Billy found his friends outside the town hall.

“Dude,” Pete said. “Did you give Sheriff Dan the staff?”

“Sort of…” Billy replied.

Just then, Sheriff Dan the monkey raced out of the building. Bartleby stared at him.

“That monkey is dressed like Sheriff Dan,” he commented.

“Run, kids!” the monkey cried. “He’s coming!”

Warwick floated out, standing on his staff. “There you are!” he snarled, spotting Billy. “Now where’s the book? Or do you all want to end up as monkeys, too?”

“Really, mister,” Billy said, frightened. “We don’t know where it is.”

“Wrong answer, boy.” Warwick pointed his staff. “Transformus prim—”

Before he could finish, a shovel conked him on the head. He tumbled to the ground, stunned.

The kids gasped when they saw who was holding the shovel. It was Mr. Johnson from the cemetery!

“Come with me,” Mr. Johnson told them.

The kids weren’t sure what to do. Mr. Johnson was pretty spooky. But Warwick was even spookier. And he was already getting up.

The gang ran after Mr. Johnson. He led them to a hearse parked nearby.

The kids all jumped in. Mr. Johnson got in the driver’s seat and hit the gas.

A few minutes later, the hearse pulled up in front of a church.

“We’ll be safe here. Evil like Warwick cannot enter the house of God.

“Quickly, everyone inside,” Mr. Johnson directed. He spotted Warwick flying toward them on his staff. “It’s our only chance.”

“How come you have a key?” Alice asked.

“I’m the organist here every Sunday,” Mr. Johnson said. “Don’t worry, kids. We beat Warwick before. We can do it again.”

Once everyone was in the church, Billy pulled out the photograph from the police files. “This is you, isn’t it?” he asked. “You’re the boy from the legend.”

Mr. Johnson looked at the photo. “That sure was a long time ago….”

Outside, Warwick landed and swiftly walked up to the church. “I need that book,” he said to himself. He pointed his staff at the door. “Openus sesamus!”

The jewel glowed and fired a magical beam. But the beam hit the church door and bounced back at Warwick.

Mr. Johnson had been right, the church really did protect against black magic.

Inside, Mr. Johnson pulled a package out of a hiding place in the church organ. He removed the dusty wrappings to reveal a spell book.

“For seventy-five years I’ve held on to this book, dreading a full moon on Halloween night,” he told the kids.

“He will need to complete the spell tonight for the evil spirits of the netherworld to remain here.”

“The nether what, now?” Billy asked, confused.

“It’s another name for the place where ghosts live,” Mr. Johnson told him. “Usually bad ones. Halloween is the one night these spirits can roam free in our world. Only the Howlloween Hound can call them out. Warwick will use the spirits to control the townsfolk of Fernfield.”

The kids were scared. “He needs to complete the spell?” Alice asked.

“That’s right,” Mr. Johnson said. “Warwick must have his staff, the spell book, and one other thing.”

“What is it?” Billy asked.

Mr. Johnson looked grim. “The souls of five puppies who share the same blood.”

“Like brothers and sisters?” Alice asked.

She and her friends looked at one another. “The Buddies!” they all said.

At that moment, the Buddies, Pip, and Zelda were at the cemetery searching for Pip’s earthly body.

“Could this night get any creepier?” Mudbud asked, glancing around the dark cemetery.

“Everyone look for Pip,” Zelda instructed.

“There I am!” Pip cried, pointing his paw at a statue.

They all approached the stone puppy. Beside it was a metal sign.

“‘Here stands Pip,’” Buddha read aloud. “‘Most loyal friend of Joseph. The best pup a boy could ever have. One day, we’ll be together again.’”

Rosebud glanced at Zelda. “What do we do now?”

Zelda looked uncertain. “I’ve never returned a spirit to a body, but I’ll give it a whirl. All of you make a circle around Pip’s body. I’ll need all your energies.”

As the wind rustled the leaves on the trees, the Buddies gathered around. They didn’t see the Howlloween Hound as he entered the cemetery and sniffed the air.

Hoot had been flying over the town, spying on everyone. He saw the Howlloween Hound sneaking up on the Buddies. So he flew back into town and told Warwick.

“Perfect!” Warwick was still peering in the church window. He had been listening to the kids’ conversation. He hadn’t known that both he and the Hound needed the Buddies. “I think those puppies are going to come in handy in more ways than one.”