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must cross,” she said, surveying the banks. “It is only a question of how.”
    â€œWe could make a raft,” said a bat.
    The others flapped their leathery wings in agreement. “Most cunning! Most clever!”
    â€œMost thickheaded,” snapped Bismark. He turned to the bats. “Surely, you see the current moves far too fast for a floating device. We would be miles downstream before we reached the other side.”
    â€œI’m afraid he’s correct,” agreed Dawn. The fox lowered her face to the water and prodded at it with one outstretched paw.
    â€œAnimals of boundless flight,” said the sugar glider, taunting the bats. “When will your sonar be fixed so you can find yourselves a good idea?”
    Dawn ignored the bickering. “Look at these sea cucumbers.” She pointed to the knobby cucumber-like creatures floating in the water. “They shouldn’t be here.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Cora leaned over the water’s edge, her brow creased with confusion.
    â€œThey are saltwater creatures,” said Dawn.“They should be in the sea, not the river.”
    Curious, the pangolin extended his exceptionally long tongue to investigate further. “Ick!” he exclaimed, quickly snapping it back.
    â€œ Oy gevalt !” gasped the bats. In unison, they extended their wings toward Tobin.
    â€œThat’s not a tongue—”
    â€œâ€”that’s a jump rope!”
    The bats cackled.
    â€œOh goodness, yes,” stammered the pangolin. “My tongue.” Self-conscious, he covered his mouth with one paw.
    â€œEnough,” Dawn commanded. “Tobin, what’s wrong with the water?”
    â€œIt tastes salty, I think. Just a little bit.”
    Dawn dipped a paw in the water and then licked it. “You’re right,” she confirmed.
    â€œMost clever canine, illuminate this finding. Empower us with knowledge. Tell us what this means!” exclaimed Bismark.
    â€œThis means that, for some reason, sea water has mixed into this freshwater stream.” Dawn looked out onto the river.
    â€œSo the sea cucumbers are lost,” concluded Tobin.
    â€œYes,” said the fox. Gently, she placed a paw onto one of the long blobs. It continued to float near the surface, supporting her weight surprisingly well. “Hmm,” she said. “I think the sea cucumbers could be very helpful to us. If we could just think of a way to control their direction…”
    But the bats were no longer listening. Bored of river talk, they had surrounded Tobin.
    â€œCan it feel that?” asked one.
    â€œCan it taste this?” said a second.
    The pangolin yelped.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Dawn gasped. The fox turned to see all four bats prodding Tobin’s stomach with their long bony fingers.
    â€œSays he stores it right here,” said a bat.
    â€œIt’s longer than his body!” cried another.
    â€œWhat’s longer than his body?” asked Cora.
    Tobin blushed. “My tongue,” he replied, cradling his belly. “It coils in my stomach when I’m not using it.” Slowly, the pangolin inched away from the bats in the direction of the fox. “Dawn!” he said, eager to change the subject. “They’re going after that green stuff in the water.” Indeed, slowly but surely, the sea cucumbers were chasing after the flecks of algae floating downstream.
    The fox’s face brightened. “Come,” she said. Dawn searched the edge of the river, gathering green plants with her paws. “Collect all the algae you can and then store it in your mouths.”
    â€œI don’t understand,” said the wombat. “Should we eat it?”
    â€œNo. This is how we will cross the river,” Dawn said, a green wad already tucked in her bottom lip. “Watch.”

Chapter Eight
    SEA CUCUMBER EXPRESS

    T he fox mounted the sea cucumbers, each paw on one blob. From