Chapter 16

Chapter 16 My phone didn't ring! It couldn't! The Master Criminal was free to continue his crime spree, and I had no way of even knowing what was happening. Now I had really lost everything! I had no phone! No skateboard! No flowerpot! NO NINA! "I need Nina!" I wailed.

"That IS a big deal," Nina said. "Nina! Is it really you?" "Yepth," she said with her mouth full. She was busy eating the remains of my phone. Yes, it really WAS her! "I thought you were in jail!" "Ate it." "You mean you ate through the bars of your jail cell and escaped?" "Big steel," Nina said, and belched. "Oh, Nina!" I cried and tried to throw my leafy arms around her neck. "Sloth's getting away," she announced. "OH MY FLIES!" I cried. "You're right! Let's go!" But then I remembered my stolen skateboard. "It's no use," I said. "The sloth has my skateboard. We can't catch him."

Nina picked me up with one of her dainty hooves, shook the dirt out of my roots, and tossed me up onto her back. "No cowboy jokes," said Nina.

But I couldn't help it. I was just too excited about being back in action again! "Hi-ho, Nina! AWAY!" I yelled. Nina did not rear up on her hind legs like the Lone Ranger's horse. Nina did not whinny with the fury of the chase like the Lone Ranger's horse. Nina did not run like the wind with thundering hooves like the Lone Ranger's horse. "Where to?" she asked, chewing on some of the flowerpot dirt.

That's when I realized I didn't know where to go. The sloth was way out of sight by now. But then I had an idea! "The sloth has my skateboard! So we CAN catch him! Nina, use your super strong goat hearing. Do you hear it?" Nina's ears twitched. "Tiny squeal." "Yes! That's it! The squeaking wheel of my skateboard!" I said. "Nina, follow that squeal!" Nina trotted off at a brisk pace. "Oh," I said. "I forgot to tell you. The sloth kidnapped your boyfriend, William."

Nina reared up on her hind legs! Nina whinnied with the fury of the chase! Nina ran like the wind with thundering hooves! "Yeeeee-haw!" I yelled, hanging on for dear life.