CHAPTER 4: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DAISY HILL DANCERS!

The following day, Schroeder and the rest of the kids were back at rehearsals. He was calmed down but still dealing with problematic acts that think they should have been the marquee act. No matter how many times he told them there was no marquee act, Schroeder was bombarded by prima donnas. He decided to let Lucy take some control of the situation. Since people feared stoking her wrath, they fell in line with her direction.

Schroeder and Charlie Brown were talking backstage about what was going on with Linus. He was also concerned about his well-being.

"How's Linus doing after what happened with his blanket, Charlie Brown?" he asked.

"Still depressed, Schroeder," Charlie Brown replied. "I hope he makes it out of this funk okay."

"Me too," Schroeder agreed. Just then, the boys heard a racket from the other side of the stage. One of the boys who worked security ran up to Schroeder and Charlie Brown.

"Chief!" he said to Schroeder. "The beagle! He's back! And he brought some company this time!"

And the boys looked to see Snoopy with his brothers, Andy and Olaf.

"Your dog is going to be the death of me, Charlie Brown," groaned Schroeder.

"Not if he kills me first," Charlie Brown responded with a sigh.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" shouted Lucy. "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET IT THROUGH THAT FUZZY NOGGIN OF YOURS THAT NO DOGS ARE PART OF THIS SHOW?!"

Snoopy and his brothers just ignored her. Woodstock, who was with them, pulled out a boom box and started to play some 1940s jazz music. The three beagles started to tap dance to the music. A livid Lucy walked up towards the boys.

"Charlie Brown, can't you do something about that dog of yours?!" she ranted. "He's going to ruin this show with his antics!"

"According to him, his star won't be denied, unfortunately," said Charlie Brown. "I was thinking, why not add him to the show? That way he won't continue to interrupt our rehearsals all the time. Maybe make him a hype man, or hype beagle, in this case."

"Are you crazy?!" said Lucy. "How in the world are we going to have a dog or multiple dogs in our show?!"

"Wait a minute!" said Schroeder all of the sudden. "Charlie Brown might be on to something, Lucy. If we keep kicking him out, he'll just come back with some other act and it won't ever stop. If we make him part of the show, we can keep him in line."

"Exactly," agreed Charlie Brown. "We'll let him get the audience going, and then the real show will start!"

"Sometimes, Charlie Brown, you can be a real blockhead," Lucy began. "But sometimes, you can be pretty smart and crafty, too! Okay, I'm on board. How about you, sweetie?"

"I'm in," Schroeder simply said. "Now get that crazy dog over here so I can talk to him." And Charlie Brown went over to his dog to chat.

"Snoopy," he began. "Schroeder wants to see you. Don't worry, he's not going to kick you out again; he just wants to work with you at making you a part of this program." And Snoopy cautiously went over to where Schroeder and Lucy were.

"Listen, you crazy beagle," said Schroeder. "Every day, since we started doing rehearsals for this show, you've been trying to get into the act. Well I have a proposal for you. If I let you into this show, and I make you the hype man, er, beagle for the program, will you agree to stop interrupting our rehearsals? I will include your brothers to help out as well."

Snoopy thought about it, and then gave Schroeder a salute. "I think that's a 'yes', Schroeder," said Charlie Brown.

"All right," Schroeder sighed. "What I will have you and your brothers do is warm up the audience before the show begins. You will work on your routine at your place, and NOT HERE. When the day of the show comes, THEN you will do your thing here. Are we agreed?" And Snoopy and his brothers nodded.

"Good, now if you'll excuse us, we need to continue." And Snoopy and his brothers left the auditorium on their own.

"Wow!" said Lucy. "I never thought they would agree to those terms."

"Well I think all they wanted was a place, any place, in the show," Charlie Brown responded.

"I'm just glad this craziness is over," said Schroeder. Just then, Sally walked up to the group.

"Hey director," she said. "My wings need to be dried cleaned!"

"Oh good grief!" sighed Charlie Brown.

"You were saying, baby?" said Lucy to Schroeder.

"Point taken!" groaned Schroeder.

NEXT CHAPTER: LINUS HAS RISEN!