The Mopwater Files by John R. Erickson

you.”
    â€œHow sweet.”
    â€œYeah. My ma would be proud, even if I ain’t.” He heaved a sigh and started walking back to Billy’s house. “What a lousy punishment. I’ve got to be good for the rest of my life. I ain’t sure I can stand myself.”
    When he was gone, I found myself looking into Beulah’s adoring gaze. “Oh Hank!” She flew into the middle of me and engulferated me with hugs and kisses. “You were so noble and heroic! How can we ever repay you?”
    I was about to suggest that she could start by ditching her bird dog boyfriend, but he was right there in my face, pumping my arm and slapping me on the back.
    â€œBy golly, Hank, what a triumph! Using trained fleas. Now, that was clever. Who would have thought of that? Nice work, by golly, nice work.”
    He shouldn’t have done all that pumping and slapping. It must have jiggled my innards and stirred things up in my . . . there was Beulah, standing next to me, with the light of love shining in her eyes, within my grisp and grasp, and all I could think about was . . .
    Burp.
    I looked into her lovely face and saw . . . MOP­WATER. She had become a dirty mop and I couldn’t stand the sight of her, and fellers, I was so sick I had to get out of there!
    And now you know why The Mopwater Files must remain Top Secret, and why I can never tell you this story. It’s just too sad and tragic.
    Sorry. Case closed.
    You can leave now. And don’t drink any mopwater. I was sick for three days.
    How can that bird dog be so lucky?

Further Reading
    Have you read all of Hank’s adventures?
    1 The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog
    2 The Further Adventures of Hank the Cowdog
    3 It’s a Dog’s Life
    4 Murder in the Middle Pasture
    5 Faded Love
    6 Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
    7 The Curse of the Incredible Priceless Corncob
    8 The Case of the One-Eyed Killer Stud Horse
    9 The Case of the Halloween Ghost
    1 0 Every Dog Has His Day
    1 1 Lost in the Dark Unchanted Forest
    1 2 The Case of the Fiddle-Playing Fox
    1 3 The Wounded Buzzard on Christmas Eve
    1 4 Hank the Cowdog and Monkey Business
    1 5 The Case of the Missing Cat
    1 6 Lost in the Blinded Blizzard
    1 7 The Case of the Car-Barkaholic Dog
    1 8 The Case of the Hooking Bull
    1 9 The Case of the Midnight Rustler
    20 The Phantom in the Mirror
    21 The Case of the Vampire Cat
    22 The Case of the Double Bumblebee Sting
    23 Moonlight Madness
    24 The Case of the Black-Hooded Hangmans
    25 The Case of the Swirling Killer Tornado
    26 The Case of the Kidnapped Collie
    27 The Case of the Night-Stalking Bone Monster
    28 The Mopwater Files
    29 The Case of the Vampire Vacuum Sweeper
    30 The Case of the Haystack Kitties
    31 The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook
    32 The Garbage Monster from Outer Space
    33 The Case of the Measled Cowboy
    34 Slim’s Good-bye
    35 The Case of the Saddle House Robbery
    36 The Case of the Raging Rottweiler
    37 The Case of the Deadly Ha-Ha Game
    38 The Fling
    39 The Secret Laundry Monster Files
    40 The Case of the Missing Bird Dog
    41 The Case of the Shipwrecked Tree
    42 The Case of the Burrowing Robot
    43 The Case of the Twisted Kitty
    44 The Dungeon of Doom
    45 The Case of the Falling Sky
    46 The Case of the Tricky Trap
    47 The Case of the Tender Cheeping Chickies
    48 The Case of the Monkey Burglar
    49 The Case of the Booby-Trapped Pickup
    50 The Case of the Most Ancient Bone
    51 The Case of the Blazing Sky
    52 The Quest for the Great White Quail
    53 Drover’s Secret Life
    54 The Case of the Dinosaur Birds
    55 The Case of the Secret Weapon
    56 The Case of the Coyote Invasion
    57 The Disappearance of Drover
    58 The Case of the Mysterious Voice
    59 The Case of the Perfect Dog
    60 The Big Question
    61 The Case of the Prowling Bear

About the Author and Illustrator

    John R. Erickson , a former cowboy, has written numerous books for both children and adults and is best known for his acclaimed Hank the Cowdog series. He lives and