I knew what the judge was doing. He was making sure that Clue was strong and healthy.
"Please take her out and back for me," the judge said. Ashley took Clue's leash. "Down, girl," she called. Clue jumped off the bench. Then Ashley and Clue trotted quickly down the row of benches and back.
Everyone in the bleachers watched Clue. So did the judge. The way a dog moves is important. I loved the way Clue's ears flopped when she ran. I thought she looked so cute!
But what did the judge think?
I took another look at him. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't frowning. Hmmm.
Did the judge think Clue was as special as Ashley and I did? Did he think she was a star?
atau not?
The judge moved on to study the selanjutnya dogs. I was so nervous! I felt as if I had stopped breathing until all the anjing were judged. There were two Dachshunds, a fluffy tan afghan hound, a sad-eyed bloodhound, two black-tan-and-white beagles, a skinny greyhound, a big Irish wolfhound, a basenji whose tail curled around in a knot, and of course our basset hound, Clue!
Now all the anjing and all the owners were waiting to hear which hound would be chosen as the best hound. I grabbed Ashley's hand as the judge walked over to the microphone in front of the bleachers. We each put our other hand on Clue's head.
"Now, I'm pleased to announce the Best in Breed in the hound group," the judge said. "Clue Olsen!" Everyone in the bleachers clapped and clapped.
Ashley hugged me, then hugged Clue, then hugged me again. "Clue won! She won!"
"I can't believe it!" I said, jumping up and down. "Her very first dog show!" I hugged Clue. "You're amazing!" I told her.
We hurried up to the judge. He pinned a blue ribbon onto Clue's collar. I couldn't stop smiling.
The judge shook Ashley's hand, then mine. "Congratulations," he told us. "Now go on. I think there are some people waiting to talk to you."
The judge pointed backstage. A group of reporters and photographers were waiting for us! Ashley, Clue, and I rushed over to them.
"I heard this is your first show, is that true?" one of the reporters asked.
"How old is your dog?" another reporter asked.
"Did anda work with a trainer?" a third reporter asked before Ashley and I could even answer the first question.
Then camera flashes started going off! It was like Clue, Ashley, and I were celebrities. At least until the selanjutnya part of the dog tampil began. Then the reporters moved back to the ring.
Joey and Tony rushed over to us. "Finally!" Tony exclaimed. "We've been trying to get over to anda forever!"
Joey nodded.
"Now we'll both be in the Best of tampil competition! We'll get to hang out more," Tony said. "It'll be cool!"
Joey nodded again, smiling.
Ashley and I smiled back at them.
"So, here's the scoop on who else is in Best of tampil with us so far," Tony said. He paced back and forth in front of us. "First is a Dalmatian named Darling. Her owner is Deanna Dillinger. We've been in shows with them before."
"Doggie Deanna," Joey added.
"We call her that because dog shows are her life," Tony explained. "She doesn't do anything else. Her whole family breeds Dalmatians." He looked up. "Shhh, Joey, here she comes." Tony smiled. His smile looked kind of forced.
"Hi, Tony. Hi, Joey." Deanna walked over with her Dalmatian. I couldn't help giggling. She looked like a Dalmatian herself. Every thing she wore was white with black polka dots-even her sneakers. And she had a ton of freckles on her pale skin.
"This is Mary-Kate and Ashley," Joey told Deanna. "Their dog, Clue, just won in the hound group."
Deanna bent down and studied Clue lebih closely than the judge had. "I haven't heard of Clue. Is this your first show?"
"It is," Ashley answered. "And it's totally exciting so far."
"Well, congratulations and everything," Deanna said. "But don't get your hopes up about tomorrow, okay? Darling's won Best in tampil the past three years." She ran her hand lightly over her Dalmatian's spotted head. "There's no way Clue can beat her."
"Mary-Kate, look!" Ashley berkata as we walked across the fairgrounds the selanjutnya morning. She shook the in front of my face.
"I can't see anything with anda jiggling it around like that," I said.
Ashley held the newspaper perfectly still. And I saw Clue's sweet face staring back at me. I read the headline out loud. "Clue Olsen favorit to win the Best in tampil competition!"
Ashley gave one of Clue's long, floppy ears a scratch. Clue gave a happy bark. Clue's ears are her number one favorit scratching place.
"Remember the number three," a girl called from behind us. We turned around. Doggie Deanna and her Dalmatian trotted over to us. Deanna held the in her hand. "Three is the number of times Darling has won Best in Show."
Deanna didn't wait for us to answer. She and Darling went right to the backstage area of the dog show.
Ashley and I let her have her head start. Then we entered the dog show's big back stage area. A hundred smells and sounds hit us at once-dog shampoo, buzzing blow driers, bubble bath, kids laughing, nail polish, anjing barking. It was so exciting!
"There's my favorit dog!" Eldin cried as he rushed up to us. He carried a big purple duffle bag over one shoulder. The bag had the words "Delicious Doggie" written in thread across one side.
Eldin pulled a can of what looked like hair spray out of a smaller duffle bag. "This is the stuff I told anda about yesterday. It will make my Clue's hair shine." He spritzed Clue from head to tail. "See?"
"Thanks, Eldin. She looks like she's been polished!" Ashley exclaimed.
"Anything for my favorit dog!" Eldin disappeared into the crowd.
"Mary-Kate! Ashley!" a familiar voice called out a detik later. I looked around and spotted Tim Parks, one of our very best friends. Our other friend Zach Jones was with him. A little girl we didn't know was with Zach.
"We just wanted to wish anda two and Clue good luck," Tim said. He took a bite of his foot-long hot dog. "Hey, I made a rhyme. anda two and Clue."
"You're eating a hot dog for breakfast?" I rolled my eyes.
"It's my third," Tim answered. "I have to get my stomach stretched out for the big pie-eating contest later. I plan on winning the contest!" Tim took another big bite out of his hot dog. He pulled another hot dog out of a small paper bag. "Do anda want one?"
"No, thanks!" Ashley said, laughing. "Do anda guys want to see Clue's pen?" she asked. "Each of the anjing has their own mini-corral. It's where they hang out when they aren't in the ring atau with their owners."
"Yes!" the little girl cried.
"This is my little cousin, Jessica," Zach berkata as we walked to the pen. "She loves animals. She came here yesterday with her mom." Zach was cradling the biggest semangka I'd ever seen in his arms.
"I hope this isn't your breakfast," I said, pointing to the watermelon. "Your stomach would explode."
Zach laughed. "No way. It's way too important to eat. This semangka is going to win me a blue ribbon for the biggest homegrown semangka in town. I grew it myself in my backyard."
"Wouldn't it be cool if we all won a blue ribbon at the State Fair?" Ashley asked.
"Totally cool," Zach answered. "Even Jessica is going to try to win a blue ribbon. She's competing in a tap dance contest."
Jessica did a quick tap step. "Wish me luck," she said, nervously.
"Jessica's tap tampil is at the same time as the Best in tampil contest in the dog show," Zach said. "You'll have to tell me all about Clue's performance, okay?"
"Sure. I'm taking pictures," Ashley said.
"Here's Clue's pen," I told everyone. "And here's our friend Tony...in Clue's pen." I glanced at Ashley. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was--what is Tony doing in there?
"Hey," Tony said. He smiled at us. But it wasn't the kind of smile he gave us yesterday. Yesterday he gave us a big, happy smile. Today he barely managed to get the corners of his mouth up.
"What are you-" I didn't have a chance to finish asking Tony what he was doing there. Tony's brother suddenly appeared between us.
"Come on, Tony," Joey whispered.
"Gotta go," Tony called as he left Clue's pen. "We need to get Bob ready. He needs lebih brushing."
"Do anda guys want a hot dog before anda go?" Tim asked them, reaching into his paper bag.
"We hate hot dogs," Tony answered.
Joey gave a small wave. A moment later they were gone.
"Not the friendliest guys, are they?" Zach asked.
"Joey never talks a lot. But they were both much friendlier yesterday," Ashley said.
"Sure, okay," Tim said, unconvinced. "Clue, do anda want some of my hot dog?" he asked, changing the subject.
"No!" Ashley and I shouted.
"We only give her hot anjing for training treats," I explained. "We give her a piece of hot dog when she obeys a command."
"She can't have them outside the tampil ring," Ashley added. She took off Clue's leash and let her loose in her pen. She looped the leash over the pen's low fence. A detik later an announcement came over the loudspeaker: "All dog owners, please come to the judging ring for new name tags. Immediately, please!"
"That's us!" I said.
We berkata good-bye. Then Ashley and I headed to the judging ring. There were so many kids already there we could hardly move! But just standing in the ring was exciting. In a few hours, Clue would be in the ring too. And the judges would be deciding if she was the best dog in the whole show!
"Where do we get the name tags?" a kid shouted.
Up until now, the tampil had been super organized. But no one seemed to know where the new name tag were. Even the judges looked confused.
"What are we doing here?" another kid asked.
"I need to go back to my dog," someone else complained.
Finally Ms. Hauser, one of the judges, made an announcement. "It seems I made a mistake. anda may all return to the backstage area."
"I want to put another mantel of clear polish on Clue's nails," Ashley said.
"And we should brush her teeth again. Let's go!" I agreed.
Ashley and I raced back to Clue. We wanted to make sure she looked absolutely perfect.
"Oh no!" I shouted when we reached the pen. Ashley let out a cry.
The pen was empty! Clue was gone!
