Joan Betty Stuchner - Bagels on Board

Text copyright 2015 Joan Betty Stuchner Illustrations copyright 2015 Dave Whamond All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Stuchner, Joan Betty, author Bagels on board / Joan Betty Stuchner ; illustrator, Dave Whamond. (Orca echoes) Issued in print and electronic formats. ISBN 978-1-4598-0695-5 (pbk.).ISBN 978-1-4598-0696-2 (pdf). ISBN 978-1-4598-0697-9 (epub) I.

Whamond, Dave, illustrator II. Title. III. Series: Orca echoes PS8587.T825B335 2015 jc813'.54 C2015-901708-4 C2015-901709-2 First published in the United States, 2015 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015935526 Summary: In this third book featuring an adopted pup named Bagels, the Bernsteins hop aboard a cruise and find themselves in the midst of a detective caper. Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit. Cover artwork and interior illustrations by Dave Whamond Author photo by Tom Kavadias ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS www.orcabook.com 18 17 16 15 4 3 2 1 To Tom and Dov, as always,
and to Cindy and my friends. Contents

Hi.

Remember me? Im Josh Bernstein, the kid with a dog named Bagels. Its Monday morning, and Dads making breakfast. Whos up for baked beans in tomato sauce on a toasted bagel? he asks, holding up the can of Betsy Browns Baked Beans. My sister, Becky, and I shout out, We are! Its our favorite breakfast food. Bagels begins to drool. He also loves Betsy Browns Baked Beans.

No, Bagels, Dad says. Im sorry, but this is only for humans. For reasons I wont go into, we try to keep beans away from Bagels. But its actually the sauce he likes best. Thats why I let him lick the dirty plates before they go into the dishwasher. Actually, we all like the sauce best.

Bagelss other favorite foods are turkey sausages, underwear, old socks and, of course, bagels. Our cat, Creamcheese, prefers to eat Cat Banquet. According to the TV ads, its the canned food for cats with good taste. Lox, our goldfish, only eats dried bugs. I guess he doesnt have such good taste. You know, Dad says to Becky and me, you guys ought to be on a television commercial for these baked beans. I dont want to be on TV, but Becky does.

And Im sure Bagels does too. Hes an actor. Becky smiles at a nonexistent camera and mimics the TV ad. Betsy Browns Baked Beans are the worlds favorite. Its all in the sauce. Weroof, barks Bagels as he turns the dog version of a cartwheel.

Thats when Mom rushes into the kitchen. Shes waving a letter. Can you guess what this is? she says. Were all about to guess, but she doesnt give us time.

Were going on a cruise, she says. This letter is from the Betsy Browns Baked Beans company.

What a coincidence! Remember the contest I entered? says Mom. I had to write about why my family loves Betsy Browns Baked Beans in tomato sauce? No one remembers, but we all nod. I won. A weeks family cruise to California and a years supply of baked beans. A years supply of baked beans, I say. Now thats what I call a prize.

Of course, well give some of the baked beans to the food bank, says Mom. No one argues. We think the whole world should be able to enjoy Betsy Browns Baked Beans. Whats a cruise? asks Becky. A cruise, says Mom, is a relaxing week on a ship. You usually stop at different ports.

But our cruise ship, the Princess Belinda, doesnt make stops. She only goes to San Francisco and back. Mom puts down the letter. I pick it up. It sounds boring, says Becky. Itll be fun.

There are kids programs, says Mom. I dont like kids programs. They never do stuff I want to do. Theres an all-you-can-eat buffet, I say. I point at the letter in my hand. Becky, you like buffets.

Who doesnt? says Dad, as he dishes up the bagels and beans. Becky says that shed prefer to go to the Amazon. I really dont know why my parents let Becky watch documentaries on the Knowledge Network. They give her ideas. Too dangerous, Mom says. You might get lost in the Amazon.

Its a jungle out there. Then Becky says, Can Lox, Bagels and Creamcheese come along? Aunt Sharon will take care of the house and the pets, like she did when we went camping, says Dad. Bagels came camping with us, says Becky. That was different, says Mom. I look down at Bagels. He grins.

He executes a backflip. We cant leave Bagels behind. Hell get into trouble without us. Dad says Aunt Sharon will make sure he behaves. I doubt it. Bagels has personality, but he doesnt always take instructions very well.

Hes a mix of sheltie, whippet and Jack Russell. Thats a wild combination. Hes also an escape artist. Sometimes Creamcheese helps him open doors and windows. She likes to get him into trouble. Becky and I have been training Bagels.

Weve cured him of barking when he shouldnt. He doesnt round up joggers anymore, and he usually comes when called. Except when he doesnt feel like it. But without Becky and me to keep an eye on him, he could easily have a relapse. No pets allowed on this cruise, says Mom.

Bagels can be helpful, says Becky. Bagels can be helpful, says Becky.

You could say hes our nanny, like Nana in Peter Pan. As I mentioned before, Bagels is an actor. Peter Pan was his first show. His second was Pup in Boots. No one would believe Bagels is your nanny, says Mom. Even in a uniform? asks Becky. Especially in a uniform, says Mom.

Listen, I love Bagels as much as you do. And if we could take him, I would. Beckys right, I say. Bagels can be helpful. I remind them that Bagels rescued Dad from the lake when we went camping. And he gave him CPR.

Yes, says Becky. What if Dad falls overboard on the Princess Belinda? Dont worry, says Mom. Ill keep an eye on Dad. Thats a relief, says Dad. Later I ask Becky, How much trouble can Bagels get into in a week? Becky looks at me as if to say, Youre kidding, right?

Have you got everything? asks Aunt Sharon. She and Bagels have come to see us off at the docks.

Bagels is restless. He sniffs the air. It smells of gasoline, seaweed and barnacles. I show Aunt Sharon my suitcase and my camera. Ive got everything, I say. Shes big. Shes big.

Becky asks me, Are you sure this will float? Sure, I say. Beckys only six. I dont tell her that I once read a book about a ship called the Titanic. It didnt have a happy ending. Becky says shes going to wear her yellow plastic water wings the whole trip. Bagels pulls on the leash and leaps up at me. Dad says, Bagels, please behave while were away.