CHAPTER 2

THE SEARCH FOR HONEY

Princess Petunia and Stinky Spike tiptoed past the sleeping guards.

“We should start by searching the island,” whispered Petunia.

“I’m one sniff ahead of you, Princess,” said Spike. He pointed his nose into the air and took a deep breath.

Petunia pulled something out of her pocket and held it up to Spike’s nose. “This is Honey’s royal cloak. Use it to get her scent.”

Spike took a deep sniff. “Aha! It smells like Honey is in the jungle. Follow me!” said Spike.

Spike stopped beneath a large tree. He put his nose to the ground and sniffed around the trunk.

“I think Honey is up in this tree,” Spike whispered.

Spike barked, and clawed at the tree, “Arf, Arf! Honey, we’re here to rescue you!”

“Grrrrr . . . Go away! And get your own honey,” growled a voice from above.

A sticky drop fell out of the tree and onto Spike’s nose. “Ah-roo, what is this strange-smelling stuff? It’s stuck to my sniffer!” he howled. He could hear an unusual buzzing sound coming from above.

“Honey, come down from the tree right now. It’s time to go home,” commanded Petunia. She shook the tree.

The voice growled again from above, “Stop shaking the tree, you’ll wake the . . . BEES! Oh, no . . . OUCH! They’re stinging me!” roared the voice from above.

THUD! A great big bear dropped out of the tree and landed next to Petunia.

“Grrrrr, I told you, that was my honey. I was just about to get a paw-full before you woke the hive. Now buzz off, you troublemakers,” said the bear.

“Sorry, Bear. We thought you were my missing dog, Honey. Have you seen her?” asked Petunia.

“Hmmm. I know all about honey. But I don’t know anything about a missing dog named Honey,” said the bear, scratching his head. “I did see a scruffy mutt on the beach. Maybe it’s the one you’re looking for.”

“Oh, thank you, Bear! Come on, Spike. I know the way to the beach,” said Petunia.

“And sorry about your bee stings,” said Spike, still trying to lick the sticky honey off his nose.

When they got to the beach, Stinky Spike and Princess Petunia looked up and down the shoreline.

“There’s nothing here but sandy seashells. Spike, do you smell anything?” asked Petunia.

Spike took a deep sniff. “Ah-roo! Wet dog! I’d know that scent anywhere. Honey must be nearby,” howled Spike, dashing toward the dunes.

“Arf, arf,” barked Spike, pointing to a curled-up mutt sleeping behind a sand dune.

“Ah-roo! Ah-roo!” howled Spike. “Honey! We’ve found you.”

Princess Petunia ran up beside Spike.

“That’s not Honey,” she said, stamping her royal foot.

“No. I’m Patches,” said the shaggy dog, shaking sand from his coat. “Who’s Honey?”

“Honey is Princess Petunia’s pup,” explained Spike.

“Hmmm . . . that name sounds familiar,” said Patches. The scrappy pup thought for a second, then began digging in the sand. Suddenly he hit something.
CLINK!

Patches pulled a bottle from the hole. Then another. Then another.

“Maybe your friend Honey has been writing these notes,” said Patches. Inside each bottle was a slip of paper. The princess pulled them out and read them one by one.

“I’d know Honey’s paw print anywhere. These notes are from her! But who is Captain Bart?” asked Petunia.

“Captain Bart is a mean old pirate. And his crew is even worse. But don’t worry, Princess. My super sniffer will lead us right to Honey, and we will rescue her! All we need is a ship,” said Spike.

“We can use my boat. She’s rickety, but quick enough to chase after bonefish,” offered Patches.

“Yippee! Off to find Honey we go,” barked Spike.

Stinky Spike and Princess Petunia climbed aboard the little boat. Patches raised the sail and steered out to sea. Spike stuck his mighty snout into the breeze and took a deep SNIFF . . . SNIFFFFFF . . .

“Aha! I smell pirates in that direction,” said Spike, pointing to the horizon.

With his nose in the air and his tail wagging behind him, Spike shouted out directions to Patches, who steered the boat toward the pirates.

At last, Spike spotted a tiny island in the distance.

“Ah-roo! Land ho!” cheered Spike.