Chapter 7…ONE OF US IS MISSING

We stopped, looked and listened for Howie for the next three days while everyone was regaining their strength from the ordeal.
Nothing!
In the meantime we all devised a plan to relocate our “Snack Grounds” and find a new Jacaranda tree. Juan suggested building a raft from fallen trees and vines and mud so that we could drift around the shoreline to find a new home.
“How is this looking guys?” asked Juan as he was patting mud in between the logs and around the square knotted vines that bound them all together.
“Looks don’t matter much if it sinks!” said Theodore who had taken two and a half days to climb up to the crest of the hill where we all (except poor Howie) sought refuge.
“You’re right. It must be bueno in the water too. Let’s test it!” replied Juan.
“Ah…excuse me but how are we going to get that big raft all the way down there?…Ah…where the water is?” I hated to throw water on the project in a manner of speaking but that’s exactly what the problem was.
“Hmm…good point Stormy! I was concentrating on building the raft so much I didn’t even think about getting it to the shore!” Juan apologized.
“Don’t worry Juan. We are friends and together we can do ANYTHING! Well…almost anything.” Toucie said.
“Let’s all think about this problem and I’m sure that one of us will come up with a solution.” suggested Maggie.
“What a great and smart idea Maggie!” we all exclaimed.
“Really? I actually thought of something?” she said in a surprised voice.
“We all are smart in our way and at times. Well this is your time Maggie.” Toucie remarked.
Maggie was fluffing her brightly colored feathers and chucking to herself.
“How about …if…we….just throw the raft off of the edge and let gravity deliver it to the shore for us?” Maggie proudly suggested in her new found position of intelligent suggesterer!
“Ah…it would crash into a million pieces Maggie.” Juan said.
“Just let us think awhile Maggie…please.” Toucie instructed.
Maggie’s moment of sparkling bright ideas was very short lived. But Maggie just shrugged it off and quietly waited for someone else to think of a solution…as usual.
“May I interject a notion that could have an excelarating effect on our problematical situation.” said Bandy with perfect enunciation of every syllable.
“You mean an idea?” quipped Toucie.
“Precisely!” responded Bandy.
“Since the Tortoise has such a large and ponderous shell and enormous flat feet with long curving clawed phalanges, Theodore could position his largesse directly ahead of the leading edge of the raft and in a controlled and slowly steady manner, descend the precipice and restrict the kinetic nature of gravity upon said raft.” sniffed Theodore.
“You mean get in front of it down the hill.” said Maggie.
“Precisely!” Theodore responded.
I could tell you all of the details of our project that delivered the raft down the hill to the shore but I’ll just say…”It worked!… and save us both a lot of time.