"I'mnotteasing， honey，" heassuredher， tuckingSnoopyintothecrookofhisarm."I'mgoingtotrytofindaneastboundtruckertotaketheoldgirlbackforUS."
Atthelocaltruckstop， JoesatSnoopyonastoolbesidehimwhilehefellintoconversationwithdriverswhostoppedtopether."Gee， I'dliketohelpyouout，" oneafteranothersaid."She'sawfulcuteandIwouldn'tmindthecompany， butI'mnotgoingthroughFortWaynethistrip." TheonlydriverwhocouldhavetakenherpickedSnoopyupandlookedatherclosely."Naw，" themangrowled， "withanolddoglikeher， there'." Stillhopeful， Joetackedupasignandgavethemotel'sphonenumber.
"Somebodywillcallbeforebustimetomorrow，" hepredictedtothekidswhenheandSnoopygotbacktothemotel.
"Butsupposenobodydoes？" Jodisaid.
Joeanswered， "Sweetie， we'' Aidcanonlypayforustostayhereonenight."
ThenextdayJoewentofftocollectthewiredfundswhileNancyandthekidssortedthroughtheirpossessions， ， butnowhereyesfollowedeverymoveofNancyandthechildren， andifoneofthempausedtothink， evenforaminute， Snoopynosedattheidlehand， askingtobetouched， tobeheld.
"Sheknows，" Jodisaid， cradlingher."Sheknowssomethingawfulisgoingtohappen."
TheTravelers' Aidrepresentativearrivedtotakethebelongingstheycouldn'， hewascaughtbetweenbeingsympatheticandbeingpracticalwhenhelookedatSnoopy."Seventeenisreallyoldforadog，" hesaidgently."Maybeyoujusthavetofigureshe'shadalonglifeandagoodone." Whennobodyspoke， hetookadeepbreath."Ifyouwant， youcanleaveherwithmeandI'llhaveherputtosleepafteryou'vegone."
