Pete the Barncat is running along with a skunk.

Hank notices him. This is what happened.

By Laura Meyer

"Hi Hankie. Do ya want to meet my new friend?"

"No I donāt, cat. And I donāt think it is possible for you to have a friend. Hey, wait a second. What is that skunk doing here?!"

"Oh, thatās my new friend, but I donāt think I want to tell you why heās here."

I really canāt stand Peteās stupid attitude. "Tell me cat! And that is a direct order."

"Oh my goodness! I guess I have to tell you now."

"I guess you do."

"Well, I saw him in the woods, and he was very hungry. He hasnāt eaten in a couple of days. I just told him to follow me to the ranch so he could catch a few chickens. Iām sure thatās OK with you Hankie."

What?! Pete youāre even dumber than I thought! And since when did you care about anyone other than yourself?" I knew Pete was doing this to try and get me mad. I stared at him right in the eyes. "You donāt think this is serious do you? Well, maybe you will after I call Loper out here with his shot gun."

"Oh, but youāre forgetting something. Sally May and Loper left this morning to go to church."

I knew I couldnāt hamburgerize kitty kitty or else his stupid friend might spray me. I gave Pete a killing glare and said, "Youāll be sorry for this, cat."

I ran to the gas tanks where I saw Drover lying on his back and sleeping his life away. "Get up Drover. This ranch is under red alert."

Drover just twitched his back feet and mumbled, "Murgle skifferin porkchops, toneyshamle feet."

I yelled again right in his left ear. "Get up! This ranch is under red alert!"

He instantly hopped up on all four feet and said in a sleepy voice, "Whereās a red bird?"

"Drover, shut your little trap and listen. I said this ranch is under red alert!"

"Oh my gosh. Whatās happening, Hank? Oh my leg!"

"I donāt have time to answer any questions. Just run to the chicken house and make sure Pete doesnāt let his skunk friend eat any chickens.

"OK Hank, but Iām all confused and this old leg is actinā up on me." He ran up the hill. I didnāt have any time to lose. A plan was forming in my head and I had to find Rip and Snort. I didnāt know where to look! Running towards the county road, I noticed Wallace and Junior the Buzzards circling around in the sky.

"Hey Junior," I yelled. He didnāt hear me, but just then, he flew into Wallace and they both came falling down out of the sky. Junior was fine and had hit the ground on his feet. But Wallace had gotten tangled up in some tree branches.

"Junior, have you seen Rip and Snort lately? You know, the coyote brothers."

"L-l-let m-m-me th-th-think now." There was a long silence and then he finally said, "Y-Yeah I saw them both in the horse pasture.

I started running towards the horse pasture and called over my shoulder, "Thanks, Junior. Iāll explain all this later."

I got to the horse pasture in near record time. In the distance, I could see Rip and Snort fighting. I ran up to them and stopped the fight. "Hey, what are you two fighting about?"

They both looked at me, and Snort said, "That you, Hunk?"

"Yep, itās me all right. What are you two fighting about?"

"Rip eat my toad, and me no got any toad."

"Well, I see. Uh...what are you guys eating toads for when you could be having a nice skunk dinner?"

"What you mean? Where is skunk?"

"So, do you really want a skunk?"

They both grunted which in coyote dialect means yes.

"Just follow me and Iāll show you one."

"Uh," said Snort, "You tell where skunk is."

"Okay, okay. Itās on my ranch by the chicken house."

They must have really wanted that skunk because they trampled me over and ran towards the chicken house, hooting and yipping all the way. I ran after them and got there right behind them. You should have seen Pete and Droverās faces when they saw Rip and Snort!! They both shot over towards the house, and for the first time, I saw Pete moving faster than a walking pace.

"There's your skunk," I said. They didnāt even bother singing the Coyote National Anthem. They both just leaped into the air and were just about to pounce on that skunk when they both got sprayed. And I mean right in the eyes. That must have temporarily blinded them because the last I saw of 'em, they were bumping into each other, running around in circles, and howling.

Well, I had saved the ranch once again. I would take care of Pete later.

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"Hank the Cowdog" is a registered trademark of John R. Erickson Illustrations by Gerald L. Holmes