5. Brian’s Great Escape

Chapter 5 Brian's Great Escape The kids ran back to the twins' house. Bradley peeked through the knothole in the fence. He didn't see the neighbors or their car. But the big black dog was lying under the tree with his eyes closed. "They're not home yet," Bradley said. "Running makes me hungry. Let's go in and get a snack," Brian said. They trooped into the house, where they found a bowl of apples on the kitchen table. They each

took one and went back outside. Brian walked over to the knothole. "Monster Dog is still sleeping," he told the other kids. "I wonder what his name is," Bradley said. "Probably something like Killer," Nate said. Brian knocked on the fence. "Here, Killer," he called. "Good Killer, come and say hello." Suddenly the giant dog leaped up and charged the fence. He stood on his hind legs, put his paws on the wood, and barked. His long pink tongue came through the knothole. Bradley leaped backward. "It's just like in my nightmare!" he said. Brian jumped, too, dropping his apple. It rolled in the dirt. "Rats," he said. He held the dirty apple up to the knothole. "Do you like apples, Killer?" he asked the dog. The tongue came through the knothole again. Brian let the dog lick the apple, and then he tossed it over the fence. They all heard the dog begin to chew. "I guess Killer likes fruit," Lucy said. "This gives me an idea!" Brian said. "We can get him away from the tree with our apples! Then,

when he's busy eating, I can go over the fence and get my money and Bradley's flashlight." Brian pointed at some bushes at the far end of the fence. "If we can get him to the other side of those bushes, he won't be able to see me climb over," he said. "But he might smell you!" Lucy said. "You'll be his Brian burger!" Nate put in. "Don't do it," Bradley said. "But don't you guys want to know what they're doing behind that tarp?" Brian asked. He lowered his voice. "They could be burying a dead body! We could turn them in to Officer Fallon. We'd be heroes!" "How will you get over the fence?" Nate asked. He reached up, and his hand didn't quite touch the top of the fence. "It's about five feet tall." "Why wouldn't you just go through the gate where they bring their car in?" Lucy asked.

"Can't," Brian said. "It's latched on the inside. But I can use Dad's new ladder. Help me get it, Bradley!" He and Bradley ran toward the barn. Josh, Bradley, and Brian had bought their dad a shiny new aluminum ladder for his birthday. The twins came back carrying the six-foot ladder. They leaned it against the fence. "I can jump down on the other side," Brian said. "But then how will you come back?" Lucy asked. "The ladder will be on our side of the fence."

"I didn't think about that," Brian said. "I know!" Nate said. "Lucy will go to the corner of the fence with our apples. The dog will smell them and follow her. Bradley and I will stay here with Brian. After he goes over, Bradley and I will lift the ladder over the fence. And that's how Brian will get back into this yard." "Excellent plan!" Brian said. "Okay, Lucy, do your stuff!" "One teensy problem," Bradley said. "How will we get Dad's ladder back on this side again?" "We'll figure that out later," Brian said. Bradley and Nate handed Lucy their partly eaten apples. Lucy ran toward Meadow Road, where the fence turned a corner. She made sure she was past the bushes. Then she banged on the fence. "Here, doggy! Here, Killer!" Lucy called. "Lucy has yummy apples for you!" Brian, Bradley, and Nate were still at the knothole. "It worked!" Nate yelled. "Killer's running toward Lucy!" Bradley and Nate held the ladder while Brian scrambled up. At the top, he looked toward where

he could hear Killer gobbling up the apples. Because of the bushes, the dog couldn't see him. Brian jumped into the neighbors' yard. "Send the ladder over!" he yelled through the fence. Bradley and Nate hoisted the ladder up and shoved it. They heard it drop onto the neighbors' lawn. Bradley stuck his eye to the knothole. He saw Brian heading for the blue tarp at the same time that Lucy yelled, "The green car is coming!" She raced toward Bradley and Nate. "Your neighbors are back!" Bradley put his mouth to the knothole and shouted, "Brian, the neighbors are coming! Escape, dude!" They heard car doors slamming. They heard Killer barking with happiness. Just then, the top of the ladder appeared over the fence. Brian came next, practically flying over. He landed on the ground at Bradley's feet. Brian's face was red, but he was grinning. "That was close!" he said. He rubbed his arm. "Skinned the heck out of my elbow!"