Chapter 9

When they finally woke themselves up, aching all over, it was already late afternoon. They jumped into the pond to clean themselves off once more.

Using Midge's towel, they were able to dry themselves, and make it back home before dinner and their parents would have gotten worried.

At the Cooper residence, Betty's mother told her that Mr. Lodge had phoned earlier with a job for the summer if she was interested. She told her mother that she was and that she'd call Mr. Lodge that evening.

After dinner and helping her mother with the dishes Betty went to her room and phoned the Lodge residence.

"Lodge residence," answered their butler, Smithers.

"Uh, hello Smithers, This is Betty Cooper," she responded nervously. "Could I speak with Mr. Lodge please."

"Certainly Miss Cooper. He has been expecting your call, " Smithers answered back.

It took a few minutes for Mr. Lodge to get on the other line. During this wait she was contemplating what kind of job he might be offering her.

"Hello Betty!" Mr. Lodge got on the line in a joyful mood.

"Good evening Sir! My mother said that you might have a job for me," Betty answered back.

"That's right. But first let me apologize for Veronica's behavior. I only found out after the fact that she did it to steal Archie from you again."

"It's okay," Betty said, trying to hold back tears. "I mean it's not like it hasn't happened to me before."

"Well, let me try and make it up to you."

"You know Jeffrey, my dog handler?" Asked Mr. Lodge.

"Sure I do," she answered.

"Well, I finally convinced him to take some vacation. But he would only do so if I find someone competent to take care of the animals. He and I both agreed that you would be a perfect replacement," Mr. Lodge stretched the truth a bit here, don't you think.

"Are you interested?" He asked her.

"Am I! You know how much I love animals Mr. Lodge. When can I start?" Betty responded excitedly.

"That's my girl. I knew that this would cheer you up," chipped in Mr. Lodge. "Mind you, there are a lot of animals," he feigned a hesitant thought.

"Yes, that is true," Betty agreed.

"Maybe one of your other friends would be interested in helping you. Ethel, Cricket or maybe that other girl... Midge," he suggested.

"I think Midge might be available. Her boyfriend, Moose, is out of town for the summer also," Betty agreed.

"Fine, fine. You take care of that," he told her. "Jeffrey will start is vacation next week, so you girls can start then, on Monday. And I'll pay you each eight hundred a week for... say six weeks. How does that sound?"

"Wow!" She exclaimed. "That... that would be great Sir. See you Monday then."

"Oh! And I would suggest that you girls bring a change of clothe. Washing the dogs will likely get you all wet," he suggested innocently. "I think that T-shirts and shorts would be appropriate enough."

"I'll remember that. Thank you Mr. Lodge," Betty said excitedly. "I really appreciate this."

"Yes dear. Monday," Mr. Lodge hung the phone, and a sadistic smile crept on his lips.

'Monday indeed, ' he thought to himself.

He was glad that he was able to sneak in the T-shirt angle to Betty. Knowing his dogs at bath time might present him with a wet T-shirt show as a bonus. As far as he was concerned, his plan was working out better then he even anticipated. Soon, very soon, he was going to get those two young nymphs on tape performing for his private collection. Mr. Lodge just doesn't realize that he was going to get a bonus to his expectations.

As Betty hung up her phone, her thoughts were racing at the prospect of working in the Lodge's kennels. After today's adventure, she was looking forward to being surrounded by the champion pure-bred breeding stock that Mr. Lodge has there. And she was sure that Midge wouldn't mind it either.