"but... well... " She hesitated, not really wanting to break the bad news.
"But Mr. Marston isn't coming."
"I'm sorry, baby, but there was an accident. The pilot of the mail plane said one of his motors quit as he was taking off, and he had to return."
"Can't it be fixed?" Samantha asked hopefully.
"No, not today. It needs a part that's not in stock and you know it's too dangerous to fly with only one engine."
Samantha knew. Children grew up in Alaska with bush pilots as much their heroes as movie stars or rock musicians.
"What will we do, then?"
Elaine had been thinking of that very predicament. "Your father suggested you take the kids and show them around the place. Hardly any of them have been here before and he thought they might like to see the shop. After that you can take them two by two to the waterfall on the Mule. You can let them see the rainbows and watch you scratch the moose's antlers."
Samantha could hardly believe her ears. Her father was going to let her drive her friends on the Mule, a refurbished World War II flat bed, light supply hauler that was his pride and joy. Not only that, her mother was actually going to let her talk to Brfcut while others were present! She knew her mother didn't believe she and Brfcut understood each other, but who cared? She and the moose knew, and maybe some of her friends and classmates would believe her once she showed them. It was almost as good as having the magic show!
***
Ronald had welded safety rails and bars in the cargo space of the Mule and attached an old car seat behind the driver's space for two passengers to ride on. When the groans and grumbles and tears over the announcement that the magician had plane trouble and couldn't make it subsided, Ronald grinned.
"But!" he said, "We have another surprise for you! Sammie is going to give you all a ride on our Mule, two at a time, to our waterfall and... " He had to stop and explain to shouts and questions that the Mule was not an animal but a rare and expensive vehicle, a collector's item that very few kids were ever allowed near, and that Samantha would be driving them, "... and then, once you get to our waterfall, we have two treats for you. The first is letting you see how sunlight and mist can create beautiful natural spectacles such as rainbows, but the second is even better. Can you guess what it is?"
Of course none of the children could guess; he had simply paused for dramatic effect.
"All right, since you can't guess, I'll tell you. Sammie is going to show you one of her special friends, a bull moose! Up close!" He paused again to let them digest this information and then gave them the kicker. "And even better, Sammie will show you how to do something very few people have ever done in their life. She'll ask her friend the moose to let you scratch his antlers! They are shedding their velvet now and are very sensitive and they itch. The moose will be grateful to you for scratching him where he itches! How about that?"
Yells and cries of enthusiasm greeted the end of his announcement, tempered only by the doubtful looks of the few other adults present.
"Ron... " One of the mothers began, but he smiled and held up his hand to stop her. "Don't worry, Judy. This is a tame old Moose and you all know Sammie has a... well, a way with animals. It's perfectly safe. She's kept the old fellow for a pet for the last few years, ever since the young bulls pushed him out of the herd. He just loves to have Sammie scratch his antlers. You know how they itch his time of year."
"Well... Okay, if you say it's safe. The kids were really disappointed when Merlin's plane broke down."
"It's perfectly safe, I promise."
Ronald called Samantha to the side before allowing her to begin transporting her guests. "Now Sammie, I want you to drive careful. Each time you get two passengers to the waterfall, tell them to stay close to the cabin, just in case a grizzly happens by. And until they're all there make certain that your
"But Mr. Marston isn't coming."
"I'm sorry, baby, but there was an accident. The pilot of the mail plane said one of his motors quit as he was taking off, and he had to return."
"Can't it be fixed?" Samantha asked hopefully.
"No, not today. It needs a part that's not in stock and you know it's too dangerous to fly with only one engine."
Samantha knew. Children grew up in Alaska with bush pilots as much their heroes as movie stars or rock musicians.
"What will we do, then?"
Elaine had been thinking of that very predicament. "Your father suggested you take the kids and show them around the place. Hardly any of them have been here before and he thought they might like to see the shop. After that you can take them two by two to the waterfall on the Mule. You can let them see the rainbows and watch you scratch the moose's antlers."
Samantha could hardly believe her ears. Her father was going to let her drive her friends on the Mule, a refurbished World War II flat bed, light supply hauler that was his pride and joy. Not only that, her mother was actually going to let her talk to Brfcut while others were present! She knew her mother didn't believe she and Brfcut understood each other, but who cared? She and the moose knew, and maybe some of her friends and classmates would believe her once she showed them. It was almost as good as having the magic show!
***
Ronald had welded safety rails and bars in the cargo space of the Mule and attached an old car seat behind the driver's space for two passengers to ride on. When the groans and grumbles and tears over the announcement that the magician had plane trouble and couldn't make it subsided, Ronald grinned.
"But!" he said, "We have another surprise for you! Sammie is going to give you all a ride on our Mule, two at a time, to our waterfall and... " He had to stop and explain to shouts and questions that the Mule was not an animal but a rare and expensive vehicle, a collector's item that very few kids were ever allowed near, and that Samantha would be driving them, "... and then, once you get to our waterfall, we have two treats for you. The first is letting you see how sunlight and mist can create beautiful natural spectacles such as rainbows, but the second is even better. Can you guess what it is?"
Of course none of the children could guess; he had simply paused for dramatic effect.
"All right, since you can't guess, I'll tell you. Sammie is going to show you one of her special friends, a bull moose! Up close!" He paused again to let them digest this information and then gave them the kicker. "And even better, Sammie will show you how to do something very few people have ever done in their life. She'll ask her friend the moose to let you scratch his antlers! They are shedding their velvet now and are very sensitive and they itch. The moose will be grateful to you for scratching him where he itches! How about that?"
Yells and cries of enthusiasm greeted the end of his announcement, tempered only by the doubtful looks of the few other adults present.
"Ron... " One of the mothers began, but he smiled and held up his hand to stop her. "Don't worry, Judy. This is a tame old Moose and you all know Sammie has a... well, a way with animals. It's perfectly safe. She's kept the old fellow for a pet for the last few years, ever since the young bulls pushed him out of the herd. He just loves to have Sammie scratch his antlers. You know how they itch his time of year."
"Well... Okay, if you say it's safe. The kids were really disappointed when Merlin's plane broke down."
"It's perfectly safe, I promise."
Ronald called Samantha to the side before allowing her to begin transporting her guests. "Now Sammie, I want you to drive careful. Each time you get two passengers to the waterfall, tell them to stay close to the cabin, just in case a grizzly happens by. And until they're all there make certain that your
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