The Dachshund Who Wore Spectacles. Lora Thomas
just a dog. He was a beautiful, long-legged Border collie. The only strange thing, thought Frank, is that Puma is a cat’s name. I wonder if Puma knows that.
Puma came to a screeching stop just inches in front of Frank. “Hi, I’m Puma. You must be Frank.”
“Finally, someone that I can understand,” said Frank. “Can you understand me?”
“Yes, of course I can,” said Puma.
Puma was very intelligent. So intelligent in fact that Frank was sure he was the smartest dog he had ever met. Frank thought for sure that Puma probably could read and write.
“Puma? Isn’t that a cat’s name?” asked Frank.
“Why, yes, of course it is,” answered Puma. “My people thought that would be the perfect name for me. I am quite proud of it.”
“I’m proud of my name too,” said Frank. “My full name is Franklin Marshall, but you can call me Frank.”
“Let’s go swimming, Frank,” Puma said as he went running toward the trail to the lake. “The water will be warm.”
Frank had never been swimming. He wasn’t sure he could do it. But he headed toward the lake anyway. “Just another great adventure,” said Frank gleefully. “Puma is going to be my best friend. I just know it!”
They reached the bottom of the trail, and splash, Puma leaped into the water. “Come on, Frank. The water’s fine,” Puma called out from the water. With his long legs, Puma was a graceful swimmer.
Frank moved slowly toward the water. He put his front foot in and pulled it right out. “Puma, that’s not swimming. That’s a b-a-t-h,” said an alarmed Frank.
“Frank, what is a b-a-t-h?” asked Puma. “Wait, b-a-t-h. That spells bath. Oh, Frank, you are so silly!”
Frank was amazed. Puma could spell! Frank thought he could, but now he knew for sure. He also felt very sorry for Spencer because Spencer had called it a b-a-t-h. He will need to get back to school as soon as we get home, thought Frank.
“Come on in, Frank,” urged Puma.
Frank set his glasses down on the dock, took a deep breath, and leaped into the water. “I can swim, Puma. I can swim!”
Meanwhile up near the house, Spencer was asking Tyler where the dogs had gone. Tyler figured that they probably went down to the lake because Puma loved to swim. Tyler and Spencer went down toward the lake; they had grabbed some towels and put on their swim trunks. Once down at the water, they saw Puma swimming lazily in the water, but where was Frank?
“Puma, where is Frank?” called Tyler. “Find Frank, Puma.”
Frank heard someone say his name. He swam around the end of the dock. “Here I am!” barked Frank.
“Look, Tyler! Puma taught Frank how to swim!” Spencer beamed proudly.
A Scary Encounter with a Stick
The next morning, Puma and Frank awoke and had breakfast.
“What shall we do today Frank?” asked Puma.
“I was thinking that we should chase my birds today, Puma. They make so much noise when I chase them,” said Frank with his mouth half full of food.
“That’s a fine idea, Frank. Let’s go catch us some birds.”
Frank and Puma whined at the door. That was the only way they could communicate the point that they wanted out. It seemed when they whined, people would open the doors. It worked the same way as the doorbell. Odd, thought Frank.
Out the oddly matched dogs ran, Frank on his short, stubby legs and Puma on his long and slender ones. Both dogs could run fast. Puma would chase the birds in the grass, and Frank would chase them from the bushes.
“We make quite a good team,” declared Frank.
“Yes, we do, Frank.” Puma smiled. “I think we can be best friends.”
“Me too,” smiled Frank. “Me too.”
The two dogs ran after the birds for an hour. Tired, they lay down in the shade of a tree. They both sat looking out toward the lake.
“I’m having such a nice time at the lake,” said Puma. “I really hate to leave tomorrow.”
“I hate to leave too, Puma. Why don’t we go swimming now?” answered Frank
Down the trail they ran. Puma was leading the way down. Suddenly he heard a loud yipe from Frank. Puma’s blood ran cold. He didn’t want to turn around, afraid of what he might find.
Puma did turn around. It was worse than he thought. For there lying in the trail was his new best friend; a stick stuck into his chest.
“Puma,” Frank said through glazed eyes, “I don’t think I’m going to live.”
“Oh, Frankie.” Puma used his calmest voice. “I will go get my people and Spencer. You lay right there. You will be fine. I know it.”
Puma ran as fast as he could up the trail. Fear was making his heart beat faster than the running did. He could not lose his best friend, not now, not on his watch. Puma had grown fond of Frank in the short amount of time he had known him. He had also grown protective of Frank, for after all, Frank was very short and tiny compared to Puma. (Also Frank couldn’t see very well without his glasses.) Puma must hurry.
“Everybody help!” barked Puma. “Frank is hurt. I think he’s dying. Help, help!”
Tyler came running out of the house with Kinga. “Puma, stop your barking,” Tyler sternly warned Puma.
I forgot. They cannot understand me, thought Puma. I will have to take drastic measures.
With that, Puma ran up to Tyler and put his mouth around Tyler’s wrist. He clamped down gently but firmly and started pulling him toward the trail.
“Puma is acting very strange. I think something must be wrong,” said Tyler as he was following Puma’s lead.
Shortly Tyler saw what the problem was. “Kinga, get a blanket. Frank has been hurt.”
Tyler knelt next to Frank. He could see that the stick had punctured Frank’s chest indeed but had not gone in very far. It was merely a superficial wound. Frank would be fine. He touched Frank. Frank lay limp. His glasses lay askew across his face. Frank had fainted.
When Spencer arrived, Tyler sent him down to retrieve some water from the lake. “Splash some on Frank’s face. That should revive him,” directed Tyler.
Sure enough, Spencer splashed some water on Frank’s face. Frank sputtered awake. “Am I in heaven?” said Frank dreamily. “Where am I?”
“Oh, Frankie, you gave us quite a scare,” said Kinga as she wrapped Frank in a blanket and carried him up the trail. “You are going to be just fine after we bandage you up. That’s what happens when you are so low to the ground.”
What did she mean by that? In Frank’s mind, he was a tall dog.
Back Home
Frank was feeling better once he was back home. His bandages were taken off, and Spencer found that Frank’s wound had healed up nicely.
“You don’t have much of a scar, Frank,” said Spencer. “You are a very lucky dog.”
Being summer, Frank and Spencer were able to sleep in every morning. Usually they would awake around ten. This particular morning, Darryl woke them up early. “Hey, guys, I thought you might like to go with me to Tyler and Kinga’s house. Frank, you will like to play with Puma.”
With that last word coming