No. 421 and Oliver were looking at the new seed catalogue when there
was a tap on the windowpane. Bluebird was trying to get someone's
attention. She had a ticket from The Receiving Angel and she looked
like she was upset.

"Hello Bluebird," Oliver said. "What brings you out here so soon?"

I have another ticket for you' she chirped. "A very sweet little girl,
Lil'Bit, has crossed over and, you remember Jack who came over a few
days ago, well, this is his buddy. You need to go and find Jack. After
that, we'll figure out what to do." And with that said, she turned on
her dewclaw and flew away.

Oliver went in to see No. 421 and tell him about Lil Bit. No. 421 was
trying to remember Jack. "Oh yes," No. 421 said. "He was the first of
his family to cross the bridge; he was the one that stayed with us
overnight, and you helped him with his new mound. Now I remember. How
is his mound coming along?"

"Oh it is all done." Oliver said. "We had that finished in one day,
and he has been putting the finishing touches on it."

"Well, you go get him, tell him family is coming and I'll meet the two
of you at the bridge," No. 421 said.

Oliver dashed out of the cabin and down the hill to the field by the
Silver Stream where Jack had built his mound.

Hey Jack, yoo-hoo Jack, you up and dressed," Oliver called. "I need
you to come with me to meet someone."

Jack stuck his head out the door and called to Oliver to come in and
see the finished rooms. "I worked late last night, and I have it all
finished," he said. "What brings you out this early?"

"Jack" Oliver said. "I have some bad news for you. Lil'Bit passed over
the bridge and I was hoping you were far enough along with the mound
that she could come here."

"Of course she can come and stay with me," Jack said. "Just let me get
my jacket and we can go. I'll bet she is afraid."

No. 421 had just settled in his chair when he heard someone crying. He
looked around and saw a pretty little girl ferret sitting on the step
on the bridge. She had been crying for some time, and a whole field of
For-Get-Me-Nots had sprung up around her. No. 421 walked over and
lifted her up. He carried her over to his big chair, took out a soft
cloudy tissue and began to wipe her tears away.

"And who are you," No. 421 said. "Would you be Lil'Bit?"

"Yes, that is my name," the little ferret said. "I was out in the big
world, and I was attacked." She stopped and wiped her dainty nose on
No. 421's shirt. "I made it back to daddy Micheal, he washed me up but
I was so tired, I fell asleep in his arms. Then I woke up here, alone,
and my daddy is not around."

Just then, Jack and Oliver came running down the path. Lil'Bit looked
up and started to cry again. "Oh Jack, is it really you?" she said.
"I'm so scared, I want my family; I want my daddy Micheal."

Jack came over to Lil'Bit and took her paw. "I cannot get our daddy
for you," he said. "But, you and I can add more rooms onto my brand
new mound and we can wait for him to come and get us."

"When will he come, " Little Bit asked? "How did you get here, and
where are we anyway?"

"You are at The Rainbow Bridge," No. 421 said. "You were badly hurt
so The Receiving Angel called you home." No. 421 explained. "He had
to get you out of the pain you were in, so he just pushed your ticket
through."

"Was that the nice man with the wings," Lil'Bit asked?

"Yes," Jack said. "He is a real cool guy. You're going to like it here,
and we will have fun, just you wait and see."

No. 421 called to Shooting Star to come out and meet Lil'Bit. Lil'Bits
eyes were big and round. She looked and looked. "You're a star," she
said. "Are you hurt too?"

Shooting Star said she was not hurt; this was her home. Then she
offered to take a message back to daddy Micheal for her.

"Lil Bit smiled a beautiful smile and the tears just dried up. Then she
said in a low voice, tell my daddy I'm fine now. Tell him I don't hurt
anymore, except around my heart when I think of him. Tell him I met up
with Jack who said I could live with him. Jack said he has a room
already for me and I will have fun. If Jack said so, it must be true.
Tell everyone I said Hi, and I love them all. Thank you Daddy for
helping me and holding me until I fell asleep and met Jack. I'll be
here when you come to get me, just ask the man with the wings the way
to Jack's house."

Shooting Star wrapped the message with lots of hugs and kisses and
called for Gentle Breeze to come by and pick her up.

Oliver and Jack picked some Forget-Me-Nots for Lil'Bit and Oliver told
No. 421 he would be home after Lil'Bit was settled in. Jack, Lil'Bit
and Oliver started down the hill to Jack's mound, and No. 421 went home
to his cabin. He put another log in the stove and the water on to boil.

He settled down with his logbook and wrote, Mission Accomplished. Lil'
Bit is with Jack and I think she will be all right in a few days. She
was crying when she arrived, but she seemed happier with Jack.

The fire was warming up the cabin when No. 421 put some raisins on to
boil. Oliver was sure to be hungry when he came home.

He made a note to stop by Bakin' Bertha's and tell Honey and Fang that
a new little girl had arrived. Those girls were wonderful and he knew
they would make Lil'Bit feel better. Then he decided to move the soup
to the back burner, settle down in his big comfy chair and take a short
nap before dinner.

[Posted in FML 7022]