第34章一起走过的日子（7）
&ruckhadtakenthemasfarasRs，Wyoming，buthingtodobutsellittoajuwenty-fivedollarsandhitcharidetothebusstation。Twopiecesofbadhematthestation。FourticketstoFortWayomuoheyhad，aallowedonthebus。
"Butwe'vegottotakeSnoopywithus。"htheticket-seller，tearswellinginhereyes。
JoedrewherawayfromtheasiSoldher，untiltheyfiguredhowtogetthemselvesohoaskforhelp，theycalledTravelers'Aid，andwithkihelocalrepresentativearrangedforamotelroomforthemfht。There，withtheirboxesandbagspiledarouheyputinacalltorelativesbae，whopromisedtogettogethermohefareaheday。
"ButwhataboutSnoopy?"Matthewsaidassoonashisparentsgotoffthephone。
"We'tgowithoutSnoopy，"Jodistatedflatly。Atseventeen，Snoopyhadabitofaheartekidhefamilyworriedabouther。
Joepickedupthelittledog。"Snoopy，"hesaid，tuggingherfloppyearsinthewaysheliked。"Ithinkytohavetohitchhike。"
"Don'ttease，Joe，"saidNancyshortly。
"I'mnotteasi;heassuredher，tuoopyintothe。"I'mgoingtotrytofibouaketheoldgirlbackforUS。"
Atthelocaltruckstop，JoesatSnoopyonastoolbesidehimwhilehefelliionwithdriverswhostoppedtee，I'dliketohelpyouout，"ohersaid。"She'sawfuldIwouldn'tmindthepany，butI'mnotghFortWayrip。"Theonlydriverwhocouldhavetakenherpioopyupaherclosely。"Naw，"thema;withanolddoglikeher，there'dbetoomanypitstops。Igottomaketime。"Stillhopeful，Joetackedupasigel'sphonenumber。
"Somebodywillcallbeforebustimetomorrow，"hepredictedtothekidsygotbaotel。
"Butsuppose;Jodisaid。
Joea;Sweetie，we'vegottobeonthatbus。TheTravelers'Aidlypayforustht。"
&dayJoewentofftocollectthewiredfundswhileNandthekidsshtheirpossessitodecidewhatcouldbetothesixpiecesofbaggagetheywereallowedonthebusandwhathadtobeleftbehind。OrdinarilySnoopyed，butnowhereyesfollowedeverymoveofNandthe，ahempausedtothink，evenforaminute，Sheidlehand，askiouched，tobeheld。
"Sheknows，"Jodisaid，gher。"Shekhingawfulisgoingtohappen。"
&ravelers'Aidrepresentativearrivedtotakethebelongingsthey'tpaatiohriftshop。Ani，hewascaughtbetweenbeingsympathetigpractihelookedatSnoopy。"Seventeenisreally，"hesaidgently。"Maybeyoujusthavetofigureshe'shadalonglifeandagoodo;Whennobodyspoke，hetookadeepbreath。"Ifyouwant，youleaveherwithmeandI'llhaveherputtosleepafteryou'vego;
ThelookedatNancybutsaidnothioodtherewasn'taheydidn'twaharderoherbyprotesting。Nancybowedherhead。Shethoughtofallthewalks，alltheromps，allthepiics，allthetimesshe'dgookissthegoodnightandSnoopyhadliftedherheadtobekissedtoo。
"Thankyou，"shetoldtheman。"It'skindofyoutooffer。Butno，no，"sherepeatedfirmly，"Snoopy'spartofthefamily，andfamiliesdon'tgiveupoher。"Shereachedforthetelephonebook，lookedup"Ke;intheYellowPages，andbegandialing。Scrupulously，shestartedeachcallwiththeexplanationthatthefamilywasdownontheirluck。"But，"shebegged，"ifyou'lljustkeepourlittledoguntilwedawaytogethertoFortWayne，Igiveyoumywordwe'llpay。Pleasetrustme。Please。"
&erinaryic，whichalsoboardedpets，fiheTravelers'Aidrepresehemtotheplacywasthelasttosaygood-bye。ShekookSnoopy'sfrostedmuzzleinherhands。"Youknowwe'dneverleaveyouifwecouldhelpit，"shewhispered，"sodon'tgiveup;don'tyiveup。We'llgetyoubaise。"
OnFortWayoppsfoundamobilehometorent，oneofJoe&#avethemhisoldcar，sisters-in-lawprovidedpotsandpansandbedlihereturheiroldsdNandJoefoundjobs。Bitbybitthefamilygotitselftogether，butthecirclehadapainfulgapinit。Snoopywasmissing。EverydayNancytelephonedadifferentmovingpany，adifferenttrupany，beggingforarideforSnoopy。EverydayJodiahroughthedifshe'dhadanyludshehadtosayno。
ByMarch，they'dbeenbaFortWaynesixweeksandNandespair。ShedreadedbearingfromWyomingthatSnoopyhaddiedoutthere，neverknowinghowhardthey&#etherbaeday，havihielephoartmentofAnimaldtoldthemthestory。
"Idon'tknowwhatIdotohelp，"thedireannamedRod，saidwhenshe'dfi;ButI'lltellyouthis:I&#totry。"