Rascal Read Online Free PDF

still, it sounds like you could use some help with this little Rascal.”
    â€œI definitely can,” Lizzie said. Her great idea had not lasted very long. It sounded like Rascalwould not find a home at the stable, but it would still be fun to take him there just the same. “Thanks!”
    â€œAnd now,” Kathy said, “I think someone is waiting for you.” She pointed down the aisle to where Sally stood patiently. “Ready for your lesson?”

When Lizzie got home from the stable she found Charles and her mom in the kitchen. She was starving. Riding definitely gave her an appetite. “What’s for supper?” she asked.
    She bent down to pat Rascal, who was boinging and barking. He was always so happy to see her! That felt good. When she straightened up, she saw the frown on her mother’s face. And Charles had his finger over his lips, giving her the
Shh!
sign.
    The Bean copied Charles, shushing Lizzie noisily.
    Uh-oh.
    â€œWell,” said Mom, “we
were
going to have meat loaf.” She folded her arms and glared down atRascal. “But when I was upstairs looking up recipes on the computer,
somebody
found out that he could jump high enough to reach the hamburger on the counter.”
    Rascal stopped bouncing for a second and sat down, looking up at them.
    Why did everybody look mad? Weren’t they proud of his new trick? How many dogs could jump that high? He was a very, very
very
good jumper, even if he did say so himself. And now that he had discovered the countertop, life in the kitchen wasn’t going to be
nearly
as boring.
    Lizzie shook her head at Rascal. He stared up at her with his black button eyes gleaming and his stubby tail wagging. How could such a naughty dog be so cute? “What are we going to do with you?” she asked.
    â€œWe’re going to find him a home, that’s what,” Mom said.
    â€œBut Mom,” Charles said. “Who will take him if he acts this way?”
    Now it was Lizzie’s turn to give her brother the
Shh
sign. He was just upset because meat loaf was one of his favorite dinners. “We’ll keep working on his training,” she promised her mom.
    â€œGreat,” said Mom. “But you need help. So I’ve signed us up for a private lesson with Jamie. She’s coming over tonight.”
    â€œHere?” Lizzie was surprised. She didn’t know that dog trainers made house calls.
    â€œShe says it’s important for the whole family to learn how to train Rascal,” Mom said. “She wants us all here.” Mom didn’t look too excited about the lesson.
    Dad liked the idea, though. “It’ll be fun,” he said when he got home with two pizzas he’d picked up for dinner. Mom had obviously called to tell him about Rascal and the hamburger meat.
    They had barely finished eating when the doorbell rang. Rascal started boinging and barkinghis loud, high-pitched bark. The Bean put down his pizza crust and barked along.
    Mom put her hands over her ears.
    Lizzie ran for the door. “Hi, Jamie” she said when she opened it.
    â€œHi, Lizzie,” Jamie answered. “Tell you what. Let’s try this again. I’ll go out and wait a minute, then ring the doorbell. If Rascal starts barking —”
    â€œHe will!” Lizzie said.
    â€œWhen
Rascal starts barking,” Jamie said with a smile, “try throwing this down near his feet. Don’t hit him with it, and make sure he can’t really tell where it’s coming from.” She handed Lizzie a soda can with pennies inside it and the top taped shut.
    â€œI’ve used one of these before,” Lizzie said, “when we were testing Shadow, the dog who is learning to be a guide dog. We tossed a penny can near Shadow to see if it would scare him. It didn’t.”
    â€œGreat,” Jamie said. “Well, this time, the penny can is just supposed to give Rascal something elseto think about.