Ethan. “Did you find her?” Devin asked, the panic rising in her voice.

“Not yet,” said Ethan. “We’re going to check the bridge. C’mon!”

They followed the girl with the ponytail toward the bridge. Actually, they followed Sandy the Retriever, who was leading with her nose.

She led them out of the picnic area. They ran past Dad’s willow tree, where Dad was snoring in the sun. Past the boat launch. Past the Poliwag rocks. All the way to Badfish Creek Bridge.

Ethan expected the dog to lead them up to the top of the bridge, where the tan teenager was still fishing with his friends.

Instead, Sandy led them under the bridge, to a large flat rock where a boy was sitting. Ethan recognized him immediately: it was the blonde kid with the buzz cut and the bright orange shorts. He was the owner of the Chocolate Lab—who was nowhere in sight.

“Noah!” the girl with the ponytail cried. “Where’s Snickers?”

Noah put his phone away and jumped up off the rock. “I don’t know! He was here a minute ago. He must have smelled hot dogs cooking or something.”

His sister sighed. “It was your job to watch the dogs instead of playing Pokémon GO,” she said. “We gotta find Snickers. Oh, and it sounds like he’s got a friend with him, too—a little orange Chow.”

“Mystic,” said Devin. “Her name is Mystic.” She looked like she was going to cry.

“Yeah, I remember your dog,” said Noah. “She likes to steal tennis balls.”

Ethan nodded. “That’s her.” Only this time, your dog stole the tennis ball! he wanted to add. But he was pretty sure that wouldn’t help matters right now.

Noah led them out from under the bridge and toward the far side of the lake, past the vacation cottages.

“If I know Snickers, he’s over here somewhere,” said Noah. “Follow me. Or better yet, follow Sandy.”

The Yellow Lab led the group with her nose to the ground. She led them straight to a wooden structure that had what looked like a kitchen sink in the middle of it. A stench rose to greet them from the garbage bins nearby.

“Pee ew,” said Devin, holding her nose. “What is this place?”

“It’s a fish-cleaning station,” explained Noah. “This is pretty much Snickers’s favorite place. There he is now!”

Noah jogged toward the water. And there was Snickers, rolling around in the mud—or what Ethan hoped was only mud. Right beside him, as if they were best buddies, was Mystic.

Her yellow tennis ball stuck out of the end of her mouth. She’d gotten it back after all.

“Mystic!”

As soon as Devin launched toward the puppy, Mystic took off, dragging her leash behind her.

“Don’t run after her!” said Ethan. “She’ll think it’s a game of chase.”

He stood very still and whistled for her. Then he reached into his pocket. Mystic stopped running and tracked his hand with her eyes.

As soon as he pulled the Magikarp biscuit out of his pocket, she dropped her ball and hurried over.

And then she did something she’d never done for him before.

She sat.

“Wow, what a smart puppy,” said Noah’s sister. “You trained her well.”

Ethan’s ears burned with pride. “Thanks,” he said. Then he reached down and grabbed Mystic’s leash. Firmly. As if he’d never let it go again.

Noah had a hold of Snickers’s collar, too. With his other hand, he waved at Ethan. “I never introduced myself,” he said. “I’m Noah.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” said Ethan with a smile. “You’re the Magikarp Kid.”