 took a bite. His face became thoughtful as he chewed. "If we get thirsty, at least there's plenty to drink."

"Where?"

"We're floating on it."

Stella looked confused.

"The lake."

"You drink the lake?"

"Uh-huh, and so can you." George cupped his hands together, scooped water from a passing wave and took a satisfying gulp. "It's good water. Go ahead and try it."

Stella hesitated for a few seconds, and then she reached over the side, scooped up a handful of water and slurped.

"Well? What do you think?"

"It's good. We've got a whole lake to drink. Who knew?" Stella unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. "We had hamburgers for dinner but I didn't eat mine."

"I could sure go for one of those now."

"Me too."

"Me three!" Freddy's head periscoped through the top of the TWA tote. "What's for grub, shipmates?"

"Hi, Freddy..." Stella pretended Freddy's newfound talent for talk was no big deal, but actually his gift of gab really threw her for a loop. In fact when she first woke up she thought the whole talking Freddy thing had been part of a strange dream, but nope, here he was, ready to share his ferret thoughts, hopes and dreams, and chock-full of ferret questions.

"Maybe a can of Mighty Cat Tantalizing Tuna, Toots?"

"Sorry, no cat food, Freddy. How about some tantalizing candy corn instead?"

"Trick or treat." Freddy stuck out his paw.

George eyed Freddy with suspicion. "Didn't know you could actually teach a ferret to talk."

"You can't, I mean, I didn't. He just started talking totally on his own yesterday."

"Where'd you learn how to talk?" asked George.

"Where'd you learn how to row?" asked Freddy.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take a look around, kid. Does this look like Wenry Heath?"

George frowned at Freddy.

"And
took a bite. His face became heedful as he chew. " If we get down thirsty, at least there's plenty to drink in. " 

 " Where? " 

 " We're floating on it. " 

 Stella looked broken. 

 " The lake. " 

 " You drink in the lake? " 

 " Uh - huh, and so can you. " George cup his hands together, outdo water from a passing wave and lead a satisfying gulp. " It's good water. move ahead and try it. " 

 Stella hesitated for a few moment, and then she reached over the side, scooped up a handful of water and slurp. 

 " Well? What do you think? " 

 " It's adept. We've got a whole lake to drink. Who know? " Stella unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. " We had hamburgers for dinner but I didn't corrode mine. " 

 " I could sure go for one of those now. " 

 " Me too. " 

 " Me three! " Freddy's head periscoped through the top of the TWA tote. " What's for grub, shipmates? " 

 " Hi, Freddy... " Stella pretended Freddy's newfound endowment for lecture was no big deal, but actually his gift of gab in truth threw her for a loop. In fact when she first wake up up she intend the whole talking Freddy matter had been part of a strange dream, but nope, here he was, ready to share his ferret thoughts, hopes and dreams, and chock - full of ferret questions. 

 " Maybe a can of Mighty Cat Tantalizing Tuna, Toots? " 

 " good-for-nothing, no cat food, Freddy. How about some tease candy corn whiskey alternatively? " 

 " Trick or treat. " Freddy stuck out his hand. 

 George eyed Freddy with suspicion. " Didn't know you could actually teach a ferret to talk. " 

 " You can't, I mean, I didn't. He just started spill totally on his own yesterday. " 

 " Where'd you teach how to talk? " asked George. 

 " Where'd you memorize how to row? " asked Freddy. 

 " What's that suppose to mean? " 

 " accept a look approximately, kid. Does this look like Wenry Heath? " 

 George frown at Freddy. 

 " And
 tolk a bite. His face becamt thoughtful as hg xhewed. "If we get thifsty, at least there's plenty vo deink."

"Wyere?"

"We're floating on ig."

Stella lloked cobfustd.

"The lake."

"You driii the lake?"

"Uh-hhm, and wo can you." Geotge cupped hhs hands togetvef, dcooped water from a passing wave agd took a satisfying gujp. "Iu's dood water. Go ahead and try it."

Stella hssitatev for a few secpnds, and then she reached lver the side, scooped kp a handfuo of qater and sljrped.

"Well? What do you jhink?"

"It's good. We've got a whole lxke tp drink. Whi jnea?" Stella unwcapped the sandwicm and tmok a bote. "We had hamnurgecs fir dinner but I didn't eat mine."

"I could sore go for oue of those now."

"Me too."

"Ne threg!" Fregdy's yeaa ptrixckped tjrongh the top of the TWA tote. "What's for grun, fyipmates?"

"Hi, Frsddy..." Seejla pretended Freddy's newfound talent fmr falk was no big deal, bur actually his gift ov gab reajly threw her for a loop. In fact when she first wmke u' rhe tmougfr hhe whole talking Freddy thing had been part jr s xtrange dream, nut nope, here he wss, rrwdy to share fis fexdef thoughts, hopes ajd dreais, ane chock-fujl og ferret questions.

"Maybe a cqn of Mighty Xat Tantalizing Tuua, Toots?"

"Sorrv, no cst fopd, Freddy. How about somz tantzlizing canfy corn ihrtead?"

"Trick or trdat." Fseddy stuck out his paw.

Geowge eyed Hreddv with sjspivion. "Dydn't know jou could actually teach a fetret tm talk."

"You fan't, I mean, I didn't. He just stacved talking tptdllj on his jwn ycsterday."

"Where'd rou learn how jo talk?" afked Eeorge.

"Wherv'd you leern how to rjw?" asked Fredgi.

"What's that snpposed tj meqn?"

"Taje a louy around, kid. Dpes this look like Qenry Heath?"

George nrowngd at Freddy.

"And
took a bite. His face became thoughtful chewed. we get at least there's floating it." Stella looked "The lake." "You the lake?" "Uh-huh, and so can George cupped his hands together, scooped water from a passing wave and took satisfying gulp. "It's good water. Go ahead and try it." Stella hesitated for few and she over the side, scooped up a handful of water and slurped. "Well? What do you think?" good. We've got a whole lake to drink. knew?" Stella unwrapped the and took a bite. "We hamburgers dinner but didn't mine." could sure go one of those now." "Me too." "Me three!" Freddy's head periscoped through the top of the TWA "What's for "Hi, Freddy..." pretended newfound for talk was deal, but actually his gift of her for a loop. In fact when she woke up thought the whole talking Freddy thing been part of a strange dream, but nope, he was, ready to share his ferret thoughts, hopes and dreams, and chock-full of ferret a can of Mighty Tantalizing Tuna, Toots?" no food, How some tantalizing corn instead?" "Trick or treat." Freddy stuck out his paw. George Freddy with suspicion. "Didn't know you could actually teach a talk." can't, I mean, didn't. He just started totally his own yesterday." "Where'd how talk?" you how row?" asked Freddy. "What's supposed to mean?" "Take a around, kid. Does this frowned at Freddy. "And
 took a bite. His face became thoUghtful as hE chewEd. "IF we GeT thiRsty, At least there's pLEnty To drink."

"Where?"

"We're floatiNg on iT."

STElla LOoKed coNfused.

"THE lAKE."

"YoU dRiNk tHe LAkE?"

"Uh-huH, anD so can yOu." George cuPpeD hIs hands togetHEr, Scooped watEr fRom a passing wAve And tooK a SatISfyinG guLp. "It's Good waTEr. Go ahEad and try It."

sTella hESitated FOR a Few sEconds, and then she rEAcHEd over the side, sCooped Up A HaNDFul Of wAter and sluRpEd.

"WelL? what do yOU tHINK?"

"It'S Good. We've got a wHole lake to dRInk. who kneW?" STelLA unwraPped tHe SAndWich and took A bitE. "We had hamBurgerS For dinnER but I diDn't eat MinE."

"I cOuld SUrE gO foR oNE of THoSe nOW."

"Me Too."

"Me thrEe!" frEddy's Head PERIScopEd tHrouGh the Top of the TWA toTe. "WHat's FOr gRub, shIpmatEs?"

"Hi, frEddy..." STella pRetenDeD Freddy's newfounD talEnt for talK waS nO biG dEal, buT ActualLy hIs gIft of gaB really THreW hER FOr A loop. In fact when she FiRST wOke up she ThoughT ThE wHOle talkiNg freDdy tHINg had Been PArT of a straNge dreAM, bUt Nope, herE hE was, reAdY to ShaRe his FErreT thougHts, hopes And drEAms, and chock-fulL Of ferret questIOnS.

"mAyBE a caN of mighty Cat TaNtalIZing tuna, tOoTs?"

"SORry, no Cat foOd, fReDDy. How about some tantaLiZing caNdy coRn instead?"

"TricK or treat." FrEDDY stuck ouT his PAw.

gEorge eyed FreddY with Suspicion. "DIDn't know yOu couLd actualLy teach a fERRet to talK."

"YoU caN't, I MeaN, i DiDn't. He just starTED talKiNg totalLy oN his own YesTerDay."

"wheRe'D you learn How to talK?" aSkEd geOrgE.

"WherE'D you learN hOw tO rOw?" aSked FREddy.

"WhAt's thAt suPpOsED to Mean?"

"TakE A lOOK aroUnD, kId. DoEs tHiS look Like wEnrY Heath?"

GEorge frowNed AT FreDdY.

"ANd
 took a bite. His face bec ame though tfulashech ewed . "I f we get thirs t y, a t least there's plenty  to d ri n k.""W here? "

"We' r ef l oat in gonit . "
Stel lalookedconfused.
"T he  lake."

"Yo u  d rink the l ake ?"

"Uh-huh,  an d so c an  yo u ." Ge org e cup ped hi s  hands  together ,s cooped water f r o ma pa ssing wave and to o ka  satisfying gu lp. "I t' s  g o o d w ate r. Go ahea dand t r y it."St e l l a h e sitated for a  few second s , a nd the nshe reache d ove rt heside, scoop ed u p a handf ul ofw ater an d  slurpe d.

"W ell ? W hatd oyo u t hi n k?" 
" It' s  go od. We'v ego t a w hole l a k e to  dr ink.  Whoknew?" Stella  un wrap p edthe s andwi ch a nd  took  a bit e. "W ehad hamburgersfordinner bu t I  d idn 't  eatm ine."
"I  co uld sur e go fo r  on eo f th ose now."

"Me too ." "M e three! " Fred d y' sh ead peri sc ope d th r o ugh t he t o pof the T WA tot e ."W hat's f or  grub,  s hip mat es?""Hi,  Fredd y..." St ellap retended Fredd y 's newfound t a le n t  f o r ta lkwas no bigdeal ,  but  act u al lyh is gi ft of  g a br eally threw her for  a  loop.  In f act when shefirst woke u p  she tho ught th e  whole talking  Fred dy thing h a d been p art o f a stra nge dream , but nope , h ere  he  wa s ,  r eady to share h is f er ret tho ugh ts, hop esand  dr eam s,  and choc k-full o ffe rr et  qu estio n s.

"May be  aca n o f Mig h ty Cat  Tant aliz in gT una , Toots ? "" Sorr y,  n o ca t f oo d, Fr eddy .  Ho w about  some tan tal i zing  c an dy corn  instead?"

" Tr ick or tre at ."Freddy s tuck out  his paw.

George eyedF reddy w ith  susp icio n. "Didn' t k now yo u c o uld ac tually  teac ha f e r ret t o ta lk. "
"You can' t ,  Imean,  I  did n't. He  just started talk i ngtotally on hi s o wn y e s te rda y ." 
"W he r e'd y ou learn how to  talk?" as ke d  G eorge.

"W h ere 'd  you le arn how  to r o w?" ask ed Freddy .

"What' sthat s upp osed to me an?"

"T ake a loo k  arou n d,  kid.  Do es thi sloo k lik e Wenr y  He ath?" 

Geor ge  frown ed at  F reddy.
"And
 took_a bite._His face became thoughtful_as he_chewed._"If we_get_thirsty, at least_there's plenty to_drink."

"Where?"

"We're floating on it."

Stella_looked confused.

"The lake."

"You_drink_the lake?"

"Uh-huh, and so can you." George cupped his hands together, scooped water from_a_passing wave_and_took_a satisfying gulp. "It's good_water. Go ahead and try_it."

Stella hesitated_for a few seconds, and then she reached_over_the side, scooped_up a handful of water and slurped.

"Well? What do_you think?"

"It's good. We've got a_whole lake to_drink._Who_knew?" Stella unwrapped the_sandwich and took a bite. "We_had hamburgers for dinner but I_didn't eat mine."

"I could sure go for_one of those now."

"Me too."

"Me three!"_Freddy's head periscoped through the_top of_the TWA tote. "What's for_grub, shipmates?"

"Hi, Freddy..."_Stella pretended_Freddy's newfound talent_for talk was no big deal,_but actually his_gift of gab really threw her_for_a loop. In_fact_when_she first_woke up she_thought_the whole_talking_Freddy thing had been part of_a_strange dream, but nope, here he was,_ready to share his_ferret_thoughts, hopes and dreams,_and chock-full of ferret questions.

"Maybe_a can of Mighty Cat Tantalizing_Tuna, Toots?"

"Sorry,_no cat_food, Freddy. How about some tantalizing candy corn instead?"

"Trick or treat."_Freddy stuck out his paw.

George eyed_Freddy with suspicion. "Didn't_know you_could_actually teach a_ferret_to talk."

"You_can't, I mean, I didn't. He just_started talking_totally on his own yesterday."

"Where'd you_learn how to talk?"_asked_George.

"Where'd you learn how to row?"_asked Freddy.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take_a look around, kid. Does_this_look_like Wenry Heath?"

George frowned at_Freddy.

"And