More Adventures of EMMA

By Richard Spinney

This is a cheerful, heartwarming story about a rescued dog named Emma and her new family. Emma's story will be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. As the title of the book More Adventures of Emma implies, this is the sequel of The Adventures of Emma which was suggested - even requested - by some people who gave that book five stars in their reviews.

Emma is an average-size dog who lives with William; his wife Molly; their two dogs, Beauregard, a larger-than-average Newfoundland dog; and Kasey, a giant malamute husky; and Socks, a cat Emma found as an abandoned kitten during one of her many adventures.

Despite living happily in William's household after she and William found each other, Emma

has a tendency to leave the fenced-in yard and go on adventures. Although they sometimes

appear inconsequential, there is either something of interest that happens during her outings or as

a result of them. Who is it that occupies an apparent abandoned log cabin in the woods? How do

townspeople know it was Emma who encountered the Governor's security detail? What happens

that makes William put a tracking device on Emma's collar?

It is not just Emma who has adventures. On a trip to town, Molly and Kasey meet Allison

Stillman, a former Customs agent. Allison recognizes Kasey as a dog she once knew as Tobey.

Allison agrees to help train Tobey since he has not been very cooperative while being called

Kasey. With Tobey, expect the unexpected - especially when a command is unintentionally given

to him, or when he is responding to his former training.

The story is unique because it is told by Emma herself. She tells of her own experiences and those of people she meets by relating their overheard conversations. Once you are introduced to the characters, you will find you are gently drawn deeper into Emma's story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890610713

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Victoria's Visit

Visiting Elijah

The Governor

A Question Answered

The Cabin

The Map

William's Outing

Another Adventure

Tobey

Spring

Jacob

Plans for Jacob

The Outing

Eustis Graham

Trip to Emma's Place

Emma's Place

The Field

The Trip Home

More Adventures of EMMA

Richard Spinney

Copyright © 2023 Richard Spinney

All rights reserved

First Edition

NEWMAN SPRINGS PUBLISHING

320 Broad Street

Red Bank, NJ 07701

First originally published by Newman Springs Publishing 2023

Author photo by Victoria J. Dauphinee

Ouch photo by Jeanne Fremming (hand) and Gail Corey Bucklin (Emma, and other Emma photos)

Elijah photo of Elijah Sylvester age 72 1/2 by Gregory Studios 504 J Street, Sacramento, California, March 1899 (the author’s gr-gr-grandfather)

Photos of former mascot named Beauregard at Coast Guard Station Jones Beach, Long Island, NY by Robert and Lois Donovan, and Ken Nelson

Emma in snow photo by Kristyn Nordfors

Jacob photo modeled by Adam Daniel Walton

ISBN 979-8-89061-070-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89061-421-6 (Hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-89061-071-3 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

To the friends and relatives who read drafts of More Adventures of Emma and offered their honest opinions, additions, and corrections.

Victoria's Visit

Ouch! What was that?

I wasn't the one who cried out, although I did jerk my right front paw back. Something small and sharp had pricked the bottom of my foot. I recognized the voice. It was Victoria's voice. She was the town's only veterinarian. Startled, I opened my eyes. I had fallen soundly asleep. At first, I didn't know where I was. I saw Victoria facing me, examining her thumb and index finger. This did not look like her examination room.

My mind was going a hundred miles an hour, trying to remember where I was and how I got here. I blinked my eyes and tried to focus. I felt a hand resting on my shoulder. It was William's hand. William, who had found me in the field so long ago. He was sitting down, and I had my head and left shoulder on his right thigh.

Shhh, William said softly in his baritone voice. It's okay. You're home, and you're safe.

I remembered I was tired after hopping on three legs all that distance with the thorn in my paw. I felt William's hand lightly rub my right shoulder.

What happened? asked Molly, who was standing a short distance behind Victoria and off to her left. I could see Molly looking from Victoria's hand back to my paw. Molly was William's wife. They all seemed to be operating in slow motion, as my mind raced to catch up with the current activity.

There is something very sharp in Emma's paw, replied Victoria.

My mind flashed back to when Molly had taken the thorn out of my paw. I remembered William was sitting on the bench near the coatrack. I was lying with my upper body on his thigh, and the lower part of my body was on the bench. The two big dogs, Beauregard and Kasey, had been watching Molly remove the thorn. Beauregard was a big black dog—a Newfoundland. Kasey was a huge dog! He was a giant Alaskan malamute. I remembered the day I first met them when William brought me home.

I lifted my head slightly to look around more. Socks, the black-and-white cat, was watching from afar as she sat on my blue blanket near the fireplace. I had found Socks during one of my adventures and brought her home.

I remembered Molly and William had decided to call Victoria to find out what they should do after removing the thorn from my paw. Victoria told Molly she was out on her usual Wednesday large-animal day and that she would be driving past the house. She would stop in for a quick examination.

I was finally fully awake and back into the present.

That's odd, Molly commented. I looked through the fur on Emma's paw and just saw the thorn. I didn't feel anything sharp.

Brushing the fur aside, you probably didn't stab yourself like I did, laughed Victoria. It felt like I jabbed my fingers on my grandmother's pincushion. That will teach me to be more cautious.

Victoria was resting on her knees on the floor with her ankles crossed behind her. She leaned over to her black bag and took out a magnifying glass with little lights around the edge. She turned the lights on and studied my paw. I see little things sticking up toward me, Victoria said. They look like little pins with black on one end and silver on the end that is sticking up. I can see nearly a half dozen.

Taking some tweezers, she easily pulled them out of my paw. William held out his left hand, and Victoria laid them in the palm of his hand, saying, Don't close your hand on them, William. They are as sharp as tacks.

William looked at them in his hand. I wonder if they are a young porcupine's quills. Maybe they rubbed off as the porcupine walked along, and Emma stepped on them. William shrugged. I guess we will never know.

Victoria took some sort of ointment from a tube and rubbed it onto the bottom of my paw where the thorn and quills had been. She gave me a pill that she said was an antibiotic, and she wrapped my paw in a white strip of cloth. She tied the ends together so it would not slip off.

Kasey has an appointment with you tomorrow morning, Victoria, said Molly. Is it okay if I bring Emma with me so you can take a quick look at her paw?

I saw Victoria nod. Yes, that would be a good idea. I can check it for any discoloration or swelling. Better safe than sorry.

The next morning, Molly drove her car to Victoria's office on Main Street. I was sitting in the passenger seat. I noticed we parked the car almost across from where William always parked his truck near the hardware store. Molly put the leashes on Kasey and me and led us into Victoria's examination room.

Victoria examined Kasey first. She looked into his eyes, looked at his teeth and gums, looked inside his ears, she listened to his heart, and gave him a good friendly rubbing. Kasey was lying on a large silver table as she examined him, and he looked really relaxed as he enjoyed the attention and the rubbing. The silver table reminded me of the visit William and I had made to Mr. White Coat the day we had first met each other in the field. That was when William gave me the name Emma.

Then it was my turn. Molly lifted me to the table after Kasey had jumped down. Kasey lay on the floor near the door to the room. I lay on the table as Victoria removed the white strip of cloth and looked closely at my paw. She was careful as she moved the fur there aside.

The paw looks okay, Victoria told Molly. There's no apparent swelling nor redness where the thorn was. She should be fine and good to go, but let's watch her walk to see if there is any sign of a limp.

Victoria took me down from the table. Molly led me with the leash from the examination room to the office entrance and back again, while Victoria watched us.

Victoria said, She looks fine, Molly.

Thank you, Victoria, said Molly. You have been very kind to have stopped by the house yesterday when you were so busy and then to see Emma today too.

Victoria smiled. You're welcome. I don't like to see an animal suffer unnecessarily.

Visiting Elijah

Molly paid Victoria for the visit, and then she suggested we go for a walk. Kasey walked on her right side—between her and the street—and I walked on her left side, between her and the buildings we passed. The people we met moved to their right and passed by us near me. They were sure not to go near Kasey.

One person asked, Is that a wolf?

Molly told the person that Kasey is a giant malamute, something like a husky. The person nodded and kept on walking without commenting.

I saw Elijah in the distance ahead of us. He was sitting in his usual rocking chair, and the chair nearer us was empty. When we got closer, Molly said, Good morning, Elijah. May we join you?

Elijah had been looking in another direction as we had approached, and he was surprised by Molly's greeting.

Why, Molly! Hello! Yes, please have a seat. He patted the arm of the chair next to him where William always sat. I went between the two chairs as always and lay down. Kasey walked in