The Case of the Haunted Tunnel

About a month ago, we found a multi-colored tunnel – the kind small children use to scramble through, or perhaps something used on a small dog agility course, laying in our easement just beyond our backyard fence.  A curious sight, we wondered if it was something the wind carried over the fence from our new backyard neighbors.  We left it there, thinking the neighbors would notice it missing and retrieve it.  The wind continued to move it here and there, but our fence and the neighbors fences contained it to the easement area, in fact, some of the tall, dried grass captured the tunnel and kept it still for a couple of weeks.  Every day, I looked out of the window to see if it was still there, and then it was gone.  I thought that the owners finally discovered it missing and retrieved it.  Unfortunately for the wayward tunnel that wasn’t the case.  Our strong winds finally released it from the tall grass and lifted it to the gulley between the two fences of our backyard neighbors.  The wind has been rolling it back and forth.  Today as Rusty was sunning himself in our doggy-run; he discovered the tunnel and began barking ferociously at the menacing multi-colored monster and keeping it at bay, no doubt, in his little doggy mind.  And each time Rusty has gone out, he freaks when the wind whips the tunnel.  Oh the horror!