How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor Page B

twigs flying out behind him
and making me and Toby laugh. He sure was a funny dog.
    When we got to the highway, I stooped down behind the bushes along the edge.
    I handed the string leash to Toby. “Here,” I said. “Hold this while I see if any cars are coming.”
    I checked in both directions. No cars. I went back to where Toby sat with his arm around Willy.
    â€œOkay, now listen,” I said. “We got to run across the highway, then through that vacant lot over there. I’m pretty sure we can cut through those woods to get to that old house.”
    He nodded.
    I took the string from him and dashed across the highway with Willy leaping along beside me. We kept running until we made it to the edge of the gravel road leading to the old house. The whole time, Willy pranced and yipped and jumped up on me. Once in a while, he grabbed the string in his mouth and gave it a tug.
    When we got to the house, Willy perked his ears up and watched me.
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    â€œWe’re here, fella,” I said, scratching the top of his head.
    He looked at that run-down, boarded-up house and then back at me. I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking.
    â€œIt’s okay, Willy,” I said. “You won’t be here long. I promise.”

    He cocked his head in that cute way of his. I don’t know how he did it, but that little dog could make you love him just by looking at him. I sat down in the dusty road and put my arm around him. He crawled right into my lap and licked my face. His licks weren’t all slobbery like most dogs’.
    â€œIt’s spooky here,” Toby said in that whiny voice of his. I knew if I didn’t do something fast, he was liable to turn into his baby self and start crying or something.
    â€œYou hold Willy and I’ll make a path to the back porch,” I said.
    I pushed through the sticker bushes and vines, mashing them down and breaking off branches till there was a clear path to the back of the house. It was dark and damp back there. You couldn’t even see the sky through the overgrown trees.
    The tiny porch leaned slightly, like any minute it was going to fall right off the back of the house. The steps leading up to it were loose and rotten. One of them was broken all the way through. The screen door dangled by one hinge.
    â€œCome on,” I called to Toby.
    He and Willy came around the corner of the house and stopped.
    â€œNo way, Georgina,” Toby said. “We can’t put Willy in there.”
    â€œListen, Toby,” I said. “This is the best place. Nobody’ ll see him. And he won’t get wet if it rains. And besides,
he won’t be here long.” I watched Toby’s face, but he didn’t look convinced. “And we’ll come and stay with him after school and all,” I added.
    Toby swiped at the tears that had started. “You’re mean,” he said.
    Dern. Why’d he have to go and say that? I sure didn’t want to hear it—’cause that was exactly how I was feeling. Mean.
    â€œToby, listen.” I put both hands on his shoulders and looked him square in the eye. “Aren’t you tired of living in the car?”
    He hung his head and nodded a tiny little bit.
    â€œDon’t you want to have a real place to live? With walls and beds and a bathroom and all?”
    He nodded again.
    â€œThen we need to help Mama get some money,” I said. “And this is the only thing I can think of. Can you think of another way?”
    I bent down and tried to look him in the eye again, but his head was hanging too low. All I could see was his long, dirty hair all tangled up and ratty-looking.
    â€œThen we got to do this,” I said. “We’ll take good care of Willy, and we’ll take him right back home just as soon as we can, and then we’ll get the reward money and everything will be good.” I jiggled Toby’s shoulders. “Okay?” I added.
    I knew Toby