In 1989 we took off for Juneau, Alaska (exactly parallel to Newfoundland on the Pacific side), for a two-week visit with family. We left our hound dog beagle at the family cottage on Lake Wylie, SC, where a crew of guys were building a peg & beam house. We had our farm on Catauba River about 26 miles away – a seven acre spread where JoeJoe usually lived. We acquired him from a couple expecting a baby and they lived in the town, JoeJoe was raised there, half-way to our farm and about 13 miles from their home.
Upon our arrival home from our glorious trip, we decided to pick up JoeJoe after we got off the plane and drove to the cabin. No dog.
The fellow that was caring for him said, “JoeJoe left here a day or two after you flew out and about ten days later he showed up at night. I fed him and he was gone in the morning.”
We called our friend in town who said JoeJoe showed up about five days after we left and hung about a day or two and then took off. We left the cottage and headed home to the farm – no JoeJoe. Our neighbour said JoeJoe showed up a week ago and they fed him and he sniffed about the farm for a day or two and then was gone again.
As we called and turned on every light at the farm and unpacked our bags, the phone rang – 10:30pm – and it was the follow out at the river cabin site, saying JoeJoe just walked into the yard and flopped down. We jumped back in the truck and drove the 26 miles – loved and hugged and kissed that ole beagle.  He sure was happy to see us. We never figured out how he got from the secluded cabin to town to the old owners’ house and made it down to the farm and then back to where we left him. Did he follow the river? Did he smell the scents along the route? How was he not killed or hit, and how many miles did he go? We figured about 52, probably running through areas where he once lived happy and carefree.
One day, he just wasn’t there. He must have gone off to the Rainbow Dog Heaven. JoeJoe was a lot like Snoopy with brown ears. True trumpet calls, I can still hear him out in the woods.

Susan Herdman
Lincolnton, GA