Chapter 2
With excitement, Nick picked his way moving between the trees. There weren’t as many on this side of the hill. The cabin was just ahead with a fenced in area where two dogs were standing facing the cabin as if expecting someone to come outside.
As they approached, the dogs began to bark again and growl. Apparently, they had picked up Nick and Mandy’s scent in the gusting wind. Something told Nick to stop and stoop down, pulling Mandy down with him, signaling her to stay quiet. He suddenly had a very uneasy feeling. The dogs were in a muddy pen and didn’t look very well cared for. Not the image he had a few moments ago of some kindly older couple. Kindly older people take care of their pets. These dogs seemed almost wild and angry.
Moments later, his worst fears were realized. A gruff and poorly dressed man stepped out onto a rickety porch. He began to curse at the dogs and commanded them to shut up. Nice people don’t talk like that! Nick and Mandy were now nearly lying down in the grass, hoping not to be seen.
Another man joined him on the porch dressed much the same. “What’s the matter with them dogs?” Nick heard him shout over the sound of the wind.
“Aw, nuthin’!” the first man snapped back. “Probably just barking at a deer or something.” The two men peered out across the meadow then disappeared back into the cabin, closing the door.
“Now what do we do?” Mandy asked quietly.
“I’m not sure. Let me think,” Nick replied still gazing at the cabin and the dogs in their pen. If they moved, the dogs would start barking again, and this time those two men might come out and take a better look.
“I’m cold, Nick,” Mandy whispered.
“Me too, but we have to be very quiet and wait until it gets a little darker,” he told her.
Even though it was springtime, Nick hoped that the clouds overhead would help it get darker sooner. And, although it might be safer to move around in the dark, he wasn’t quite sure how he and his sister were going to manage to see where they were going without some kind of light. Plus, they didn’t have any food, other than a few remaining cookies and some water. As for shelter, all they had were their lightweight jackets, which were now soaked and offered little warmth. Their chances of survival didn’t seem very promising to Nick.
Mandy shivered and scooted closer to her brother. Nick put his arm around her. “We’ll be okay, Mandy,” he tried to reassure her.
She nodded but the look in her eyes showed she wasn’t so sure.
Nick and Mandy stayed low, listened intently, and prayed. The worst part of the storm seemed to have passed as the wind was much calmer and the rain had stopped. That was a good thing, but he knew they couldn’t stay where they were all night. They needed to get back up into the trees where it was more protected and further away from the men and their dogs.
Suddenly, one of the men reappeared on the porch. He climbed down the few steps and headed for the pen where the dogs had settled down. Upon seeing the man, however, they were on their feet again and barking loudly. The man stood teasing them for a moment then tossed something over the fence. Both dogs jumped on whatever it was, and began tearing at it voraciously. The man then returned to the cabin. Nick decided this might be their only chance to get away without being discovered.
Carefully he got on his hands and knees keeping his eyes on the dogs. Mandy did the same, keeping her eyes on her brother. With the dogs temporarily distracted, he slowly stood up and so did Mandy. He looked at the dogs then back at his sister holding two fingers to his lips instructing her to stay very quiet. Quietly and carefully, they began walking away, hoping no one would see them. The dogs never looked up or seemed to be aware of the visitors.
Confident they could safely get back up the hillside, Nick led his sister into the trees. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed one of the dogs had stopped eating and was sniffing the air. Nick and Mandy stopped and waited until the dog finally went back to what was left of its meal. Quickly they headed deeper into the trees and out of sight of the cabin and its occupants.
Both took a moment to catch their breath, their hearts still racing. This was not a good place to be and neither of them wanted to think about what might have happened if they had been found by those men. To think they were going to walk right up to that cabin and knock on the door! Nick silently scolded himself at the thought.
It was definitely dark in the trees now and they were protected from the view of the two men and their nasty-sounding dogs. On the other hand, they were still lost, cold, tired, and hungry.
Nick tried to get his bearings in the dim evening light. His instincts told him that his aunt’s cabin was probably on the other side of this meadow, but getting around it was going to be a trick without being seen. Obviously, walking through the middle of it was completely out of the question. Skirting around the meadow was probably their best option. He motioned to Mandy that they should move around the meadow’s edge then took her hand. Carefully and as quickly as possible, they began to make their way along in the trees but kept the meadow and the cabin in view.
Trying to make good time in the deepening shadows of the forest was difficult, since they had to climb over fallen trees and around trees and other shrubbery. In some places, the trees were thicker and obscured their view of the meadow and cabin but they managed to catch sight of it again and the dim glow of a light at a window.
Now with it getting darker and the storm passing, sounds of insects and small animals began in addition to seeing unusual shadows. Feeling a little scared, Mandy clung to her brother and finally asking in a whisper, “What’s that?”
“I don’t know, Mandy,” he answered honestly. “Let’s just keep moving.”
Their eyes were finally adjusting to the night, as the clouds moved away, allowing the light of a rising full moon to shine, providing an eerie but welcomed source of light.
After a while, Nick checked his watch. The digital display showed it was almost nine o’clock. Suddenly, they both heard the howl of a wolf off in the distance somewhere. Mandy clutched her brother’s hand tighter and drew closer as they both stopped to listen for the howl again. Nick’s heart began to pound a little and his breathing became shallower – all signs of his increasing fear. He remembered his aunt telling him how animals could smell fear. “If an animal knows you are afraid, they won’t hesitate to come after you, if they want to,” she had explained.
“Just stay calm,” he scolded himself. “We’re almost home. Just a little bit further.”
“I’m trying to stay calm, Nick, but I’m afraid,” Mandy responded not realizing he was talking to himself.
“Me too, Mandy. I’m scared too. I was talking to myself again, but we both need to stay as calm as possible so we can find Aunt Clara’s house.”
They continued on as the forest became quiet again. After traveling a little further, Mandy tugged at her brother’s jacket and asked in a whisper, “Nick?”
“Yes?” he responded just as quietly.
“Where’s that cabin? I don’t see it anymore.”
Nick peered through a thick grove of trees trying to see the cabin’s dimly lit window but saw nothing. They either had strayed much further from the meadow, or were finally on the other side of the cabin and not able to see its light. Or maybe the men had turned it out and gone to bed.
A few clouds continued to scuttle across the sky overhead. Both children were exhausted. “I’m hungry,” Mandy finally said almost in tears. Nick realized he was too. Sheer desire to get back to his aunt was driving him on but hunger and exhaustion was getting the better of them both. It was then he remembered something he had heard a few years ago about getting lost – ‘Hug a tree,’ a guest forest ranger had said to Nick’s class at his old school. ‘Don’t be a moving target. Just stay put so rescuers can find you.’ Nick’s dilemma, though, was his fear of being found by the scary men and their dogs.
“Let’s find a place to
sit down and rest. We can have a drink and eat some of Aunt Clara’s cookies. How’s that sound?” Nick tried to sound reassuring and hoped it would work. He really didn’t want Mandy to be afraid, even though he knew she was – but so was he.
“Okay,” she agreed in a tired voice.
They looked around for a suitable place to rest and found a fallen tree trunk nearby. Examining it the best they could to make sure it was safe, each sat down. Mandy leaned against her brother and he put his arm around her.
“I’m so glad you’re with me, Mandy,” he said. “I’d be really scared if I were out here all by myself without you to help protect me.”
“Really Nick? But I’m scared, too,” she whispered to him. “If you will protect me, I will protect you,” she finally said, trying to be brave.
“It’s a deal. So, how about some water and cookies?”
“Okay.”
Nick dug around in the daypack and pulled out their half-empty bottles of water and the last of the cookies. “Here you go,” he said handing his sister a bottle and three cookies. “Take your time. That’s all we have.”
“I think I’ll eat just one cookie and drink just a little of water,” she replied in a quiet voice. “I’ll save the rest for later.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll do the same thing.”
They both nibbled on a cookie and took small sips of water while they sat quietly listening to the sounds of the forest. They heard the wolf again, but it seemed to be further away than before which was a relief. Mostly they listened for the barking dogs but heard nothing from them. Nick silently wished they’d bark a little so he could figure out where that cabin was.
“I wonder how far away we are,” Mandy spoke up.
“How far from what?” Nick asked. "Aunt Clara’s or those nasty men and their barking dogs?”
“Both, I guess,” Mandy answered.
“Drink a little more water, Mandy. Aunt Clara says that water gives us energy, because our bodies are mostly made up of water.”
“Okay,” she said and took one more sip, “but I’m still going to save some for later.”
“That’s okay.”
As they finished their brief break, Nick offered a silent prayer that they would, find their way through the dark forest and back to the safety of Aunt Clara’s cabin. The sky overhead was definitely clearing up with the moonlight painting the tops of the trees a bluish, silvery hue. The forest seemed slightly brighter in one particular direction. He decided they should see what was in that direction. Holding hands, they carefully picked their way along trying to avoid tripping and falling. Eventually they reached the lighter area. There were fewer trees and underbrush. Nick peered up into the night sky looking for anything familiar, like a constellation. Shifting his position a little one way, and then another, he finally found what he thought was part of the Big Dipper. If it was the Big Dipper, he might be able to find the North Star, remembering a lesson he had about stars at his old school.
“If we can find a more open space,” he explained to Mandy, “we might be able to find the north start which could help us know which direction we are going.”
“Okay,” Mandy answered, “but then what?”
Nick didn’t respond but instead offered another silent prayer then continued to pick his way through the trees. Along the way, his foot kicked against a stick lying in his path. Picking it up, he decided to use it to poke around ahead of him as a guide. At the same time, he wondered what Aunt Clara was doing to help find them.
“Aunt Clara must be very worried about us,” Mandy said as if reading his thoughts.
“I know,” Nick replied. “I’m sure she’s already called the Deputy and as soon as the sun comes up they will find us.” He tried to sound reassuring. The idea of being lost overnight was not part of their original plans obviously, but there wasn’t much they could do about that now. Here they were, all alone in the woods, trying to stay away from some scary men and their dogs, while doing their best to get back home.
“I’m getting tired,” Mandy finally said, stopping. “Can’t we rest some more?”
Nick hesitated. He was anxious to find out where they were, but understood his little sister’s desire to stop for a while. They were both tired and wished they were safely back at Aunt Clara’s snuggled into a warm and comfortable bed.
“How about we go just a little further,” he suggested, “then we’ll look for a place to take a nap.”
Reluctantly, Mandy agreed. “Okay, but my feet hurt and I’m sleepy.”
“Okay, Mandy. Just a little further.” Nick looked around then noticed some faint light off in a different direction. “Let’s go this way,” he said, picking up the pace.
With his trusty walking stick in hand, they continued until they came to a small clearing where trees had been cleared away but a lot of shorter plants were growing. Looking around, Nick decided this was a good place to stop and rest since they could stay down low among the lower plants.
With no trees in the way, they could actually see the sky. The moon was nearly overhead now which meant that most of the stars were lost in its glow, but he could make out the shape of the Big Dipper and followed the line of the cup’s edge, which pointed toward the North Star, very faint in the wash of moonlight. Even though they found the North Star the next question was obvious…which direction should they actually go? It suddenly occurred to Nick that they didn’t know if they had ended up north, south, east, or west of Aunt Clara’s cabin. Finding the North Star didn’t really help all that much after all.
With a sigh, Nick poked at a large log then he and Mandy sat down. He took a deep breath fighting to hold back tears. ‘Boys don’t cry!’ he silently chided himself. ‘We’re supposed to be brave.’ He struggled to overcome his despair and fears. He was just grateful they hadn’t heard anymore howling of wolves, barking dogs, or any other strange noises.
Mandy was leaning against him with her head on his shoulder. Soon he could hear her steady breathing and realized she was asleep. He wanted to sleep too, but was afraid that something bad might happen if they were both asleep. He struggled to keep his eyes open still listening intently. He almost wanted to hear something now – just nothing scary. A few crickets would be okay, or a night bird of some kind. Are there night birds in these woods, he wondered? At that moment, an owl hooted in the distance. “I guess that answers my question,” he whispered aloud.
Feeling a little better, Nick debated what to do next. He could tell it was very late and checked his watch. It was ten-thirty. He was definitely very tired and let his eyes close for a moment, resting his head on top of Mandy’s.
‘I’ll just rest for a moment,’ he thought to himself, but soon fell fast asleep completely unaware of the distant barking of dogs.