Jimmy: Toughest. Dog. Ever.

Arrow growled. “You look weird. What happened to your leg?” “Nothing happened to it,” Jimmy said. “That’s just how it is.” “Well, this is ‘how it is’ here, weirdo. I don’t want you tagging along after me at the dog park because all my friends are going to laugh at us.” Jimmy’s tail curled between his legs. His ears drooped. “And I don’t know how you’re going to do the job.” “The job?” Jimmy looked puzzled. “The job, stupid. I have to protect this yard. I have to catch things. I have to chase things off. You’re not going to be any help with that worthless leg. Stan and Lola don’t want birds back here, do they?” “I guess not,” Jimmy said. “Or squirrels!?” “Squirrels!” Jimmy didn’t know what they were, but he didn’t like the sound of that name. He could feel the start of a growl ruffling his throat. “That’s right,” Arrow said. “Squirrels! They sit way up there in the trees and laugh at us. They’ll take over this yard if I don’t chase them out. How can you help with that, Three-Legs?” “Well, I can growl at them.” “Growling’s not enough. Squirrels are sneaky. And fast! You’re never gonna be able to chase away a squirrel.” “I can try.” “You can try? Right. Well, OK, if you want to try, start with the frogs. Croakers. They live on the other side of those tall plants.” Frogs? Jimmy thought. That rhymes with dogs. That sounds better than squirrels. Arrow said, “You’ll need to sneak up and pounce to catch one. But I doubt if you can do that, loser.” Arrow pushed his head through the dog door and went inside. Jimmy hopped over to the tall plants. He smelled mint. Then he smelled something rotten and damp. Was that a frog? He took one step further, crouched, and leaped.