“Ruff ruff!” barked 6-year-old Joe Hardy, as he crawled around the kitchen, pretending to be a dog.

“What are you doing?”  His brother Frank, a year older, asked, his voice dripping with as much disdain as a 7-year old could project.  He was at the tender young age when peer pressure had raised its ugly head, and he was embarrassed by his younger brother’s antics…particularly when it involved crawling and barking.

“I’m undercover…like Daddy!”  the younger child remarked, not in the least bit perturbed by his older brother’s tone.

“Undercover as what?  A dog?”  Frank scoffed as Joe stopped and pretended to scratch for fleas.

“You can tell?”  Joe’s voice rang with excitement as his undercover work was good enough to fool his brother.

Frank raised his hands signaling he gave up.  Sometimes he just didn’t understand his brother.

Their mother, Laura Hardy, was trying not to laugh as she prepared after school snacks for the boys…but it was difficult.  Between Frank’s indignation at his brother’s behavior, and Joe’s complete misinterpretation of his brother’s response, it was quite funny.

The boys heard the front door open, and raced to meet their father.  Private investigator Fenton Hardy, was supposed to be home any time today, after having successfully completed a local case.

“Dad!” Frank shouted, having recently given up calling his father “Daddy” as it was too babyish while Joe yelled, “Daddy!” and flung himself enthusiastically into his father’s arms.

It was a good thing that Fenton had already put his briefcase down or else he might have not been able to catch the flying 6-year-old.

“Hi boys!” he greeted just as enthusiastically, as he hugged first Joe, put him down and then hugged Frank.  The older boy wasn’t as hyper as his younger brother and waited for his turn.

Joe however had gone undercover again and was jumping up and down trying to lick his father.

“What’s new?”  Fenton asked, releasing Frank and ruffling his hair.  The older boy slued his eyes towards his sibling and said bluntly, “he’s a dog today.”

With a knowing smile, Fenton bent over and pretended to pet his younger son as he whispered conspiratorially, “Undercover are we?”

“Yup…yup,” barked Joe.

After giving his wife a long hug and tender kiss he noticed one notable absence.  His sister, Gertrude, although she normally stayed at their house, was gone for a month visiting their parents so he wasn’t surprised to not see her.

Looking down at his youngest son he asked, “Where’s Hero?”

At 150 pounds, the large shaggy black dog was never very far from the boys, particularly Joe whom it owed its life to, and Fenton was surprised not to see him.  Although large even by dog standards, Hero was a gentle giant.  More an observer then participant, as ‘docile’ was the only word fit for him.

Laura screwed up her nose, “They found a skunk.”

Fenton laughed as Frank piped up indignantly, “Not me.  Joey and Hero.  Man, did they stink!”

Joe barked and nodded his head.

“Well tomato soup worked well enough for our son, but the dog needed a little something extra, so I took him to the groomer’s this morning.  Which reminds me; I should take a run by and pick him up.  I’m sure he’s ready to come home now.”

Instantly the undercover dog switched back to rambunctious boy as he started hopping around his mother. “Can I go too, Mommy?  Please!  Please!!!!!”  He put a little extra in his ‘pleases’ but it really was unneeded.

“Of course you can, baby.  Besides, I don’t think Hero would forgive me if I left you at home.  Do you want to come too, Frankie?” Laura offered.

But Frank was looking at his Dad.  “Can I stay home with Dad?  I’ll be good.”

Fenton smiled, “Of course you can.  I’ll tell you about the case I just closed.  It was a doozy!”  Frank’s face beamed.  That was what he was hoping for.  He loved to hear about his father’s work.  It was so exciting.  His dad was a true life hero…or superhero in his mind. 

Joe waved and left with his mother.  Although he too wanted to hear how his father caught the bad guys, he wanted to see his dog more.  Besides, it would make for a great bedtime story and he knew it would take no prompting to get Frank to tell him about it then.

* * *

The large black dog waited patiently in the cage.  He had one of those trying days that dogs have when all that is contrary to their nature is inflicted upon them.

Okay, as if the skunk wasn’t bad enough…he’d been bathed in tomato soup and spent the night in the garage before being taken to “Pam’s Pampered Pooches” for a bath, trim and blow dry.

Pam Cartwright, the owner of the pet grooming salon, stopped by his cage and peered down at the doleful brown eyes looking back up at her.

“Ah Hero,” she said softly before opening the cage to rub her fingers under his throat in the way he liked, “if all my clients were as good as you.”  In truth, the mammoth mutt was one of her favorites….not to mention one of her largest.

But he truly was a gentle giant and took everything in stride. 

She smiled as she remembered seeing him playing in the park only last weekend with his two boys and a couple of other kids.  They were playing cowboys and Indians and understandingly enough, Hero was their horse.  He actually let the kids sit on his back and paraded around with them.

Considering he was only about a year old, he had the patience of Job.

The dog wagged his tail with a loud thump at her compliment before lowering his majestic head onto large paws to wait for his boy to come get him.

She knew the story behind the dog.  Little Joey Hardy had been visiting a friend’s farm when he saw someone tossing a sack into a creek.  He went in after it and nearly drowned saving the puppy, which he named “Hero.” 

For the life of her, Pam couldn’t understand why someone would have wanted to drown the puppy.  He was worth money.

Hero was a purebred Newfoundland dog even if everyone only ever referred to him as a mutt.  But in truth, he had been purposefully bred, and was quite a credit to his breed, if she did say so herself.  The idea that he would have been just tossed away didn’t settle well with her.

But that was a year ago, and no one had ever come looking for him.  And it was a good thing too, because she had met Fenton Hardy, Joey’s father, once and would not like to be the man who would tangle with him.  That careless act of tossing the puppy in the creek had almost cost him his younger son.

Straightening up, she latched the cage and headed back out front as she heard the little bell on the door letting her know someone had come into the store.

Smiling, she recognized the blond haired woman and her son as the little boy grinned and said proudly, “I’m here for my dog.”

Bending over so she could talk to him more on his level, she pointed towards the door she had just come out of. “He’s back there.  Why don’t you go and get him?”

Joe was gone like a shot, calling “Hero!”  as he went.

* * *

The large dog was already on his feet, having heard his boy’s voice when he came into the salon.  And as the little blond boy opened the cage door, the giant dog slobbered his face lovingly.  He was very gentle though, as if realizing how much larger he was than his boy and how easily the child could be hurt.

The dog didn’t jump or try to run away.  It just licked the little boy until Joe finally pushed his snout away laughing, and said, “Enough, Hero.  Let’s go home,” and then padded alongside the boy, tail raised proudly in the air.  He was with the one he loved.

He trusted this boy with his life.  And although Joe, being small for his age, barely weighed 45 pounds, the dog knew he was safe with the little boy.  His boy would always come for him….and he always did.

* * *

The rest of the evening was very relaxing until, just before bedtime, Fenton called his family into the living room, as he had an important announcement to make.

Laura watched her husband carefully, wondering what he was up to now.  Frank and Joe sat side by side on the sofa with Hero lazing on the floor beneath their feet. In fact the two little boys were using him as a footstool!

“What is it, Dad?”  Frank asked after asking his brother to settle down.  The younger boy, always a ball of energy, was practically bouncing up and down with enthusiasm, and he had no idea what his father wanted to tell them yet.

“Well,” Fenton grinned mischievously as his eyes darted from his wife to his sons and back again, and then he spit it out, as he could see that Joe was getting so excited he might just take off, “how would you guys like to spend the day tomorrow on Barmet Bay?  The client I just finished the job for offered me the use of his cabin cruiser for the day, so I was thinking we could pack a picnic lunch and find a secluded little spot to have a picnic.  What do you think?” 

He need not have asked.  The boys were beaming and Frank was now also bouncing up and down, as Laura got up and gave her husband a big hug.  “Oh honey that sounds wonderful!”

It would be nice to spend some time together as a family, as Fenton had been gone so much recently.  But then he noticed that Joe had stopped celebrating and a somber look had settled on his young face.

“Joey, son, what’s wrong?”  Fenton asked. 

Joe didn’t say anything at first but then he looked up his father, and Fenton’s heart ached at the sad look on his face; and he repeated, “Joey?  What’s wrong?”

Even Frank stopped bouncing and looked with concern at his brother.  Ever since the last year when a family trip to the carnival almost ended in tragedy, the brothers had become closer than ever.

“What about Hero?”  Joe finally asked as he leaned over and ran his hand over the top of the massive head.