Miles away, Stan and Kyle were approaching a different farmhouse.
"Can you still smell Ike?" Stan asked.
Kyle shook his head in frustration. "No, I've lost his scent. There're too many other smells in the air."
"We don't want to be caught hanging around here," Stan warned. "Farms can be dangerous for rabbits. There might be cats or dogs."
The words were hardly out of his mouth when they actually heard a dog growl. They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a large dog bounding around the side of the farmhouse. When the dog saw the two rabbits, he started barking uncontrollably and leaped over the fence that surrounded the house. Stan didn't know much of the dog language, but he heard the words "KILL!" and "DESTROY!" repeated many times.
Stan and Kyle made a run for it. But the dog was faster. He caught up to Kyle and knocked him down. He put one of his front paws on Kyle's chest, pinning him in place.
Stan had to do something quick before the dog bit Kyle's head off! Like a flash, he ran around behind the dog and bit the dog on his tail.
The dog turned and charged Stan. He knocked Stan to the ground just as he had done to Kyle. Stan could smell the dog's foul breath. His teeth were inches from Stan's face. Stan shut his eyes…
"Bob! 'Ere, Bob!" a voice cried.
A human girl had come out of the house and was standing by the yard gate. She looked about six or eight years old. She was calling the dog to her. "Leave it, Bob! Come on, back in the 'ouse!"
At the sound of his mistress's voice, the dog straightened up. Reluctantly, he trotted over to her, abandoning Stan and Kyle. The girl and dog retreated into the house.
Stan looked over at Kyle. "Are you okay?"
Kyle was still lying on the ground where the dog had knocked him over. "I'll be all right as soon as I catch my breath."
"What kind of name is Bob for a monster like that?" Stan wondered. "I would have named him Killer, or Shredder, or something. Surprised he didn't try to attack the girl."
"Yeah, that whole thing was weird," said Kyle. "It almost seemed like she was stopping the dog from killing us. Protecting us. But no human would do that, right?"
"Not that I've ever met," said Stan.
Kyle was silent for a moment. Then he blurted out, "What if Ike met up with that dog? What if it killed him? Maybe that's why the trail ended here."
Stan put a paw on his shoulder. "Don't say that. We can't give up. I'm sure Ike's alive, and he's around somewhere. We're not coming home until we've found him."
Kyle smiled. "You're such a good friend, Stan."