The discussion he just had with his friends about that beagle made an idea pop into Stick Dog’s head. It happened right when that human started toward Mike’s Magnificent Meats.
Sometimes, Stick Dog reminded himself, dogs walk close to their human roommates without a leash.
It looks perfectly natural.
Nobody would suspect a thing.
Stick Dog snapped his head over his shoulder to look at his friends.
“I’m going into the meat store!” he said quickly and with complete conviction. “You guys sneak around to the back. I’ll try to meet you there!”
Before any of his friends could say a word, Stick Dog hustled out from behind the bench. He looked left. He looked right. He saw a few humans around, but none of them were very close. There were no cars coming.
He looked ahead.
Scott, the human, was almost halfway across the street.
And Stick Dog hurried to follow him.
He was used to moving quietly—and sneakily.
He had snuck around town looking for scraps. He had moved through the woods silently to avoid detection when he could hear humans wandering about. He wasn’t absolutely positive he could move behind the male human without being seen by him.
But he thought he had a pretty good chance.
Stick Dog took his steps in rhythm with the man’s steps. He set his paw pads down lightly without making a sound or scattering a pebble. He crouched his head down, lowering his profile. They crossed the double-yellow line in the middle of the street and kept going.
Stick Dog stayed stealthy.
The man stepped onto the sidewalk—and two seconds later, so did Stick Dog.
The man pulled the glass door open.
Stick Dog could see Mike the meat man past the counter inside the store. He was turned away from the door, cutting something with a big rectangular knife at a table in the back.
Scott went into the store.
So did Stick Dog.