A light snow was falling at the Rainbow Bridge and Oliver was up very
early to see if there was enough snow to play in. The otters had left
the area for warmer parts, and Oliver was hoping their mudslide was
covered in snow and ready to use.

No. 421 was just opening his eyes when Oliver stepped out the door.

"Hey where are you going," No. 421 shouted. "I may need you today, we
has a ferret named Rascal that passed in October and The Receiving
Angel is looking for him."

"I'll keep my eye out for him," Oliver said as he hurried down the
path.

Oliver could hear the shouts and dooking as the other ferrets slid
down the Otter Slide.

"Hi Oliver," they shouted. "Come on and slide with us. The Otters
won't be back until spring so we can use this for now."

Oliver ran to the top of the slide and zipped down. Boy, that was
fun. He was just climbing up for a second run when Bluebird flew up.

"Hi Oliver," Bluebird chirped. "Have you seen a handsome silver mitt
boy looking lost," she said. "He passed in October and The Receiving
Angel has not received his ticket back. Here is a poster, let me know
if you see him," she said as she flew away.

Two ferrets, Sam and Gideon came running up the hill to join in the
fun.

"Boy, this is just like home," Sam said as he stepped off the ridge
and began to slide down the hill. "Remember how we used to play with
Rascal? Wonder how he is doin?"

Gideon had just reached the bottom of the slide when he spotted a
poster on a tree.

"Hey Sam, does this look like our Rascal to you?" Gideon said.
"Bluebird just posted it."

Sam ran over to take a look. "Lets see, lost one silver mitt boy. Leave
a note with Skye or The Receiving Angel if you have any information
regarding this ferret."

"Let's go see that big feller that is on the bridge sometimes," Sam
said. "Hey Oliver, is No. 421 home -- we has to see him for a minute?"

"Last I knew," Oliver said. "Hey wait a minute, I'll come with you."

The three ferrets walked back to No. 421's cabin. He was on the porch
with Bluebird and was looking at the "Lost Ferret Poster."

"Wait a minute," No. 421 said. "I remember this one, he just slipped by
because he did not have family here, or so he thought. I think he built
that tunnel maze mound down by the lost river."

The four ferrets hurried down to the riverbank and, and there in an
elaborate tunnel house, was a ferret that looked like the poster
ferret. He was making a "Y" in a tunnel.

"Hello," No. 421 shouted. "We are looking for a ferret named Rascal.
You look almost like this picture."

The ferret boy stepped back into his tunnel and came out with a gate
ticket.

"I'm Rascal," he said. "There was no one here when I arrived so I just
took my ticket off the desk and found my way here. I have built a home
with tunnels and rooms and I am quite happy. If you find my family,
Sam and Gideon, tell them where I am. I do not make friends easily,
but these two are family. I have made room for them to move in and
we can run through my tunnel home like we used to."

"We are here," said Sam and Gideon together. "Wow, just look at this
place. We have a small mound that we built, but it is nothing like
this. You have a maze; I'll bet this is fun to run through."

"Hi ol' Buddy," Rascal said. "I sure missed you. Never was the same
after you left. Go get your stuff and move in with me. We can all
live together here and wait for our human Mom."

The three ferrets hugged and dooked, and Rascal thanked No. 421 for
helping Sam and Gideon find him.

"Thank Bluebird, she was the one that made up the posters, No. 421
said. "I'll just take your ticket back to the gate, The Receiving
Angel is in a sweat looking for it."

Oliver and No. 421 went back to the gate with the ticket and told The
Receiving Angel Rascal had been found and reunited with his family.

The two friends went back to their cabin for a light lunch. Oliver did
the dishes while No. 421 wrote in his logbook -- Mission accomplished,
Rascal had been here for almost two months and set up a very different
home for himself. He is a quiet boy but his family has moved in. The
three will be running around in a maze of tunnels till their human Mom
comes for them. The Receiving Angels' books are back in order with
everyone accounted for. It has been a long morning; I guess I'll take
a nap.

[Posted in FML 6541]