Baxter!

by Wilfried G.Lippmann

Photograph by Lisa Killion

"Now, Jack," said his mother, walking into the boy's bedroom. "I don't want any trouble, either with your dog Baxter or with Mister Baxter, the principal."

"Baxter is no trouble," said Jack. "He's friendly and never does anything mean. You said so yourself." The boy tightened his grip on the dog's leash and checked his pocket. It bulged with Baxter's favorite snack - cookies. Baxter would do anything just to get his wet tongue on one of them.

At school Baxter was a hit, just as Jack had hoped. As Jack led him through the classroom door, a noisy crowd of kids surrounded them. Hands stretched out from all directions to feel the dog's long woolly fur. It covered up his face like a shaggy curtain.

"He looks like one of Mr. Jamison's humongous dust mops come to life," said Wally and everyone laughed.

'Hey, Baxter, which is your front end?" Kristi teased.

"Just hold up a cookie and you'll find out," said Jack. He pulled one out of his pocket and Baxter's head rose to snatch it. He gulped it down with one gulp.

During class Baxter curled up by the bookshelf calmly chewing another cookie. He was so relaxed that Jack didn't even bother to watch him anymore. But when he finally checked on the dog again, just as third period was about to end, Baxter was gone.

"He's gone!" the boy cried out. "Baxter, where are you?"

His classmates helped him search, but Baxter wasn't under any of the desks or behind the bookshelves or hiding underneath the teacher's desk. Tremendously worried about his dog, Jack stumbled out into the hall. "Baxter!" he yelled.

Down the hall, Miss Jones opened her second grade room's door. Mr. Meyer jumped out of the third grade room.

"Baxter's gone," Jack called as he hurtled past them.

"Baxter's gone," explained the young Miss Jones to fidgety Mrs. Flimm, who peeked through a crack of her own just-slightly-open fourth grade door.

"Mr. Baxter's gone?" Mrs. Flimm asked with wide, frightened eyes. "Has he been kidnapped? "

A bell sounded. Third period had ended, and suddenly the school halls were bustling with teachers and students.

"Baxter!" yelled Jack, as he ran past the principal's office. "I'll get you for this."

Inside, Mr. Baxter, the principal, sat up straight in his chair. "What? Who is going to get me?" he asked, alarmed. He stroked his mustache and rose from his seat. He hurried towards his closed door.

But before he could reach the door, Miss Jones walked by outside the office. "Baxter, honey," she cooed. "Come here, big boy, come get your reward." Her voice was as sweet as pancake syrup.

Mr. Baxter stopped in his tracks. "Oh my," he said, "Miss Jones is after me." His mustache twitched at this strange turn of events. "Honey?" he mumbled.

Suddenly a bloodcurdling yell came from the hallway, startling the principal, who still stood behind his closed door.

"Baxter, clang you!" boomed Mr. Jamison, the custodian. "Ya nincompoop dog! Git back where you belong and sit!"

Mr. Baxter paled and went back to his chair. "Nincompoop dog," he whined. "First 'honey' and now this!" He was terribly confused.

Jack walked down the hall towards the principal's office again, still without Baxter. The boy was mad. The trouble mom had warned him against had already started.

"Just you wait, Baxter, I'll get a piece of your hide!" the boy blustered in a loud voice, but he didn't mean it. But Mr. Baxter thought he meant it and, afraid of losing a piece of his hide, hugged himself tightly.

Some of the teachers gathered out in the hallway, not too far from the principal's office. "That Baxter is a big nuisance," said Mr. Whittle to Mr. Perkins. "He seemed fine at first, but now he's making a mess of the whole school."

Mr. Baxter buried his face. He felt as though a big boulder were crushing him. "My own teachers are turning against me," he lamented.

"Stop him! Tie him up!" someone called out, as they rushed past.

"This...this is an emergency," stammered Mr. Baxter. He reached for the telephone. At that moment a great hairy beast appeared in his open window. Mr. Baxter dropped the receiver and backed up against the far wall. But Baxter, that monstrous bundle of fur, just wagged his tail and quickly jumped through the window into the room. To the scared Mr. Baxter, he looked like a creature from another planet attacking him.

" I must... get to the phone," Mr. Baxter said reaching out his hand slowly. "Good boy, er, good girl, I mean...good creature," he whispered hoarsely.

Meanwhile, the teachers decided that the search for Baxter had lasted long enough. Fourth period was starting and they had classes to teach. Only Jack was still wandering through the halls, l looking for his dog. Bravely, the boy fought the tears welling up in his eyes. "I didn't want any trouble. The principal will surely call Mom," he sobbed to himself. "I'll never get to take Baxter anywhere again."

Jack hung his head and ran -- smack -- into Mr. Johnson from the Animal Control Department, the very same Mr. Johnson who last week had given Jack's class a lecture about the importance of obedience school for dogs. Jack's cheeks began to burn in embarrassment.

"Mr. Johnson...what...are you do...doing here?" he stuttered, knowing the answer already. Mr. Johnson was here to arrest his dog.

"Well, Jack," said the animal control officer, "I got this strange call about a woolly beast in Mr. Baxter's office. Seems that Mr. Baxter is frightened out of his wits. Besides the woolly beast, his teachers are rebelling against him. He wanted me to call the police. The teachers want to tie him up and belt him or something like that, he says."

"I don't know anything about that," said Jack truthfully. But suddenly he grabbed Mr. Johnson's arm. "Did you say a woolly beast was in Mr. Baxter's office? Oh, no!"

The animal control officer and Jack entered Mr. Baxter's office. There was Baxter. all right, giving Mr. Baxter a big doggy hug against the wall.

"Baxter!" cried Jack, relieved to see his dog but horrified that he had pinned the principal against the wall. He hurried to pull Baxter away from the flabbergasted Mr. Baxter.

"Your...dog? Your dog's name is...Baxter?" said Mr. Baxter a few moments later, and he sighed several times. The crushing boulder was lifted from his shoulders at this wonderful explanation. A broad smile stretched across the principal's face.

"Now, Mr. Baxter," said officer Johnson. "What's this about a woolly beast? All I see is this boy's dog."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sergeant, an awful mistake," said Mr. Baxter. He grinned a funny grin that made his mustache dance.

"Uh, Mr. Baxter," started Jack, ready to explain everything, and to apologize for the trouble that he and his dog had caused. "I...,"

"Ah, Jack!" interrupted Mr. Baxter, beaming, and petting the shaggy dog. "You have a fine animal here. Yes, indeed. I'm proud that you named him after me."

Jack didn't tell Mr. Baxter that the dog was named after his great-great-great-uncle. He was just glad that Baxter's disappearance had been solved. And he could honestly tell his mother that Baxter was loved by everyone at his school.