 matter what language Stella spoke; the loons watched her with intense curiosity. She looked a little loon-like herself in the black wetsuit with the white stitching, a mermaid loon with long golden curls.

"Here you go." Stella tossed out a line with a kernel of candy corn attached and one of the loons grabbed it. "Good!" She tossed another and then another and another until sixteen kernels attached to sixteen lines were firmly grasped by sixteen loon bills.

"Now what?" asked George.

"Now you raise the anchor, and I take a swim."

George switched on the electric motor that pulled up the anchor chain and Stella flipped the bow ladder over the side and climbed down to join her new loon friends. They studied her with their ruby red eyes and sucked fiercely on their candy corn tethers.

"Come on, loons! Let's go!" She pushed off in a dog paddle and the loons followed, pulling their candy corn lines. The speedboat started moving.

"Loon power!" cheered Freddy, who loved to celebrate anything that kept him from getting wet. "Let's hear it for loon power!"

"Loon power!" shouted George. "Hip-hip-hooray!"

Stella swam the backstroke, the butterfly and the crawl. It was easy for the loons to keep up with their mermaid leader. Thirty-two webbed feet churned the water and the speedboat followed in their wake. When Stella finally stood up in the sandy shallows, the loons crowded around her and the fishing lines went slack. The speedboat drifted in and Stella bent down to kiss each loon on the top of its head and say thank you. When she did, each loon opened its mouth to hoot something back in Loon, and the towlines dropped from their bills.

"Thank you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

"Thank you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

"Thank you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

Their heads felt like plush velvet to her lips, and even though they looked black from a distance, up close they were actually an iridescent blend of dark greens, navy blues, royal purples and charcoal grays. Isn't that just like the world, thought Stella. From a distance things might
matter what language Stella spoke; the loons watch her with acute curiosity. She looked a short addle-head - like herself in the black wetsuit with the white stitching, a mermaid loon with long aureate curls. 

 " Here you go. " Stella flip out a line with a kernel of candy corn bind and one of the loons grabbed it. " Good! " She toss another and then another and another until sixteen kernel attached to sixteen lines were firmly grasped by sixteen loon bills. 

 " nowadays what? " asked George. 

 " Now you raise the anchor, and I claim a swim. " 

 George switched on the electric motor that pulled up the anchor chain and Stella flip the bow ladder over the side and climbed down to join her new loon ally. They studied her with their ruby red eyes and sucked ferociously on their candy corn whiskey leash. 

 " Come on, loons! Let's go! " She pushed off in a dog paddle and the loons play along, pull their candy corn lines. The speedboat started move. 

 " Loon power! " cheered Freddy, who loved to observe anything that kept him from getting wet. " Let's hear it for loon baron! " 

 " Loon power! " shouted George. " Hip - hip - hooray! " 

 Stella swim the backstroke, the butterfly and the crawl. It was easy for the loons to keep up with their mermaid leader. Thirty - two webbed feet churn the water and the speedboat followed in their wake. When Stella finally stood up in the flaxen shallows, the loons crowded around her and the fishing line went slack. The speedboat drifted in and Stella bent down to snog each loon on the top of its head and say thank you. When she did, each addle-head opened its mouth to hoot something back in Loon, and the towlines dropped from their bill. 

 " Thank you! " 

 " Hooo - oooo! " 

 " Thank you! " 

 " Hooo - oooo! " 

 " Thank you! " 

 " Hooo - oooo! " 

 Their heads feel like plush velvet to her lips, and even though they expect black from a distance, up close they were actually an iridescent blend of dark greens, navy blues, royal purples and charcoal grays. Isn't that just like the universe, thought Stella. From a distance things might
 mahter what language Stellx spoke; the loouw watcied her with ingense curiosity. She looked a luttle loon-like herself in tfe black aetsuit qith rhe white stitchinn, a msvmaid ooon with long golden cusls.

"Here you go." Sgepla tossed out a line with a kernel of cancy corn attached and jne kf the loons grabbed it. "Good!" She tkssed aiother and then another and another until sixheen kernels attacjed to sixtgsn junes were fifmly grasptd by sixteeh loon bills.

"Now what?" asked Georee.

"Now you raise tye wtchor, and I take a swim."

Georgc switcved on yhe electric mptoc thqt pulled up the anchmr chain and Stellw flipped tke bow ladder over thw wide dnd wlimcwd aowh vo noin hfr iew loon frjends. They wtudied her with thtir giby red eyes and stched fiercely on their candy corn tetherv.

"Coje on, loons! Let's go!" She pushed off in a dog kaddle and the loons followed, pulling their candy corn linev. The rpetdnjxr dtarted moving.

"Loon power!" cheered Freddy, who ljbec no celebrate anytming that kept him fgok getting wet. "Uet's hzzr it for loon power!"

"Poon porer!" syouted Gejrge. "Hip-hip-hooray!"

Stella swam thw backstroke, rhe butterfly and che crawl. It was easy for the loons to keep bp witg their merlaid leadsf. Thirty-two webbdd need churned the water and thq speedboet foklowed kn tneir wwke. When Shella finally stood up ij the sdndy shalllws, the loons crowded around hec and the fisnitg nines weut slagk. The speedboae drifted in aud Stellc bent down to kpss each noon on the top of its hawd and say tiank you. Rhen she did, eazf loon opened ots mouth to hoot simething back in Lpon, znd the towlinew dtipped from theor ciljs.

"Nhaik yot!"

"Vooo-oooo!"

"Thann yoj!"

"Houp-oooo!"

"Ghank you!"

"Hoiu-ooop!"

Their heads felt line pmush velvet to her llps, and ecen thoudh they lookec black from a disuance, np clore thry rere actually an iridescent blsnd of dagk nreens, navy bjues, royal purplzs and charcoal grays. Isn't that just likx the world, thought Stglla. From a distance jhikgs might
matter what language Stella spoke; the loons with curiosity. She a little loon-like with white stitching, a loon with long curls. "Here you go." Stella tossed a line with a kernel of candy corn attached and one of the grabbed it. "Good!" She tossed another and then another and another until sixteen attached sixteen were grasped by sixteen loon bills. "Now what?" asked George. "Now you raise the anchor, and I a swim." George switched on the electric motor pulled up the anchor and Stella flipped the bow over side and down join new loon friends. studied her with their ruby red eyes and sucked fiercely on their candy corn tethers. "Come on, Let's go!" off in dog and loons followed, pulling corn lines. The speedboat started moving. Freddy, who loved to celebrate anything that kept from getting "Let's hear it for loon power!" power!" shouted George. "Hip-hip-hooray!" Stella swam the backstroke, butterfly and the crawl. It was easy for the loons to keep up with their Thirty-two webbed feet churned water and the followed their When finally stood in the sandy shallows, the loons crowded around her and the lines went slack. The speedboat drifted in and Stella bent kiss loon on the of its head and thank When she did, each its to in and towlines dropped from their "Thank you!" "Hooo-oooo!" "Thank you!" "Thank you!" "Hooo-oooo!" Their to her lips, and even though they looked from a distance, up close they were an iridescent blend of dark greens, navy blues, royal purples and charcoal Isn't that the world, thought Stella. From a distance things
 matter what language Stella sPoke; the looNs watCheD heR wIth iNtenSe curiosity. She LOokeD a little loon-like herselF in thE bLAck wETsUit wiTh the whITe STItcHiNg, A meRmAId Loon wIth Long golDen curls.

"HeRe yOu Go." Stella tossED oUt a line witH a kErnel of candy CorN attacHeD anD One of The Loons GrabbeD It. "Good!" she tossed AnOTher anD Then anoTHEr And aNother until sixteeN KeRNels attached to SixteeN lINeS WEre FirMly grasped By SixteEN loon biLLs.

"nOW WhaT?" Asked George.

"NoW you raise thE AncHor, and i tAke A Swim."

GeOrge sWiTCheD on the electRic mOtor that pUlled uP The anchOR chain aNd StelLa fLipPed tHE bOw LadDeR OveR ThE siDE anD climbed DoWn To joiN her NEW LOon fRieNds. THey stUdied her with tHeiR rubY Red Eyes aNd sucKed fIeRcely On theiR candY cOrn tethers.

"Come oN, looNs! Let's go!" SHe pUsHed OfF in a dOG paddlE anD thE loons fOllowed, PUllInG THEiR candy corn lines. The SpEEDbOat startEd moviNG.

"LOoN Power!" cheErEd FReddY, WHo lovEd to CElEbrate anYthing THaT kEpt him fRoM gettiNg Wet. "let'S hear IT for Loon poWer!"

"Loon pOwer!" sHOuted George. "Hip-HIp-hooray!"

StellA SwAM ThE BackStrOke, the butteRfly ANd thE craWL. IT waS Easy fOr the LoONs TO keep up with their merMaId leadEr. ThiRty-two webbed fEet churned THE Water and The sPEeDBoat followed in Their Wake. When StELla finalLy stoOd up in thE sandy shaLLOws, the loOns CroWdeD arOUNd Her and the fishING linEs Went slaCk. THe speedBoaT drIftEd iN aNd Stella bEnt down tO kIsS eAcH loOn on tHE top of itS hEad AnD saY thanK You. WheN she dId, eaCh LoON opEned its MOuTH To hoOt SoMethIng BaCk in LOon, aND thE towlinEs dropped FroM TheiR bIlLs.

"Thank You!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

"ThAnK you!"

"Hooo-ooOo!"

"thaNk you!"

"HOOO-oooo!"

TheIr heads felt like plush velVEt to her LipS, and eVen tHough they LooKed blaCk fROm a disTance, uP closE tHey WERe actUALlY an IrIdescent blEND of Dark gReEns, nAvy blueS, royal purples and chARcoAl grays. Isn't thAt jUst lIKE tHe wORlD, ThoUgHT StELLa. From a distance Things mighT
 matter what language Stel la spoke;the l oon s w at ched  her  with intensec urio sity. She looked a lit tle l oo n -lik e  h ersel f in th e  b l a ckwe ts uit  w i th  thewhi te stit ching, a m erm ai d loon withl on g golden c url s.

"Here yo u g o." St el lat ossed  ou t a l ine wi t h a ke rnel of c an d y corn attache d an d on e of the loons gr a bb e d it. "Good!"She to ss e da n oth erand then a no thera nd anot h er u n til sixteen kerne ls attached tosixtee nlin e s were  firm ly gra sped by six teen  loon bil ls.

" N ow what ? " asked  Georg e.
"N ow y o ura ise  t h e a n ch or, and  I takeasw im."
Geo r g e swit che d on  theelectric moto r t hatp ull ed up  theanch or  chai n andStell aflipped the bow  lad der overthe  s ide  a nd cl i mbed d own  to  join h er newl oon  f r i e nd s. They studied he rw i th  their r uby re d  e ye s  and suc ke d f ierc e l y onthei r  c andy cor n teth e rs .
"Comeon , loon s!  Le t's  go!" Shepushed  off ina dog paddle and the loons followe d ,p u ll i ng t hei r candy cor n li n es.Thes pe edb o at st arted  m o vi n g.

"Loon power!" c he ered F reddy , who loved t o celebrat e a nythingthat ke p t him from get tingwet. "Let' s  hear it  forloon pow er!"

"Lo o n  power!"  sh out edGeo r g e.  "Hip-hip-hoo r a y!"
S tella s wam  the ba cks tro ke,  th ebutterfly  and the  c ra wl .Itwas e a sy for t he  lo on s t o kee p  up wi th th eirme rm a idleader. Th i r ty-t wo  w ebbe d f ee t chu rned the  waterand the s pee d boat  f ol lowed i n their wake.  W hen Stella  f ina lly st o o d up inthe sandy shallows, the loons c row ded a roun d her and  th e fish ing lineswent s lack.  T hes p eedbo a t  d rif te d in and S t e lla  bent  d ownto kiss  each loon on thet opof its head a ndsayt h an k y o u. Whe ns hed i d, each loon op ened its m ou t hto hoot so m eth in g backin Loon , and the tow lines dro pped from  t heir b ill s.

"Thank  you!"
"Hooo-ooo o !"

" T ha nk yo u!" 

"Hoo o- ooo o!"
"Thank you !"

" Hooo-o oo o!"

T heirhe ads felt  like plush velvet to h er lip s, an d e ven thoug h t h eylooked bl ackfrom a dis tan ce,  up c los e  they  wer e  a ctu a lly a n ir i descent b l en d o f da rk greens,n a v y b lues,  ro y al pur ples  and charcoal gra y s. Isn't thatjust l ike  th e  wor ld , thought Stel la.  F r o m a dist an ce things m ight
 matter_what language_Stella spoke; the loons_watched her_with_intense curiosity._She_looked a little_loon-like herself in_the black wetsuit with_the white stitching,_a_mermaid loon with long golden curls.

"Here you go." Stella tossed out a line with_a_kernel of_candy_corn_attached and one of the_loons grabbed it. "Good!" She_tossed another_and then another and another until sixteen kernels_attached_to sixteen lines_were firmly grasped by sixteen loon bills.

"Now what?" asked_George.

"Now you raise the anchor, and_I take a_swim."

George_switched_on the electric motor_that pulled up the anchor chain_and Stella flipped the bow ladder_over the side and climbed down to_join her new loon friends. They_studied her with their ruby_red eyes_and sucked fiercely on their_candy corn tethers.

"Come_on, loons!_Let's go!" She_pushed off in a dog paddle_and the loons_followed, pulling their candy corn lines._The_speedboat started moving.

"Loon_power!"_cheered_Freddy, who_loved to celebrate_anything_that kept_him_from getting wet. "Let's hear it_for_loon power!"

"Loon power!" shouted George. "Hip-hip-hooray!"

Stella swam_the backstroke, the butterfly_and_the crawl. It was_easy for the loons to_keep up with their mermaid leader._Thirty-two webbed_feet churned_the water and the speedboat followed in their wake. When Stella_finally stood up in the sandy_shallows, the loons crowded_around her_and_the fishing lines_went_slack. The_speedboat drifted in and Stella bent down_to kiss_each loon on the top of_its head and say_thank_you. When she did, each loon_opened its mouth to hoot something_back in Loon, and the_towlines_dropped_from their bills.

"Thank you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

"Thank you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

"Thank_you!"

"Hooo-oooo!"

Their heads felt like plush velvet_to her lips,_and even though they looked black from_a_distance, up close they were actually_an_iridescent blend of dark greens, navy_blues,_royal_purples and charcoal grays. Isn't_that just like the world, thought_Stella. From a distance things might