by Sam Hay
A look of shock passed over his dad’s face.
“I mean, while you and my dad fix the mower,” stammered Joe, “maybe I could do some weeding for you . . .”
“Really?” Mr. Steel looked slightly suspicious. “That’s very . . . neighborly of you, Joe.”
“To make up for last night,” said Joe, his face now crimson.
“Tell me again where she lost it,” said Joe.
He was up to his ankles in the long grass, and he figured he had ten minutes to find the necklace before Mr. Steel got back from his dad’s garage. Joe’s dad was good at fixing things. He was a central-heating engineer—he spent his days repairing people’s boilers, and he could fix most things.
“I think it was over here,” said Fluffy, poking her nose into a clump of grass. “But it might have been over there . . . All the grass looks the same.” She sighed with frustration.
Joe grabbed his metal detector and turned it on. “I’ll use the headphones so no one will hear.” He glanced at the Steels’ house. “Keep a lookout and tell me if anyone’s coming.”
Joe got to work. The metal detector was quite heavy. It made a low humming sound as he wafted it over a patch of grass . . .
Nothing.
He moved over a bit and tried another area . . .
Still nothing.
“Hurry up, Joe!” said Fluffy, peering at Joe’s watch. “Look at the time! It’s nearly two o’clock now . . . Just four hours left!”
Not only was time running out to find the necklace, but any minute now Mr. Steel would be back, and then the hunt would definitely be over. He’d be stuck with Fluffy forever! He grimaced.
“Keep looking!” squeaked Fluffy.
“I am!” He moved on to another patch of grass. Nothing . . .
“Maybe that thing doesn’t work!” said Fluffy irritably.
Joe tried to ignore her. He wafted the detector over a larger area, sweeping it left and right, desperately hoping to hear the high-pitched noise. “The grass is too long!” he grumbled.
“I can hear your dad’s voice,” said Fluffy. “They’re coming back . . .”
She vanished through the fence while Joe moved over to another patch of grass.
“Still nothing!” he groaned. He moved on to another section.
“Quick, Joe! They’re coming!” called Fluffy, reappearing through the fence.
“Just a few minutes more . . .” Joe swept the detector even wider.
Then suddenly he felt a hand on his back!
“Argh!” He jumped.
“What are you doing?” A small girl with short brown hair was peering at him. “Are you Joe?” She smiled. “I saw you out of the window.”
“Yeah . . .”
“Dad told me about you.” She giggled. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for treasure?” Joe said nervously.
“Me too,” said the girl, frowning. “I’m looking for a necklace. I lost it. I thought it was in the house, but I can’t find it.” Her lip began to wobble, and for an awful moment Joe thought she might be about to cry.
“Well, maybe I can look for it, too?” said Joe. “Maybe it’s out here . . .”
“What’s that?” She pointed at the metal detector.
“It finds stuff,” said Joe.
“Can I try it?”
Fluffy gave a squeal. “They’re coming, Joe! Quick!”
Joe swept the detector over yet another patch of grass. If only the thing would work!
“Let me do it,” said Olivia, reaching for the handle.
But just then there was a high-pitched whine from the detector . . .
Joe felt a surge of hope.
Fluffy gave a squeal.
Olivia’s eyes widened. “What is it?” she asked.
Joe squatted down and ran his hand through the grass. Where was it? Then he saw something shine. He reached forward and grabbed it.
“It’s just a bottle cap,” said Olivia.
Joe held the cap in the palm of his hand. He kneeled down on the grass and sighed. He’d never find it now! He was just about to stand up when he felt something hard under his left knee. He rocked back on his heels and parted the grass . . .
“The necklace!” squealed Olivia.
There it was. A thin gold chain and locket, embedded in the mud.
Joe dug it out with his fingernails and handed it to Olivia. She clutched it to her chest and beamed at him.
“What are you doing, Joe?”
He spun around to find Mr. Steel and his dad standing there.
“Joe’s looking for treasure!” Olivia grinned.
Joe noticed she’d tucked the necklace safely out of sight, behind her back.
“I was just showing Olivia my metal detector. Sorry . . . I’ll get back to the weeding now.” Joe slunk back to the flower beds, dragging his metal detector with him.
Fluffy was already waiting there. “You did it, Joe!”
Joe glanced behind him to make sure no one was watching. Olivia had already disappeared back into the house—to return the necklace, Joe guessed. Mr. Steel and Joe’s dad were testing out the mower.
“Thanks for everything, Joe. I can pass over happily now. By the way, Olivia’s a nice girl . . . I think you two are going to be the best of friends. In fact”—Fluffy chuckled—“I’m sure of it . . .”
“What? What do you mean?” Joe didn’t like the sound of that. He definitely didn’t want to be best friends with a six-year-old girl! But Fluffy had already begun to fade.
“Good-bye, Joe! Thanks again!”
“Wait! What do you mean about Olivia and me being friends?” Joe called out to the rabbit.
But Fluffy was disappearing.
A moment later, she was gone, leaving nothing but a few clumps of fur that blew away in the breeze.
“Hello, Joe?”
Joe jumped. Olivia had reappeared behind him. He gulped. Had she heard him talking to Fluffy?
“Can we look for treasure again?” she asked. “And can we walk to school together on Monday? Dad says it’s okay.”
“Huh?”
Joe glanced up and Mr. Steel gave him a wave from the other end of the yard.
Was it Joe’s imagination, or was Mr. Steel smirking?
“It’s great to have a special friend next door!” Olivia said, beaming.
For one terrible moment, Joe thought she was about to kiss him. He backed away and fell over the metal detector.
“I think I better go,” he said, picking the metal detector up and holding it out in front of him like a barrier. “Mom’s calling me . . .”
“No, she isn’t!” Olivia’s bottom lip began to wobble.
Joe raced out of the yard.
As he ran, a bird swooped low, missing his head by inches. It didn’t look like any bird he’d seen in the neighborhood before. He glanced around, but it had gone. There was a feather lying on the path in front of him . . . a bright green feather!
Joe was just an ordinary boy until he made a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet. Now he's the Protector of UNDEAD PETS . . . and there's a pesky parakeet flapping around!
Pete had a run-in with a window and lost. Now the zombie parakeet needs Joe’s help so he can fly to his final destination!
Joe was just an ordinary boy until he made a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet. Now he's the Protector of UNDEAD PETS . . . and there's a ravenous rodent on the rampage!
Dumpling the hamster got sucked up a vacuum cleaner. Can Joe help him sort out his unfinished business, so he can finally bite the dust?
Joe was just an ordinary boy until he made a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet. Now he's the Protector of UNDEAD PETS . . . and there's a crazy cat on his tail!
Poor Pickle met her end under the wheels of a car. Can Joe help Pi
ckle protect her sister before there’s another catastrophe?
Joe was just an ordinary boy until he made a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet. Now he's the Protector of UNDEAD PETS . . . and there's a demented dog off the leash!
Dexter chased a squirrel right off the edge of a cliff. Can Joe help him give up the ghost once and for all?
Joe was just an ordinary boy until he made a wish on a spooky Egyptian amulet. Now he's the Protector of UNDEAD PETS . . . and there's a ghoulish goldfish making a splash!
Fizz the goldfish got flushed. Can Joe help him take revenge so he can go belly-up forever?
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