Selby Scrambled Read Free Page A

me.’
    ‘Thank goodness he doesn’t believe them,’ Selby thought as Dr Trifle went back to hisworkroom. ‘But I’d better eat something to show I’m not sick.’
    Selby forced himself to eat the whole bowl of dog biscuits as Willy and Billy watched cartoons on TV. Then Billy turned around and looked into the kitchen.
    ‘Hey, Willy!’ he said. ‘That poop-face ate his dinner.’
    ‘No, he didn’t.’
    ‘Yes, he did!’
    ‘No, he didn’t,’ Willy said, filling Selby’s bowl again with Dry-Mouth Dog Biscuits. ‘See? It’s full.’
    The boys laughed and then went back to watching TV.
    ‘I’ll show those brats,’ Selby thought as he struggled through another bowlful. ‘I’d throw it in the garbage but the Trifles might find it.’
    But once again, the boys filled Selby’s bowl and once again Selby ate all the dog biscuits.
    ‘Hey, Billy!’ Willy said, grabbing Dr Trifle’s Snap-Bond Ultra Glue. ‘I’ve got an idea.’
    Willy filled the bowl again with dog biscuits and then mixed in some glue and stirred them around. In a second, they were glued solid.
    ‘Unkie!’ Willy called. ‘Hey, Unkie!’
    ‘I’ll teach them,’ Selby thought as he licked furiously at the biscuits. ‘If I keep this up long enough, the biscuits will dissolve. Oh, woe, they’re killing my tongue!’
    Just then Mrs Trifle came home.
    ‘Auntie!’ Willy said. ‘Selby’s sick and frowing up and everything!’
    ‘I’m sick of these stupid biscuits,’ Selby thought.
    ‘Is he really?’ Mrs Trifle asked, kneeling down next to Selby. ‘Hmmm. He’s off his food. I’ve never known him to just lick at it like that. He hasn’t eaten since last night.’
    ‘Uh-oh,’ Selby thought, as Mrs Trifle pressed harder on his stomach. ‘If she keeps touching me she’s going to make me throw up.’
    ‘Goodness,’ Mrs Trifle said, as Selby pulled away from her. ‘His stomach must be sore.’
    ‘Yes, and his legs were shaking, like this,’ Willy said, making his own knees wobble back and forth.
    Willy pointed to Selby’s hind legs just as Selby finally gave up the struggle and threw up all over the kitchen floor.
    ‘Oh, you poor darling,’ Mrs Trifle said. ‘Not eating. Sore stomach. Throwing up. Back legs shaking. I wonder what could be wrong?’
    ‘They’re lying!’ Selby thought. ‘Oh, please Mrs Trifle, don’t believe them.’
    ‘It’s just like on
Animal Angels
!’ Billy squealed. ‘Call them, Auntie!’
    ‘Animal Angels
?’ Mrs Trifle said. ‘Oh, yes, I know that program. Maybe they’ll know what’s wrong.’
    Mrs Trifle grabbed the telephone and rang the
Animal Angels’
number and told them about Selby.
    ‘Whatever you do, don’t move him,’ the woman on the phone said. ‘The van just happens to be in your area. We’ll be right over.’
    Minutes later a huge van screeched to a stop outside the Trifles’ house and two vets jumped out and ran to the door. Dr and Mrs Trifle were waiting for them.
    ‘From what you said on the phone, Mrs Trifle,’ one vet said, ‘your dog has a very rare disease called
Gutsitis Scrambulitis.’
    ‘Guts what?’
    ‘Scrambled guts. He was born with hisinnards out of order,’ the other vet explained. ‘His heart is where his liver should be and his kidneys are where his lungs should be.’
    ‘Is this serious?’ Dr Trifle asked.
    ‘Is this
serious?
Did you see our last TV show?’
    ‘No, I’m afraid I didn’t.’
    ‘Well, let’s put it this way. If we don’t open him up and unscramble him right now, then he’s history. Do we have your permission?’
    ‘No,’ Selby thought.
    ‘Yes,’ Mrs Trifle said. ‘Whatever you can do to save Selby, please do it.’
    ‘Look, he’s trembling all over and there’s sweat pouring off him,’ one of the vets said. ‘That’s Stage Two.’
    ‘Stage Two?’
    ‘That’s what happens next after loss of appetite, dry tongue and rubbery legs. He’s definitely internally scrambled.’
    ‘Of course I’m trembling and