ThenextdayJoewentofftocollectthewiredfundswhileNancyandthekidssortedthroughtheirpossessions, , butnowhereyesfollowedeverymoveofNancyandthechildren, andifoneofthempausedtothink, evenforaminute, Snoopynosedattheidlehand, askingtobetouched, tobeheld.
"Sheknows," Jodisaid, cradlingher."Sheknowssomethingawfulisgoingtohappen."
TheTravelers' Aidrepresentativearrivedtotakethebelongingstheycouldn' , hewascaughtbetweenbeingsympatheticandbeingpracticalwhenhelookedatSnoopy."Seventeenisreallyoldforadog," hesaidgently."Maybeyoujusthavetofigureshe' shadalonglifeandagoodone." Whennobodyspoke, hetookadeepbreath."Ifyouwant, youcanleaveherwithmeandI' llhaveherputtosleepafteryou' vegone."
ThechildrenlookedatNancybutsaidnothing; theyunderstoodtherewasn' tanychoiceandtheydidn' , alltheromps, allthepicnics, allthetimesshe' dgoneintokissthechildrengoodnightandSnoopyhadliftedherheadtobekissedtoo.
"Thankyou, " shetoldtheman."It' ,no," sherepeatedfirmly, "Snoopy' spartofthefamily, andfamiliesdon' tgiveuponeachother." Shereachedforthetelephonebook, lookedup "Kennels" intheYellowPages, , shestartedeachcallwiththeexplanationthatthefamilywasdownontheirluck."But,"shebegged, "ifyou' lljustkeepourlittledoguntilwecanfindawaytogethertoFortWayne, Igiveyoumywordwe' ."
Aveterinaryclinic, whichalsoboardedpets, finallyagreed, andtheTravelers' ' sfrostedmuzzleinherhands."Youknowwe' dneverleaveyouifwecouldhelpit," shewhispered, "sodon' tgiveup; don' ' ."
OncebackinFortWayne, theToppsfoundamobilehometorent, oneofJoe' sbrothersgavethemhisoldcar, sisters-in-lawprovidedpotsandpansandbedlinens, thechildrenreturnedtotheiroldschools, , , adifferenttruckingcompany, ' dhadanyluck, andshehadtosayno.
ByMarch, they' , neverknowinghowhardthey' , havingtriedeverythingelse, shetelephonedtheFortWayneDepartmentofAnimalControlandtoldthemthestory.
"Idon' tknowwhatIcandotohelp,"thedirector, amannamedRod, saidwhenshe' dfinished."ButI' lltellyouthis: I' msuregoingtotry."
