About
Summary by Marcus Schlairet Russ (11 yrs old)
Have you ever wanted to get back at someone? Hank’s sister, Maggie, does in this story.
In the beginning, Hank gets in trouble because he messes up Sally May’s house. He was investigating something, Pete, the Barncat, told Drover.
Then, he ran away to visit his sister, Maggie. She tricked him into eating a bar of soap because he pushed her into the sewer when they were puppies.
In the end, the dogcatcher put him in the pound for rabies, because he was foaming at the mouth. He escaped and went home. He got revenge on Pete scaring him into the water trough.
You will laugh when you read about Hank’s adventures and eating the bar of soap. I know I did!
Comprehension Questions (written by Steven Schlairet)
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
What did Hank send Drover to do?
Page 2 — Bark at the mailman.
2
Why did Hank say he had fleas?
Page 4 — Because Loper only bought him 1 gunny sack a year.
4
Why did Hank say cowdogs barked at mailmen?
Page 7 — Because they always did.
7
What news did Drover hear?
Page 9 — It was the end of the world.
9
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What did Hank think was wrong with Pete?
Page 11 — He swallowed a chicken bone.
11
Why did Pete think it was the end of the world?
Page 13 — Cat’s intuition.
13
What did they learn from the interrogation of Pete?
Page 15 — Sally May wrote on her calendar.
15
What was the clicking time bomb?
Page 16 — Drover’s chattering teeth.
16
How did Hank want to check out the problem?
Page 18 — Penetration of the house.
18
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What did Hank think smelled like a skunk?
Page 25 — Loper’s boots.
25
What did Hank find on the table?
Page 29 — 3 T-bone steaks.
29
Why did Drover call “mayday!”?
Page 29 — Because Sally May came home.
29
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
What did Hank do when Sally May caught him?
Page 31 — Knocked the jelly jar off the table.
31
Did Hank think it was his fault?
Page 34 — No. The cowboys had plenty to eat.
34
What did Hank think of cat’s cleaning?
Page 37 — Dirty from spit; not clean from the sewer.
37
Why was Hank going to leave to visit his sister?
Page 39 — Let it blow over.
39
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Who did Hank meet playing the banjo and singing?
Page 45 — Junior.
45
What did Hank teach Junior about singing?
Page 48 — How to howl.
48
Who joined them in singing?
Page 50 — Rip and Snort.
50
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What was the clothes’ line pole with a shoe?
Page 57 — A woman’s leg.
57
What did Maggie smell?
Page 59 — Hank’s smell from the sewer.
59
Did Maggie want Hank to stay?
Page 61 — No.
61
Why did Hank stay?
Page 63 — To tell the kids stories.
63
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
What did Maggie want to be called?
Page 65 — Margaret; she didn’t like nick names.
65
What did Hank teach them first?
Page 68 — To dig under the fence.
68
What did they eat from the garbage?
Page 70 — A bunch of fish heads.
70
Who made fun of the pups?
Page 72 — A cat on the fence.
72
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What does urchins mean?
Page 74 — A mischievous child poorly dressed.
74
What do the cats do?
Page 76 — Sing a song mocking the dogs.
76
What do the dogs do back?
Page 77 — Sing a song mocking the cats.
77
What do the dogs finally do?
Page 81 — Start barking.
81
Who arrives after the neighbors get upset?
Page 83 — The city dogcatcher.
83
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What is the bullet that Hank dodged?
Page 84 — Getting his siter’s kids thrown in the pound.
84
What does Hank tell Maggie he did with the kids?
Page 85 — They were just singing.
85
What does Maggie give Hank to eat?
Page 89 — An Ivory Dog Bar.
89
Why did she give it to Hank?
Page 92 — He pushed her into the sewer and she cried.
92
Why did the dogcatcher take Hank?
Page 95 — He thought he was rabid.
95
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
What did the dogcatcher do to Hank in the cage?
Page 99 — Poke him with a stick.
99
What did the dogcatcher say about Hank?
Page 99 — He tried to attack a child.
99
What test would they run on Hank?
Page 100 — Cut off his head to check for rabies.
100
What did Ralph keep doing?
Page 106 — Falling asleep.
106
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Did Hank believe his sister gave him soap on purpose?
Page 108 — No.
108
What happened when Hank rammed the cell door?
Page 110 — He passed out.
110
How did Ralph get in Hank’s cell?
Page 110 — He just opened the latch.
110
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What else did the dogcatcher do besides chase hank?
Page 116 — He started shooting at him.
116
What was Hank’s plan?
Page 117 — To run around the Waterhole until Jimmy Joe ran out of gas.
117
Who drove Hank back to the ranch?
Page 120 — Slim.
120
How did Hank get back at Pete?
Page 125 — Shoved him into the water trough.
125
Expressions used in the Story
Vocabulary
Dodge a bullet.
84
Mum’s the Word.
85
Spill the beans.
87
Toss your cookies.
94
Lexile measure: 720L.
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