Stick Dog Chases a Pizza. Tom Watson

      “Is the best of it a Frisbee?” asked Stick Dog.

      “It’s an old grey sock!” Mutt exclaimed. “I love these things! I’m going to keep it forever! I mean, you know, until I swallow it.”

      “But we were supposed to be looking for a Frisbee,” said Stick Dog.

      “Oh,” Mutt replied, but he truly didn’t seem to care. He was very, very excited about the dirty old sock. “I didn’t find one of those.”

      At last, Stick Dog turned to Karen.

      “I think I found just the thing,” she said before Stick Dog could even ask. She dropped a flat cardboard circle in front of him.

      “It’s not exactly a Frisbee,” said Stick Dog. He paced around the circle on the ground, cocking his head a little bit and examining it. “But it is about the right size and shape. It just might work for a little Frisbee tossing. Good job, Karen.”

      “Thanks,” said Karen proudly. “I really am quite excellent now that I come to think about it.”

      “Let’s give it a try. Run out a little bit, Karen. We’ll see if this thing flies,” Stick Dog said, and picked up the cardboard disc in his mouth. He bent his neck back and sideways, preparing to snap it forward, open his mouth, release the cardboard circle, and watch it fly.

      Only here’s the thing: He didn’t. He kept that flat cardboard circle in his mouth. He remained in that paused, ready-to-throw position. Something peculiar was happening. Karen came running back. And Poo-Poo, Mutt, and Stripes all gathered around Stick Dog.

      “What is it, Stick Dog?” asked Mutt.

      “Are you hurt?” asked Stripes.

      Thankfully, Stick Dog wasn’t hurt. But he was surprised about something.

      Very surprised.

       Chapter 4

      AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY

      Stick Dog slowly straightened his body and dropped the cardboard circle to the ground. “You have to taste that thing,” Stick Dog whispered. “I can’t believe I’m saying this – but I think it tastes even better than hamburgers or frankfurters.”

      “That’s impossible,” muttered Karen, but she had learned a long time ago to trust Stick Dog when it came to the subject of food. They all began licking the cardboard.

      Stripes lifted her head momentarily and asked, “What is this red, sticky stuff?”

      “Here, let me see,” said Poo-Poo, and he nudged his nose into a red splotch smeared across one section of the cardboard. He sniffed it, licked it, and then bit off a little piece and swirled it around in his mouth. He declared with great authority, “That red sticky stuff is delicious, no doubt. It has hints of salt and spice, and a fine, clean finish on the back of my palate. It evokes memories of tomato, green pepper, onion, and finely ground pepper.”

      For the first time, the dogs stopped licking the cardboard. They all looked at Poo-Poo with astonishment.

      “What?” asked Poo-Poo. “You all know that I have very refined taste. That should come as no surprise.”

      Stick Dog said, “Well, Poo-Poo, it was a very fine description, I’ll give you that. What about that yellow-and-orangish stuff on the cardboard near the centre of the circle? What’s that taste like?”