Report to The Agency: M3 meets a legend.

Report to The Agency: M3 meets a legend.

Imagine my surprise when I learned that the golden retriever who lives in the old house with the big porch down the street in none other than James Hound, Agent K9, Licensed to Track, himself.

Agent Hound – known to most people as Old Growler because he was rumoured to always be in a bad mood – retired from the agency many years ago, long before my time. Who would have guessed I would wind up living just down from that most famous of Her Majesty’s agents?
I should have recognized Agent Hound from his picture on The Agency’s Kennel Wall of Fame, but he is so much older now. Hound has a long and glorious career as a tracker and airport luggage sniffer. He was famous for never giving up on a search, even when other agents turned tail and ran away or lost the scent. The Great K9 was famous for his never-say-die attitude. The dog with the golden nose, is what his humans used to call him – we had to learn all about him in puppy school at The Agency. He always wanted ice-cubes in his water bowl – shaken, not stirred – so they said, and he reported directly to Big Wag herself! As far as I know he never married or had pups, and his owner is also retired. I’m pretty sure they live there all alone.
But Agent Hound, of course, must have recognized me right away, maybe even the first day I arrived at my new home. I know because just today, when my owners and I were walking past Old Growler’s porch, he raised that great shaggy head of his just enough to snarl: “I’ve got my eye on you, M3. In my day a little beagle like you would never have made it at The Agency. Things must be pretty desperate there now.” I just gulped and smiled. I think he could swallow me whole if he wanted.

I wonder if he would mind if I dropped off one of the many rawhide bones my owners have bought me. He looks like he could use something to chew on other than little beagle agents. Maybe he might even be coached into telling me some of his stories from the early days. We shall see.

Yours,
Agent M3.