Chapter 5: The Intruder

Lazlo and Raj go to bed, too. But in the middle of the night, they awake again, because of Clam barking. The rhino-dog has left his basket, runs over to the front door and starts scratching on it. "Clam? Keep it down, will you?" Raj mumbles, but his dog does not stop scratching while barking and whining continuesly. Now Lazlo is back on his feet, too. "Hey Clam! What's the matter? Did you hear something out there?" he asks. Clam nodds his head fiercly and makes even more noise. "Come on, Raj," Lazlo says, "I think Clam has scented some intruder outside! We better take a look!" "Oh, must we?" Raj grumbles, "Maybe he has just had a bad dream!" "Dogs don't dream, Raj!" Lazlo teaches him. "But rhinos do!" the elephant answers oscitantly and attemps to close his eyes again, when they suddenly hear a noise from outside the cabin, as if somebody is walking around the place. Raj gets frightend and hides himself under his blanket while Clam now starts growling and barking even louder than before. Lazlo quickly opens the door. "Bite, Clam," he commands his dog, "bite!"

Clam runs outside barking and within the next moment a clicking noise can be heard followed by painful screams. Lazlo and Raj take a look and see Scoutmaster Lumpus struggling and trying to get rid of Clam who has sanken his teeths firmly into Lumpus' leg! "Scoutmaster Lumpus!" Lazlo cries in panic, "Are you alright?" He and Raj run over to Lumpus, who gets furious when he sees his two scouts. "Lazlo!" he shouts still struggling his leg in the air with Clam being firmly attached to it, "Get your dog off my leg! Get off! Get off, you beast!" "Out, Clam!" Lazlo commands, "Out! Let him go!" Finally Clam lets Lumpus off and jumps up on Lazlo, licking his owner's hand. "Good boy! It's ok, it's ok!" Lazlo says patting Clams head, so that he calms down and lies down in front of Lazlo. But Lumpus is still angry with his scouts. "Lazlo! Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on your dog?" he asks. "But Scoutmaster Lumpus...", Lazlo tries to explain. "Nah! If you should be unable to look after your dog more faithfully, he will be put down! Got it?!" Lazlo and Raj get scared, while Clam starts growling again. "But you can't do this," Raj shouts agitated, "he is our friend! Our little buddy!" "Scoutmaster Lumpus! Don't you recognize him? It's Clam! He just thinks he is a dog!" Lazlo explains desperately. But Lumpus is not convinced at all. "Ha! I have heard much better excuses already! Now get to bed and remember: Keep an eye on your dog!"

Lazlo puts Clam on his arm, who is still growling at Lumpus as the Scoutmaster leaves and the Jelly Beans return to their cabin. Clam is put back into his basket. Lazlo tusks him in while looking at his friend solicitously, who is whimpering and licking Lazlo's hand again. "Gee, Raj! What are we gonna do with him? We can't let Lumpus getting him put down!" "Maybe we should take him to the sanctuary?" Raj suggests. Lazlo is outraged. "No, we can't do that! How dare you, even thinking about that?!" he shouts at the elephant. "I'm sorry! But if he stays here, Lumpus will get him sooner or later!" Raj interjects. "I think it's time our little buddy turns back to normal again." Lazlo conciders. "But how are we gonna do that?", Raj wants to know. Clam, who has listened to them patiently the whole time, gets off his basket, jumps on Rajs lap and snuggles against the elephant. Raj pats Clam on his back, sighing. "Why can't you just be the normal little albino pygmy rhino you used to be, Clam?" he asks. Clam looks at Raj questioning and waggling his tail weakly, seemingly not understanding what the elephant wants from him. But Lazlo suddenly gets exited. "That's it, Raj! You have just found the key!" "I did?" Raj wonders. "Didn't know I had lost one!" "Yeah! Don't you realize? Little! The whole thing started when Edward told Clam he was little! So all we have to do is to convince Clam that he is not little and he will be cured!" "You really think that will work, Lazlo?" Raj asks, obvisously not being very convinced. "To tell the truth, I don't know, Raj," Lazlo admits. "But this is the only chance we have!" Meanwhile Clam has fallen asleep on Raj's lap.