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史努比回家 The Puppy Express（第1页）

史努比回家ThePuppyExpress

佚名Anonymous

&oodontheshoulderoftheroadaheirtrueshudderedanddied。NandJoe，theirtwo，Jodi，twelve，aeen，andtheirelderlydog，Snoopy，were1，500milesfromhome，strandedonahighiththeoldtruckclearlybeyondeveforrepairs。Thelittledaroundthecircleoffaceswithcataractdimmedeyes，seemedtorefecttheiray。

&oppswereontheroadbecausefivemonthsbefore，aoldJoetherewasworktobehadintheNapaValleyandheandogamble。BreakinguptheirhomeinFortWayne，Indiana，theypackedupthekidsandSnoopyaforia。ButohewarehousingjobJoehopedfordidntmaterialize，NandthekidswereveryhomesidtheirfuedaasJanuaryand，thegamblelost，theywereontheirwaybacktoFort>

&ruckhadtakenthemasfarasRs，Wyoming，buthingtodobutsellittoajuwenty-fvedollarsandhitcharidetothebusstation。Twopiecesofbadhematthestation。FourticketstoFortWayomuoheyhad，aallowedonthebus。

“ButwevegottotakeSnoopywithus。”htheticket-seller，tearswellinginhereyes。

JoedrewherawayfromtheasiSoldher，untiltheyfguredhowtogetthemselvesohoaskforhelp，theycalledTravelersAid，andwithkihelocalrepresentativearrangedforamotelroomforthemfht。There，withtheirboxesandbagspiledarouheyputinacalltorelativesbae，whopromisedtogettogethermohefareaheday。

“ButwhataboutSnoopy?”Matthewsaidassoonashisparentsgotoffthephone。

&gowithoutSnoopy，”Jodistatedfatly。Atseventeen，Snoopyhadabitofaheartekidhefamilyworriedabouther。

Joepickedupthelittledog。“Suggingherfloppyearsinthewaysheliked。“Ithiohavetohitchhike。”

“Donttease，Joe，”saidNancyshortly。

“Imnotteasing，honey，”heassuredher，tuoopyintothe。“ImgoingtotrytofbouaketheoldgirlbackforUS。”

Atthelocaltruckstop，JoesatSnoopyonastoolbesidehimwhilehefelliionwithdriverswhostoppedtee，Idliketohelpyouout，”ohersaid。“She‘sawfuldIwouldn’tmindthepany，butImnotghFortWayrip。”Theonlydriverwhocouldhavetakenherpioopyupaheraw，”themahanolddoglikeher，theredbetoomanypitstops。Igottomaketime。”Stillhopeful，Joetackedupasigelsphonenumber。

“Somebodywillcallbeforebustimetomorrow，”hepredictedtothekidsygotbaotel。

“Butsupposenobodydoes?”Jodisaid。

Joeaie，we‘vegottobeonthatbus。TheTravelers’Aidlypayforustht。”

&dayJoewentofftocollectthewiredfundswhileNandthekidsshtheirpossessitodecidewhatcouldbetothesixpiecesofbaggagetheywereallowedonthebusandwhathadtobeleftbehind。OrdinarilySnoopyed，butnowhereyesfollowedeverymoveofNandthe，ahempausedtothink，evenforaminute，Sheidlehand，askiouched，tobeheld。

“Sheknows，”Jodisaid，gher。“Shekhingawfulisgoingtohappen。”

&ravelers‘Aidrepresentativearrivedtotakethebelongingsthey’tpaatiohriftshop。Ani，hewascaughtbetweenbeingsympathetigpractihelookedatSeenisreally，”hesaidgently。“Maybeyoujusthavetofguresheshadalonglifeandagoodone。”Whennobodyspoke，hetookadeepbreath。“Ifyouwant，youleaveherwithmeandI‘llhaveherputtosleepafteryou’vegone。”

ThelookedatNancybutsaidnothioodtherewasn‘taheydidn’twaharderoherbyprotesting。Nancybowedherhead。Shethoughtofallthewalks，alltheromps，allthepiics，allthetimesshedgookissthegoodnightandSnoopyhadliftedherheadtobekissedtoo。

“Thankyou，”shetoldtheman。“Itskindofyoutooffer。Butno，edfirmly，“Snoopy‘spartofthefamily，agiveupoher。”Shereachedforthetelephonebook，lookedup“KeheYellowPages，andbegandialing。Scrupulously，shestartedeachcallwiththeexplanationthatthefamilywasdownontheirluck。“But，”shebegged，“ifyou‘lljustkeepourlittledoguntilwedawaytogethertoFortWayne，Igiveyoumywordleasetrustme。Please。”

&erinaryic，whichalsoboardedpets，fheTravelers‘Aidrepresehemtotheplacywasthelasttosaygood-bye。ShekookSnoopy’sfrostedmuzzleinherhands。“Youknowwedneverleaveyouifwecouldhelpit，”shewhispered，“sodoyiveup。Wellgetyoubaise。”

OnFortWayoppsfoundamobilehometorent，ohersgavethemhisoldcar，sisters-in-lawprovidedpotsandpansandbedlihereturheiroldsdNandJoefoundjobs。Bitbybitthefamilygotitselftogether，butthecirclehadapainfulgapinit。Snoopywasmissing。EverydayNancytelephonedadifferentmovingpany，adifferenttrupany，beggingforarideforSnoopy。EverydayJodiahroughthedifshe’dhadanyludshehadtosayno。

ByMarch，they‘dbeenbaFortWaynesixweeksandNandespair。ShedreadedbearingfromWyomingthatSnoopyhaddiedoutthere，neverknowinghowhardthey’dtriedtogetherbaeday，havihielephoartmentofAnimaldtoldthemthestory。

“IdontknowwhatIdotohelp，”thedireannamedRod，saidwhenshedfI‘lltellyouthis：I’msuregoingtotry。”

&er，hetoohadexhaustedtheobviousapproaoopywastoofrailtobeshippediedbaggageentofaplane。Aprofessionalanimaltransppahereast。Shippingpaoberesponsiblefupfromhislatestdshookhishead。“Iwishtheold-timePoillieohisassistant，Skip。“Theydhavebroughtthedogback。”

“They‘dhavepassedheralongfromoher。Itwould’vebeenaPuppyExpress，”Skipjoked。

Rodthoughtforaminute。“Bygolly，thatmaybetheaamapandalistofaersinWyoming，Nebraska，Iowa，IllinoisandIndiaelephoning。CouldheenlistenoughvolutogetheraPuppyExpresstotransportSnoopybystagesacrossfvestates?Wouldenoughpeoplebelieveitmatteredsoforalittleseventeen-year-olddogtobereuhherfamilythattheyddriveahundredorsomileswesttopickherupandanotherhundredorsomileseasttodeliverhertothedriver?

&er，RodcalledtheTopps。“ThePuppyExpressstartstomorrow。Snoopyse！”hetoldNantly。

TheanimaltroloffiRshadvoluobeSnoopysfrstdriver。Whesidetheic，thevetbundledSnoopyieraotacold，”thevetsaid，“sokeepherwarm。Medidinstrudthespecialfoodforherkidioheshoppingbag。”

&helittledogoaherhand。Snoopyplacedherpawinit。“Yourewele，oldgirl，”thevetsaid，shakingit。“Itsbeeakingcareofyou。Thebestofluesafely！”

&he108milests，Wyomiheyrehawomahy，whodilesfromeetthem。CathylaughedwhenshesawSnoopy。“Whatafunny-lookinglittleseriouscreatureyouaretinsuchstyle，”sheteased。“Imagiechauffeursacrossfivestates。”Butthatevening，whenshephonedRodinIndiaSnoopyhadarrivedsafelyinCasper，shecalledher“adearoldgirl”，a，“Ifsheweremioalotoftroubletogetherback，too。”

SobedatCathyshousealittlebrown-and-whitedih，amacelebrity。Wordoftheseventeen-year-oldpuppywithabadcoldwhowasbeingshuttledaericatorejoinherfamilyhadreaewsmedia。Afterbreakfast，dazedbythecamerabut，asalolite，SnoopysatoheCasperHumayandobliginglycockedherheadahewasagiftfromdthatnight，inFortWayhtbetweeearsastheysawtheiroldgirlpeeroutatthemfromthetelevisio。

Withtheinterviewbehindher，SforNorthPlatte，350milesaway，intheayoffiCasperwhohadvoluhelosinglehoponSnoopy‘sjourhemsthtahPlatteatday。Morereportersandawaitedthem，butassoonasshe’dbeeninterviewed。Snoopywasbatheroadfora138-miletriptoGrandIsland。

&hatdaysheassedalinLinebraska，afterdarkashecurledupidoggiebedshesawdespitethegrowlshtfulowner。

WithagiftofanewwickersleepiaobepartoftheitingSnoopywithherfamily，”NebraskapassedthelittledogontoIeofddriverinDesMoines，SnoopyspedonandbynightfallwasinCedarRapids。

Atnightfallofherfifthdayontheroad，SnoopywasinChicago，hero-laststop。Whetheritwasthatshewasgettiohomeorjustbecausehercoldhadrunitscourse，shewasclearlybetter。Iwhoexamihereportersthat，“Foranoldladywho‘sbeentravelingallweekandhasorethan1300miles，she’singrandshape。Shesgoihometomorrowjustfopps，watgthenightlyupdateofSnoopysjourWayioocheers。

&daywasSaturday，March17th。InhonorofSaintPatrick‘sDay，thelittledogsportedawithagreenderbypihecollar。TheChicagopressdidoerviewwithher，andthenSnoopyhadnothingtodobutnapuntilRod’sassistant，Skip，arrivedfromFortWayodriveherthe160mileshome。