Читать книгу The Dachshund Who Wore Spectacles - Lora Thomas - Страница 8

The Lake

It was summer vacation for Spencer. Frank would have three months where he wouldn’t have to watch Spencer leave for school or wait all day for his return.

Summer’s going to be the best time, thought Frank. Boy and I will run and play every day. We can sleep until noon if we want. We can chase squirrels out in the backyard. I know boy will love that.

“Frank, do you want to go to the lake?” asked Spencer. “Do you want to go in the car?”

Frank cocked his head from side to side trying to comprehend what his boy had asked him. “The lake? What is that?” Yes. I want to go, whatever it is.”

More than anything, Frank liked to go places. The minute anyone asked about going somewhere, Frank was the first one to respond.

Frank knew that the lake must be something special. Spencer’s parents were busy packing food and running things out to the truck. Frank ran back and forth with each load that was taken to the truck. He was not going to be left behind, and if he was not going to be left behind, he had better make sure he was by the truck should it happen to leave.

They don’t dare leave me behind, thought Frank. I am too cute to be left behind.

Frank was not left behind. He was lifted up into the truck and with his blanket, set down in the seat next to his boy. Frank had gotten his glasses tinted dark so that the sun wouldn’t bother his eyes, and he put them on once in the truck. He had heard that it was going to be hot and sunny at the lake. His boy looked down at him and smiled. Frank smiled back. Such a grand adventure, thought Frank.

After more than four hours of driving, Frank, Spencer, and Spencer’s family had arrived at the lake. The lake, as it turned out, was only water. It was pretty, but he couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. It was just water. In fact, Frank was a bit disappointed. “I had water in my dish at home.”

Everybody piled out of the truck, including Frank. They walked down the stairs to a house at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the lake. There was a large, grassy yard and birds everywhere. Birds were second best to squirrels to chase. “I had squirrels at home,” pouted Frank.

Frank walked into the house with his boy. “Let’s put your bed in here by my bed, Frank,” Spencer said as he set Frank’s bed in the bedroom down the hall. “You will be nice and comfortable here.”

“I was comfortable at home,” mumbled Frank.

After the family was settled in, Frank and his boy walked outside. Frank suddenly remembered the birds. He looked around, and yes, there were birds everywhere, big ones, little ones, fat ones, and noisy ones. This may be even more fun than my squirrels, thought Frank. At home I only have two squirrels to chase, but here there are hundreds of birds. Frank was on the run. Birds were flying this way and that, trying to get away from the dapple blur of fur that was chasing them. “Oh, this is the life.”