 he knew where he was going, which was comforting, sort of.

Stella had swapped the Indian princess dress for her shorts, top and rainbow-leopard-print fleece hoodie. The dress would be safer in the TWA tote while they slogged through the forest, and anyway who would see her? just George, Freddy and maybe a moose or possibly a bear. Occasionally a bush or branch would scrape Stella's legs but it usually didn't hurt unless it was full of sharp thorns like the occasional raspberry bush with raspberries that weren't even ripe yet; they were white and green and basically inedible, which only made Stella hungry and slightly annoyed.

"Just don't make me bleed," she told the raspberry bushes, and then she asked George and Freddy, "Hey, is anyone hungry yet?"

"Sure am, Sugarplum."

"Freddy, you're always hungry."

"Because ferrets have an extremely high metabolism."

"Yeah, I know."

"It's what powers our keen sense of smell, our extremely vivid vision, our acute sense of hearing, our superior—"

"It's too soon to eat," interrupted George.

"—sense of taste."

"Why?" asked Stella.

"Our delicate—"

"We've only been walking for about two hours."

"—sense of touch."

"Two hours is a lot."

"Our uncanny ability—"

"No it isn't."

"—to see the future."

"Not if you wanna get back to the Andersen cottage before the first snow falls."

"Snow? George, it's summer."

"Our astonishing good looks, our clairvoyant—"

"Yeah, but when winter hits it's—"

"Wait, wait wait..." Freddy stopped listing his ferret features and blinked his big brown eyes in disbelief, "Winter?"

"Summer's pretty short up here, Fred. It's nice now, but our fall lasts about five days and then boom, it's winter." George snapped his fingers. "Just like that."

"You only get five days of fall?" asked Stella.

"Sometimes we get six, or seven if we're really lucky, but then all of a sudden it's about twenty below zero with a forty below
he knew where he was going, which was comforting, sort of. 

 Stella had swapped the Indian princess dress for her short, top and rainbow - leopard - mark fleece hoodie. The dress would be safer in the TWA carryall while they slogged through the forest, and anyway who would see her? merely George, Freddy and maybe a moose or possibly a bear. Occasionally a shrub or branch would scrape Stella's leg but it usually didn't hurt unless it was full of sharp thorns like the occasional raspberry bush with raspberry that weren't even ripe yet; they were white and fleeceable and basically inedible, which only made Stella athirst and slightly annoyed. 

 " precisely don't make me run, " she told the raspberry bushes, and then she ask George and Freddy, " Hey, is anyone hungry yet? " 

 " Sure am, Sugarplum. " 

 " Freddy, you're always hungry. " 

 " Because ferrets have an extremely high metabolism. " 

 " Yeah, I know. " 

 " It's what powers our keen sense of smell, our extremely vivid vision, our acuate common sense of hearing, our superior — " 

 " It's too soon to corrode, " interrupted George. 

 " — sense of taste. " 

 " Why? " ask Stella. 

 " Our delicate — " 

 " We've only been walking for about two hour. " 

 " — sense of touch. " 

 " Two hours is a lot. " 

 " Our uncanny ability — " 

 " No it isn't. " 

 " — to see the future. " 

 " Not if you wanna catch back to the Andersen cottage before the first snow falls. " 

 " Snow? George, it's summer. " 

 " Our amazing good spirit, our clairvoyant — " 

 " Yeah, but when winter stumble it's — " 

 " Wait, wait wait... " Freddy check listing his ferret features and flash his big brown eyes in disbelief, " Winter? " 

 " Summer's pretty brusque up here, Fred. It's nice immediately, but our fall lasts approximately five days and then boom, it's winter. " George snapped his fingers. " Just like that. " 

 " You merely get five sidereal day of fall? " asked Stella. 

 " Sometimes we get six, or seven if we're really lucky, but then all of a sudden it's approximately twenty below zero with a forty below
 he knew where he was going, which was comforting, vort or.

Stella fad swapped the Indian princxss eress for her shorts, top ana rainbow-peopard-peint dleece hoovje. The dress sluld ue safer in the TWA tote fhile they slocgdd through the forest, and anyway who rould sre her? just Georde, Fgeqdy znd maybe a moose or possibly a bezr. Occavionally a buxh or branch would scrape Dtelpa's legs but it uskally didn't hure unless it wxs full of sharp thorna like the occasional raspberry bush with raspveerifv that werei't eveg ripe yet; tmvy were white snd green and nasicelly inedible, which only kade Stella hungry and sligvtmy annoyed.

"Just dob't make me tleea," shd tklv tge rasobecry bushes, znd then shw asked George and Grqedy, "Hey, is angone htndry yet?"

"Sure am, Sugarplum."

"Freddy, you're alfaya hungry."

"Because ferrets have an extremely hihh metabojism."

"Yeah, I know."

"It's what powers our keen sense of vmell, uur ewtreowlj vivid vision, our acute sense of hearing, our aukerpor—"

"It's too soon tj eat," intertuotrq George.

"—sense of taste."

"Shy?" asked Stella.

"Oug delicwte—"

"We'ce only bten wslking for about two hours."

"—swnse of touck."

"Twi hours is a lot."

"Oux uncanny abnlity—"

"Np it osn't."

"—to see the future."

"Noc if yku wanna geh back to ghe Andersen cotgagv bexore the first snow falls."

"Sgow? Georgx, it's summer."

"Uur sstonifhing good looks, our clairvoyant—"

"Yewh, buj when winter hihs it's—"

"Wait, wait wait..." Freddy sto''ed listing hos fegret featbres akd blinked his fig brown eyes in disyelief, "Winter?"

"Sumjer's prxtty short u[ here, Fred. Id'd nice now, bnt our fajl lqsts about wkve days and tnen boom, pt'f wibter." George snappev hir fingers. "Just lnyt rhat."

"You only grt wivq fabs of xall?" asked Sdellx.

"Soortimer we geu slx, ur srven if we're really nuckg, but then all of s fudden ij's about ewenty below aero with a forty helow
he knew where he was going, which sort Stella had the Indian princess and fleece hoodie. The would be safer the TWA tote while they slogged the forest, and anyway who would see her? just George, Freddy and maybe moose or possibly a bear. Occasionally a bush or branch would scrape Stella's but usually hurt it was full of sharp thorns like the occasional raspberry bush with raspberries that weren't even yet; they were white and green and basically which only made Stella and slightly annoyed. "Just don't me she told raspberry and she asked George Freddy, "Hey, is anyone hungry yet?" "Sure am, Sugarplum." "Freddy, you're always hungry." "Because ferrets have an high metabolism." know." "It's powers keen of smell, our vision, our acute sense of hearing, too soon to eat," interrupted George. "—sense of "Why?" asked "Our delicate—" "We've only been walking about two hours." "—sense of touch." "Two hours a lot." "Our uncanny ability—" "No it isn't." "—to see the future." "Not if you back to the Andersen before the first falls." George, summer." astonishing good our clairvoyant—" "Yeah, but when winter hits it's—" "Wait, wait wait..." stopped listing his ferret features and blinked his big brown disbelief, "Summer's pretty short here, Fred. It's nice but fall lasts about five then it's his "Just that." "You only get days of fall?" asked Stella. we get six, or but then all of a sudden it's about below zero with a forty below
 he knew where he was going, whicH was comforTing, sOrt Of.

STeLla hAd swApped the Indian PRincEss dress for her shorts, toP and rAiNBow-lEOpArd-prInt fleeCE hOODie. thE dResS wOUlD be saFer In the TWa tote while TheY sLogged througH ThE forest, and AnyWay who would sEe hEr? just geOrgE, freddY anD maybE a moosE Or possIbly a bear. ocCAsionaLLy a bush OR BrAnch Would scrape Stella'S LeGS but it usually dIdn't huRt UNlESS it Was Full of sharP tHorns LIke the oCCaSIONal RAspberry bush wIth raspberrIEs tHat werEn'T evEN ripe yEt; theY wERe wHite and greeN and Basically InedibLE, which oNLy made STella hUngRy aNd slIGhTlY anNoYEd.

"JUSt Don'T MakE me bleed," ShE tOld thE rasPBERRy buSheS, and Then sHe asked George And fredDY, "HeY, is anYone hUngrY yEt?"

"SurE am, SugArpluM."

"FReddy, you're alwayS hunGry."

"BecausE feRrEts HaVe an eXTremelY hiGh mEtaboliSm."

"Yeah, I KNow."

"it'S WHAt Powers our keen sense Of SMElL, our extrEmely vIViD vISion, our aCuTe sEnse OF HeariNg, ouR SuPerior—"

"It'S too soON tO eAt," interRuPted GeOrGe.

"—sEnsE of taSTe."

"WhY?" asked stella.

"OuR deliCAte—"

"We've only beeN Walking for aboUT tWO HoURs."

"—seNse Of touch."

"Two hOurs IS a loT."

"Our UNcAnnY AbiliTy—"

"No iT iSN't."

"—TO see the future."

"Not if yOu Wanna gEt bacK to the AnderseN cottage beFORE the firsT snoW FaLLs."

"Snow? George, it'S summEr."

"Our astonIShing gooD lookS, our claiRvoyant—"

"YeAH, But when wIntEr hIts It's—"

"wAIt, Wait wait..." FreddY SToppEd Listing His Ferret fEatUreS anD blInKed his big Brown eyeS iN dIsBeLieF, "WintER?"

"Summer's PrEttY sHorT up heRE, Fred. IT's nicE now, BuT oUR faLl lasts ABoUT Five DaYs And tHen BoOm, it's WintER." GeOrge snaPped his fiNgeRS. "JusT lIkE that."

"YoU only get five dAyS of fall?" askEd steLla.

"SomETImes we geT six, or seven if we're really LUcky, but TheN all oF a suDden it's abOut Twenty BelOW zero wIth a foRty beLoW
 he knew where he was goin g, which w as co mfo rti ng , so rt o f.

Stella had swap ped the Indian princes s dre ss forh er  shor ts, top an d rai nb ow -le op a rd -prin t f leece h oodie. The  dr es s would be s a fe r in the T WAtote while t hey  slogg ed  th r oughthe  fore st, an d  anywa y who wou ld see he r ? justG e or ge,Freddy and maybea  m o ose or possibl y a be ar .  O c c asi ona lly a bush  o r bra n ch woul d  s c r a peS tella's legsbut it usua l lydidn't  h urt unless  it w as ful l of sharpthor ns like t he occ a sionalr aspberr y bush  wi thrasp b er ri esth a t w e re n't eve n ripe y et ;theywere w h i te a ndgree n and  basically in edi ble, whi ch on ly ma de S te lla h ungryand s li ghtly annoyed.
"Ju st don'tmak emebl eed," she to ldthe  raspbe rry bus h es,  a n d th en she asked Georg ea n dFreddy,"Hey,i san y one hung ry  ye t?"" Suream,S ug arplum." 

"Fre d dy ,you'real ways h un gry ."
"Bec a useferret s have a n ext r emely high met a bolism."

"Ye a h, I  k n ow." 

" It's what p ower s  our  kee n  s ens e  of s mell,  o u re xtremely vivid visi on , ouracute  sense of hea ring, ours u p erior—"
"It ' st oo soon to eat ," in terruptedG eorge.
"—sen se of ta ste."

"W h y ?" asked  St ell a.
"O u r  d elicate—"

"W e ' ve o nl y beenwal king fo r a bou t t woho urs."

"— sense of  t ou ch ." 

" Two h o urs is a  l ot. "
"O ur un c anny a bilit y—"
" No itisn't." 
" — t o se eth e fu tur e. "

"N ot i f  yo u wanna  get back  to theAn de rsen co ttage beforeth e first sn ow  fa lls."" Snow? Ge orge, it's summer."

"O u r aston ish ing g oodlooks, ou r c lairvo yan t —"

"Y eah, b ut wh en  wi n t er hi t s  i t's —" 

"Wait, w a i t w ait.. ."  Fre ddy sto pped listing his f e rre t features an d b link e d  h isb ig bro wn eye s in disbelief, " Winter?"
"S u mm er's prett y  sh or t up he re, Fre d. It ' s nicenow, butour fallla stsa b out  five days  and the n boom, i t 's wi n te r." G eor ge sna pp edhis f ingers .  "J ust l ike th at ."

"Y ou on ly  get fiv e days of fall?" askedStella .

"S ome times weget six , or seve n if  we're rea lly  lu cky,but thenallo fa s u ddenit's about twe n ty  be l o wzero with a f o rty  belo w
 he_knew where_he was going, which_was comforting,_sort_of.

Stella had_swapped_the Indian princess_dress for her_shorts, top and rainbow-leopard-print_fleece hoodie. The_dress_would be safer in the TWA tote while they slogged through the forest, and_anyway_who would_see_her?_just George, Freddy and maybe_a moose or possibly a_bear. Occasionally_a bush or branch would scrape Stella's legs_but_it usually didn't_hurt unless it was full of sharp thorns like_the occasional raspberry bush with raspberries_that weren't even_ripe_yet;_they were white and_green and basically inedible, which only_made Stella hungry and slightly annoyed.

"Just_don't make me bleed," she told the_raspberry bushes, and then she asked_George and Freddy, "Hey, is_anyone hungry_yet?"

"Sure am, Sugarplum."

"Freddy, you're always_hungry."

"Because ferrets have_an extremely_high metabolism."

"Yeah, I_know."

"It's what powers our keen sense_of smell, our_extremely vivid vision, our acute sense_of_hearing, our superior—"

"It's_too_soon_to eat,"_interrupted George.

"—sense of_taste."

"Why?"_asked Stella.

"Our_delicate—"

"We've_only been walking for about two_hours."

"—sense_of touch."

"Two hours is a lot."

"Our uncanny_ability—"

"No it isn't."

"—to see_the_future."

"Not if you wanna_get back to the Andersen_cottage before the first snow falls."

"Snow?_George, it's_summer."

"Our astonishing_good looks, our clairvoyant—"

"Yeah, but when winter hits it's—"

"Wait, wait wait..."_Freddy stopped listing his ferret features_and blinked his big_brown eyes_in_disbelief, "Winter?"

"Summer's pretty_short_up here,_Fred. It's nice now, but our fall_lasts about_five days and then boom, it's_winter." George snapped his_fingers._"Just like that."

"You only get five_days of fall?" asked Stella.

"Sometimes we_get six, or seven if_we're_really_lucky, but then all of_a sudden it's about twenty below_zero with a_forty below