There’ll be a bathroom where we’re going Mom says And we’ll take food with us Josh stop scaring your sister What about tv says Becky There isn’t one says Dad Can’t we be pioneers in a motel Becky asks We don’t need tv says Dad We’ll play board games and talk to each other It’ll be fun Now where did I put Snakes and Ladders Talk Board games No tv How is that fun Can Bagels come I ask Dad gives me a look that says Does he have to As I said Bagels isn’t perfect But Becky and I love him Besides he’s a talented stage actor I know acting isn’t much use on a camping trip But a couple of months ago Bagels appeared in the Marpole Players production of Peter Pan Okay he wasn’t supposed to be in Peter Pan Mom and Dad were the lead actors Bagels was supposed to be at home But he’s an escape artist 4
Becky and I think that on Peter Pan night our cat Creamcheese opened a window for him She likes to get him into trouble Bagels arrived at the theater and ended up onstage It was my fault so I’m lucky the audience loved him In fact the director wants him in next year’s production of Pup in Boots Since then we’ve had our windows fixed Now they’re dog and cat-proof There’s just one thing Becky and I haven’t told Mom and Dad that Bagels can also open doors bagels steals the show 5
Chapter tWO Camping plans Of course Bagels is coming says Mom He’s a great guard dog She means he barks anytime someone comes to the door He barks extra loud for the mail carrier He also eats the mail And the mail carrier’s learned not to put her hand through the mail slot anymore Becky and I have worked really hard to get Bagels to behave He hasn’t jumped in the neighbor’s fish pond for a long time It helps that our neighbor put chicken wire over the pond after Bagels frightened his fish to death Bagels still rounds up joggers That’s because he thinks they’re sheep We’re working on that and on the mail-eating problem 6
It’s not his fault he’s a slow learner Dad frowns at Bagels Bagels grins back at him Bagels can’t get into much trouble camping I say We all know that’s not true Fine says Dad But this is his last chance If he doesn’t behave on this trip he can go live on a farm Lots of space Lots of sheep Becky and I look at each other We’re not going to let that happen Where’s the cabin I ask Sasquatch Lake says Dad Who’ll take care of Creamcheese and Lox I ask Lox is our goldfish Mom says Aunt Sharon’s taking care of the house while we’re away We’re not leaving until next week Becky drags out her little pink suitcase anyway and starts packing Oh well I might as well start packing too I drag out my brown case and my Dad’s big old army duffel bag 7
