CHAPTER 1 A Long, Hard Journey

  “Nnnnnrgh! Wow, this wagon sure is heavy!”

  I stopped to catch my breath.

  I looked back at the little wooden wagon I was pulling behind me. It used to belong to Hank, my human brother. But he stopped playing with it after one of the wheels popped off.

  Now the wagon only had three wheels. Just like me and my three legs!

  I had made it a long way from my home on the farm. The entrance to my forest hideout was right up ahead.

    I gripped the wagon handle in my mouth again. One, two, three… TUG!

  The wagon and I burst into a little clearing surrounded by trees.

    “Whew!” I said, plopping down on the ground. “That was hard work!”

  My tongue flopped out, and I rolled onto my side. I was beat!

  Mitts the fox popped out from inside the wagon.

  “Hey, Scrapper! Thanks for the ride!” he said. “Wait, why are you so tired? What happened to you?”

       I let out a bark. “Woof! Mitts, you were in the wagon the whole time?”

  No wonder the wagon had felt extra heavy!

  “Oh dear. Poor little Scrapper,” Darla the deer said. “What else did you bring in the wagon?”

  She nudged one wheel with her hoof.

  “Oh! Let me show you!” I said.

    I tried scrambling up the side of the wagon, but I was too excited. I accidentally tipped the whole thing over, sending an explosion of dog toys and treats pouring out.

  “Well, I guess that’s one way to show you what I brought!” I laughed.

    I had packed so much stuff. There were small dog biscuits and big dog biscuits. I had even managed to sneak a few of the green ones, which are my favorite!

       I had brought a bunch of my chew toys and tug ropes. Well, at least the ones I could easily find. And the TV remote control had been lying halfway under the sofa, so that had gotten tossed into the wagon too.

       I chased my squeaky ball around the hideout. Then I grabbed it in my mouth. Squeak!

       “What are these toys and treats for?” Mitts asked. “Are we going to attract monsters with them?”

  Oh yeah, did I mention? Darla, Mitts, and I make up a pack called Camp Monster-Finder. We are on the lookout for the monster that lives in this forest.

  But the treats and toys weren’t for the “monster-finder” part of our name. They were for the “camp” part!

  I took a deep breath to announce my plans. But instead what came out was squeak-squeak-squeak-squeak!

    Oh right, the ball. My bad. I dropped the squeaky ball from my mouth and tried again.

  “Packmates,” I announced, “we’re going to throw our very first camp party!”