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There is this one dog that really has it in for me and Rowley, and we have to keep our guard up whenever we pass his house. He is this really mean Rottweiler named Rebel, and he used to get out of his yard and chase us on our way to school. Rebel's owner had to install electric fence to make sure he couldn't get loose. Now Rebel can't chase us, because if he takes one step out of his yard, he'll get a shock from his collar.

Ever since me and Rowley found out about Rebel's electric collar, we've been having some fun with him. But Rebel figured out that as long as his collar doesn't cross over the property line, he won't get shocked. And if I didn't have Rowley watching out for me, I definitely would have stepped on one of rebels land mines by now.

The other reason it stinks that Rowley isn't walking with me is because, with the school year winding down, the teachers have really been loading us up with homework lately. That means I have to take almost all my books home with me every day. My body's not built to carry that kind of weight, but Rowley is practically like a pack animal, so it's no problem for HIM.

Unfortunately, Rowley is just as willing to help Abigail with her books, which makes me think the only reason she is even with him is to use him. And as Rowley's good friend, I find that a little hard to take. Tuesday I figured out a pretty good solution to my book

problem. This morning I borrowed the roller bag that Dad uses when he goes on trips, and carrying all my school stuff was no sweat. I was able to make pretty good time, too, but that's partially because I walked a little extra fast when I went by Mr. Sandovals house. Before a snowstorm, Mr. Sandoval always puts poles in the ground on either side of his driveway so the guy who plows it knows where the pavement is. The last time it snowed, me and Rowley plucked the poles out of Mr. Sandovals yard and started horsing around with them.

But I guess we didn't put the sticks back in exactly the right place, because when the guy came to plow Mr. Sandovals driveway, he was off by about ten feet. Mr. Sandoval has been waiting for me and Rowley to show our faces in front of his house again so he can let us have it, but I'm not ready for that