That's What Friends Are For (2 page)

Henry took one look at Margie, then blinked as his skin turned pink. “Hello, gorgeous!” he said. “Who are you? The Queen of the Waterhole?”

“Well, I…” Now it was Margie's turn to blush.

“Wow!” said Henry. “Today must be my lucky day. Would you like to go for a swim?”

And Margie's tears went away for good.

As Tugg and Teeny walked home, the monkey said, “Margie Barge is hippy and happy again, Tuggboat.”

“Yes, Monkeyface,” said Tugg. “Thank goodness you were there to save the day.”

“Have you seen Rocko Rhino?” Teeny asked.

“No,” said Tugg. “What is our good friend Rocko doing these days?”

Before Teeny could answer, Violet jumped out of the jungle. The warthog was out of breath. “Rocko lost his horn! Come and see.”

Teeny and Tugg and Violet ran all the way to Rocko's house.

Poor Rocko was sitting in his backyard. He did not look like the same Rocko at all.

“My horn is gone, Tugg! It was right here on my face,” he cried. “It must have fallen off, but I do not know where it went. What good is a rhino without a horn? That is like a monkey without a tail!”

“Rocko,” said Teeny. “I will find a substitute for your horn.”

Tugg shook his head, but when Teeny made up her mind, nothing could stop her. She ran into the jungle to find a new horn.

Teeny stopped when she saw Cuddles Python eating a banana.
Perfect!
she thought. When she brought a banana back to Rocko, he strapped it on his head.

“No,” said the rhino. “Too squishy.”

Next, Teeny saw Margie Barge by the waterhole. She had a flower behind her ear.
That's it!
thought Teeny. But when the monkey tied the flower to Rocko's face, he sniffled, “
Achoo!
”

“No,” said the rhino. “Too sneezy.”

“Okay,” said Teeny. “I have just the thing—my music stick with the holes in it. Will this work?” she asked.

“No,” said the rhino. “Too skinny.”

He sat back down with a heavy thud.

All of a sudden, Tugg had an idea. “How long have you been sitting here, Rocko?” he asked.

“Three days,” said the rhino. “Ever since I lost my horn.”

“Maybe if you stand back up and stretch, you will feel better.”

“No, I am too sad,” said Rocko.

“Will you please try?” asked Tugg.

“All right,” sighed Rocko.

Rocko stood up on his four legs. He stretched. He looked to the right. He looked to the left. Then he looked at where he had been sitting. There was his horn. He had been sitting on it the whole time.

“Sometimes the answer is as plain as the nose on your face,” said Tugg. “And sometimes your horn is right under your nose.”

The day was almost done in Sidekick Thicket, and Tugg and Teeny had just finished giving their house a new coat of paint.

“Guess what tomorrow is, Teeny,” said Tugg.

“The weekend, thank goodness,” said the monkey. “I am pooped.”

“No, not that. Tomorrow is Good Neighbor Day.”

“What is that?” asked Teeny.

“Well, to show that we are good neighbors,” said Tugg, “we will invite all of our friends over for a picnic. Everyone brings a favorite dish. It's called a potluck.”