The Ferry Cat

The big ferry chugged into the marina.

Toot-toot!

Its horn echoed across Clover Cove.

Down on the dock, a little head peeked out from behind a rope. It had orange fur and twitchy whiskers.

The ramp lowered onto the dock.

Clang!

Whoosh! A flash of orange fur zipped down the ramp before anyone could see.

It was a little cat, and she was very, very fast.

The cat darted into the town square.

It ran right through the farmer's market.

Swish! An apple cart tipped over.

Roll, roll, roll went the shiny red apples.

Next, it zipped past Mayor Pearlman's office.

Boxes of special Founder's Day supplies were stacked on the steps.

Bump! Thwack!

The boxes tumbled down.

Crash!

A big white seagull saw the cat. It was Gerald.

Screeeech!

Gerald dive-bombed the little cat, flapping his wings.

The cat was startled and ran even faster.

She scrambled up the side of Town Hall.

Up past the windows.

Scrabble, scrabble, scrape.

Higher and higher she climbed.

Mayor Pearlman ran outside. She looked at her boxes. She looked at Gerald screeching in the sky.

Then she looked up at Town Hall.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" she said.

The cat was climbing right toward the big flagpole. That's where the Founder's Day flag was about to go up!

The celebration would be ruined!

Mayor Pearlman grabbed her phone.

Ring-ring! Ring-ring!

Up at the Lookout, the big screen lit up.

Jake answered the call. "Hi Mayor Pearlman, what's wrong?"

"A cat, Jake! A fast cat! It's climbing Town Hall!"

Jake looked at the pups. They were all listening, ears perked.

"Don't worry, Mayor. We're on our way."

He looked at his team. A fast cat, way up high. This needed a special crew.

"This is a job for… Scout!"

Scout stepped forward and saluted.

"On the trail!"

"…Blaze!"

Blaze wagged his tail so hard he stumbled over his own feet. Fwump.

"I'm good! I'm okay!"

"…and Bolt!"

Bolt wagged his tail, eager to get to his tow truck.

"I can fix that!"

"Crew, launch!" shouted Jake.

Zip! Scout shot down the line.

Zip! Blaze zipped right behind him.

Zip! Bolt was the last one down.

Scout landed perfectly. He ran to his jeep.

Blaze landed in a friendly heap. He shook himself and jumped into his big red fire truck.

Bolt landed and ran straight for his tow truck.

Vrrrroooom!

The engines started.

The Crew rolled out of the Lookout, down the hill toward town.

They arrived at the town square. Apples were still rolling across the bricks.

Mayor Pearlman pointed up. "There! It's almost to the top!"

The little orange cat was sitting on a ledge, right below the flagpole.

"Okay, Blaze," said Jake. "Let's see if you can reach her with your ladder."

Blaze parked his truck.

Whirrrrrrr!

His ladder went up, up, up.

Blaze carefully climbed the ladder. Rung by rung.

But the cat didn't like the loud sound.

Hiiiissss!

She flattened her ears and scrambled even higher, right onto the tippy-top of the flagpole base. The ladder couldn't reach that far.

"She's too nervous," said Scout from the ground.

Jake nodded. "Okay, new plan." He looked at his pups. "What can we use to get her down safely?"

Bolt looked around the messy square. He saw the fishmonger's stall. He saw a long fishing pole leaning against it.

He saw a crate of fish that had spilled.

Bolt trotted over. He sniffed a little silver fish. A sardine!

His eyes lit up.

He nudged the fishing pole with his nose. "You'll do the trick," he whispered to the pole. Then he looked at Jake.

Jake smiled. "Great idea, Bolt."

Bolt grabbed the fishing pole in his mouth. Scout found the sardine and helped Jake tie it to the end of the line.

Very carefully, Jake raised the fishing pole.

The little fish wiggled in the air.

Up on the ledge, the cat's ears twitched.

Her nose twitched.

Sniff, sniff.

She looked down at the tasty, wiggling fish.

She took one careful step down.

Then another.

Her eyes never left the sardine.

Slowly, slowly, Jake lowered the pole.

The cat followed it all the way down to a wide, safe window ledge.

She was just about to pounce on the fish when... whoosh!

Scout gently tossed a soft blanket over her.

He scooped her up.

The little cat was so surprised, she just snuggled into the warm blanket.

Purrrrrr.

Everyone on the ground cheered.

Mayor Pearlman clapped her hands. "Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Jake handed the little bundle to the Mayor.

The cat peeked her head out and licked the Mayor's chin.

"Oh my," said the Mayor. "She doesn't have a home."

Gerald the seagull landed on her shoulder and squawked, as if to say, "What about me?"

The Mayor patted Gerald. "There's room for both of you."

She looked at the little cat who came from the ferry and loved fish so much. "I think I'll call you… Clover."

Later that day, back at the Lookout, all the pups were getting a treat. Blaze was so excited for his snack, he tripped over his water bowl.

Sploosh! Water went everywhere. He sat up, dripping wet, and wagged his tail. "I'm good! I'm okay!"