Accompanying Slim and Little Alfred into town on a Christmas shopping trip, Hank and Drover run into a wounded buzzard and a gang of toughs so mean and heartless, it's a wonder they ever make it back to the ranch.

Previously published: Houston, Tex.: Maverick Books, 1989.

For use in schools and libraries only. Hank the Cowdog is head of Ranch Security in this action-packed adventure series that will tickle funny bones of adults and children alike.

Slim Chance is in a bad mood. In fact, he's been in a bad mood for a few months now, and it looks like it might become a permanent condition. The ranch has been in the middle of one of the worst droughts it's ever seen, and when the clouds do finally decide to let down a little rain, the last thing Slim wants to hear is that Deputy Kile got more rain than he did. Things are looking pretty bleak until Little Alfred asks his dad to take him fishing, and Slim winds up having to go in Loper's place. However, to everyone's surprise, the camping expedition turns out to be more exciting than Little Alfred had anticipated, including some great fishing and a bit of unexpected weather!

The National Ranching Heritage Center is proud to partner with Hank the Cowdog once again for this exciting new addition to the Ranch Life Learning Series: Ranch Weather. In these pages, you will learn about the tremendous impact different kinds of weather have on every aspect of ranching. Through fall, winter, spring and summer, Hank will introduce you to the different kinds of work the cowboys do to help a herd survive and thrive throughout the year. It seems that, if a cowboy isn't helping the cattle survive a blizzard, he's worried about drought or, worse, wildfires! Or, if there happens to be enough rain, he has to reckon with the dangers of flooding or hail storms. There are no easy seasons, but if anyone is up to the job, it's the ranchersƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚€ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"and ranch dogsƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚€ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚ƒƒ‚‚‚ƒƒ‚‚ƒ‚‚"of America!

Lost: one little boy When Little Alfred runs away from home and winds up in the Dark Unchanted Forest being trailed by a bobcat, Hank the Cowdog knows that it's up to him to save his young master. So, mustering up all the courage that a Head of Ranch Security can come up with, he bravely makes his way into the forest. But before long, Hank is even more lost than Alfred. Can he find his master and get them both out of the woods? Or is he destined to pass the rest of his days going in circles? Find out in this thrilling adventure starring everyone's favorite cowdog.

Pete the barncat swindles the intrepid cowdog out of his job as Head of Ranch Security.