The Mysterious Abductions Read Online Free PDF

her mouth, she sprinkled small bits of algae in front of her. Sure enough, the creatures started wriggling toward the food, taking Dawn along for the ride.
    â€œIt’s working!” Tobin said. “They’re moving across the river!” Eagerly, the pangolin mimicked Dawn’s actions, climbing aboard the sea cucumbers and luring them forward with their favorite food.
    Bismark and Cora soon followed. And so did the bats.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” snapped the sugar glider. “You have wings! Can’t you fly across?”
    â€œSonar still broken,” said a bat.
    â€œWhy fly when you can ride?” asked another.
    Bismark clenched his jaw. “Lazy bats,” he muttered.
    â€œCome now,” said Dawn, calling over her shoulder. “The sooner we cross, the sooner we can find the missing animals.”
    Tobin nodded in agreement, and as he did, a large clump of algae dropped from his mouth to the water. His sea cucumbers shot toward the food. “Oh goodness!” he cried, speeding forward.
    Cora giggled. “Wheee!” she exclaimed. “I can feel the wind in my fur!”
    â€œIt’s a cucumber cavalry!” said the sugar glider.
    â€œA speedy salad!” added Tobin.
    â€œHey, stop eating all the algae!” said one of the bats to his companion.
    â€œI can’t help it if these cucumbers have good taste in bait,” said the bat, chewing down a mouthful of the slimy green matter.
    â€œThat’s the last of it. I ate mine too,” said another.“I suppose we’ll have to use wind power now.”
    The bats extended their wings, which caught the wind like sails. The foursome zoomed on ahead, passing the Brigade and Cora. Their steering, however, was wonky and soon—Bam! Oof! Plop!—they crashed into a rock and tumbled into the river.
    As the Brigade stepped off their sea cucumbers onto the rocky bank, the bats pulled themselves onto the shore, dripping wet, fists raised in triumph.
    â€œMade it,” said one.
    â€œBit of an unexpected dip.”
    â€œWater up the nose, that’s for sure.”
    â€œBut sweet—cough, cough—glory.”
    Now on the other side of the river, Dawn peered through the trees. She could see the glittering surface of Patterson Pond. Sharp, distant howls warbled through the early morning air. The coyotes’ den was not far.

Chapter Nine
    THE WARNING CALL

    â€œO ne, two, three!” chanted the bats. The march to the coyotes’ den took them down a shadowy path through the heart of a gum tree forest. The animals were all tired—having had only a few hours of sleep.
    â€œSo much senseless chatter,” grumbled Bismark. “These bats talk just to hear themselves speak!”
    Dawn wasn’t listening to the sugar glider’s complaints. She was scanning their surroundings for any signs of movement in the darkness. Something didn’t feelright. A westerly breeze blew in from the direction of the nearby pond, carrying with it a musty, sour scent.
    â€œOh goodness, is that what coyotes smell like?” asked Tobin. His scales were bunched together in fear.
    A shrill howl rose up nearby and Bismark halted. “Wait! Basta ! This is madness! We are about to walk into the jaws of these vicious predators! This goes against every instinct in my beautiful, bite-free body!”
    â€œI’m certain Dawn has a plan to keep us safe, Bismark,” said Tobin.
    â€œMy lovely fox,” said the sugar glider, “enlighten us as to the specifics of this plan of yours. Will my role involve being chewed, swallowed, or otherwise eaten?”
    Dawn opened her mouth to respond but then suddenly stopped. She squinted, raised her head, and let out a quiet yowl.
    â€œI see that I have moved you beyond what words can express,” said Bismark. He blew on his nails casually. “I was not even trying, you know.”
    Dawn shook her head then made the sound