The Hunting Trip

This was a couple of summers ago, but we laugh about it still. Most of you have heard this one, but it's a goody that needs repeating!


Caleb and Joshy decided one day when it was about 100 degrees out, that they needed to go hunting. Since we had just gotten Duke a camo collar and leash, they decided they would take him along as "the dog". After all, every hunting party needs a good dog, right? I should add that Duke is really good at napping, and finding warm or cool spots to lay depending on the weather. One time he killed a groundhog, the excitement was too much, and he came in the house and threw up. So this was the "hunting dog" and it was all because of his attire. He wasn't too keen on going, but since they had him on a leash, he really had no choice.
I asked them where they were going, and told them not to go too far, and they said they would be fine because Josh had his bow, and Caleb had his bb gun along, so I shouldn't worry, because they would be safe. Besides, they had Duke, and he's taller than them. Well ok, as long as you think you are.
They took off to the woods, and I went back to washing, and I guess it was about 45 minutes later when they came back....
They came busting in the door, huffing and puffing, beet-red in the face- and the two biggest brown eyes next to the two biggest blue eyes I'd ever seen! Duke was with them, and he just collapsed onto the kitchen floor in a lather and covered in mud.....

Me: what happened?
Caleb: oh, we were so scared just now! Something was following us in the woods!
Josh: yeah! We were being stalked!
Me: By what? A bear?
Them: we don't know! But Duke knew it- he was pulling and pulling on the leash, so we just had to let him go, and he ran off! So we were walking, and walking, and then we could hear it....."chinka-chinka...chinka-chinka".....(meanwhile their eyes are getting bigger and bigger....
Me: oh my...that does sound scary, what did you do?
Them: well, we walked some more, very silently, and then it was closer! *chinka-chinka....chinka-chinka* (and you have to know Caleb was motioning his hands back and forth like that, like chinka chinka)
Me: Oh you guys.....what happened then?
Them: (while hunkering down together in the kitchen to show me) we got down like this....and I got my bow ready, and he got his bb gun ready......and we could HEAR it crashing through the brush!! It was so close then!
Me: *gasp*! Then what?
Caleb jumps up- It was HIM! (points at Duke) he was on the ground rubbing his back in the sticks like this (rolls on the floor to show me)
Me: Oh my, what a bad dog! Why is he so wet and muddy?
Them: well, because he went to get in the neighbor's pond because he was too hot, only we couldn't go there to get him because you and dad told us to stay away from there! So we decided to keep hunting without him, and then he was lost!
Me: well...was he lost? Or was he trying to catch up and follow you home?
Them: we don't know! He just left us!
Me: well....maybe...just maybe....he wanted to go swimming? And what you heard were his tags jingling?
Them: (looking at each other) oooooohhhhhh.....yeah, maybe.....

They haven't gone hunting without Dad since;)