Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Dink and Ruth Rose looked into the distant trees, trying to see the wolf. "All I can see are some rocks," Dink said. "The wolf is white, so she blends in," Abbi said. "You need the telescope." Josh backed away, and Ruth Rose took his place at the telescope. "Oh my gosh," she breathed. "It's beautiful!" "Can I look?" Dink asked. Ruth Rose stepped back, and Dink peered into the telescope. "I see it!" he said.

Suddenly they heard a wolf howling. Everyone jumped, and Abbi started to laugh. "I recorded the wolf's voice," she said. She pointed to a small tape recorder on a table. Next to it was a box of labeled cassettes. Dink read a few of the labels: RACCOONS, FROGS, CRICKETS, SQUIRRELS, BIRDS, CHIPMUNKS. "You recorded all these animal sounds?" Dink asked. Abbi nodded. "It's my hobby," she said. "I've been trying to record seals, but they never seem to make noise when I'm around!" "You have seals here?" Josh asked. Abbi nodded. "A bunch of them live on a rocky island out there," she said, pointing toward the front of the cabin. "That's why this is called Seal Harbor." Abbi replayed the wolf's howl. "It sounds lonely," Ruth Rose said. Abbi nodded. "She could be lonely," she said. "She might miss the rest of her pack." "How do you know the wolf is a girl?" asked Dink. Abbi grinned. "Because she has three babies!" she said.

"Let me see!" Josh said. He put his eye to the telescope again. "I don't see any babies." "I've only seen them a couple of times," Abbi said. Josh let Abbi have another look. "The cubs are there," she said. "They're lying right next to the mother. Their white fur blends in with hers." Josh looked again. "Guys, I see them!" he said. Ruth Rose, then Wallis, peered into the telescope. They grinned and said, "Ooh, aren't they cute!" When it was Dink's turn, he laughed out loud. The plump baby wolves were cuddled next to their mom, playing with each other's tails.

"Who wants lunch?" Wallis asked. "I do!" said Josh. Abbi leaned over to a panel near the door and pushed a button. Immediately the door opened inward. "Cool, huh?" she said. "All the doors operate that way," Wallis said. "I bought this cabin because the previous owner was also in a wheelchair." The kids followed Wallis and Abbi inside. The living room had a braided rug on the floor. All the chairs and sofas looked soft and comfortable. A stone fireplace took up nearly one wall. Shelves on both sides of the fireplace held books, board games, and seashells. To the left of the fireplace were wide glass doors with a view of the sky, ocean, and islands. "This place is awesome," Josh said. "Thank you! Come on, I'll show you where you're sleeping, then we'll eat," Wallis told them. "Ruth Rose, would you like to share my room?" Abbi asked. "You can have the top bunk." "Great! I'll follow you," Ruth Rose said. "You two have a treat," Wallis said to Dink and Josh. "Come on."

She led the boys out through the glass doors. They followed her around to a different side of the deck. "Oh my gosh!" Josh said. A tent had been set up right on the deck, under the roof. Inside the tent were twin beds, a small table with a lamp, and a rug on the floor. "It was Abbi's idea. She thought you'd enjoy falling asleep listening to the waves," Wallis said. "You might even hear the seals." "It's excellent!" Dink said. "Thanks for going to so much trouble." "No trouble at all," Wallis said. "Get settled, then come back to the kitchen when you're ready." The boys entered the tent and chose beds. "Isn't this cool?" Dink said. "I guess," Josh said. "What's wrong?" Dink asked, emptying his pack onto his cot. "What if the wolves come up here?" Josh asked. "Or even bears?" "Wolves and bears don't eat people, Josh," Dink said. "Yeah, what do they eat?" Josh asked.

Just then, they heard Abbi yell from the deck. "MOM!" she shouted. Dink and Josh pounded out of the tent and tore around the corner. They saw Abbi sitting with one eye pressed up against the telescope. Ruth Rose and Wallis came running from the other direction. "What's wrong, honey?" Wallis asked. "Somebody took the baby wolves!" Abbi cried. "Took them? What do you mean?" Wallis asked. "How could anyone take them?" "I saw it through the telescope!" Abbi insisted. "A man and a woman grabbed the puppies!"