As I walked through the door coming home from my detective meeting, a squawking Puffy screamed, "Oh dear, oh dear! Buffy has disappeared...oh dear, oh dear!"

"When did she disappear?" I asked.

"Not sure. We were dust bathing in our spot by the woods, and you know how Buffy is so small and sometimes gets crowded out a little? Well, there were a lot of us up there today and when we came home, no Buffy. We've been looking all around the place for her."

"Yes, I know how inconsiderate of Little Buffy you all can be. I'll have a look around."

I went up to the dust bathing spot. I found a small set of tracks in to the woods leading up to a berry bush. It looked like something had scratched around under the bushes. I found a buff feather on a branch, so I was sure I was on Buffy's trail. But I wondered which way to go next and why she hadn't come home from here. I took out my trusty magnifying glass and began looking around the bush. I found another scratched up area, then another, and so on and so on. Pretty soon I was far from the coop and couldn't find any more scratched up areas. So I went through a nearby hedgerow and out into a hay field to have a look around. I didn't stay long. When I looked up I saw a hawk circling the field. I hurried back to the hedge row. "I wonder if he got Buffy", I worried.

Just then I heard soft sobbing from a nearby bush. I hurried over to investigate. Buffy was huddled under the bush crying.

"Shush!" I said as I slipped in beside her. "There's a hawk in the sky."

"Mrs. McCluck! You found me!" she whispered. "I was so scared. When I got pushed out of the dust bath I saw some berries. Then I found some bugs. And some more bugs just a little farther on. And then I got lost."

I peeked out from the bush. The hawk had flown off. "Let's go home now, Buffy."

We slipped along back through the woods. When we came out of the woods, I reminded her "Buffy, don't go away from the flock again or you will get into trouble. That hawk might have eaten you today. The flock helps keep you safe, even though they sometimes seem mean and push you out of the dust bath or crowd you away from the feeder."

"I'll remember!" said Buffy as we went in the door of the coop.

Everyone crowded around. "Where was she? How did you find her? Are you hurt, Buffy? We're glad you're back."