NO. 421 had just poured himself a big glass of ice water with a little
bit of ferretone in it, and sat down to a plate of Honey's Paw Print
cookies, when there was a knock at his door. Little Oliver was standing
there, puffing because he had run all the way from the Receiving Angels
desk.

"Hey No. 421, we has had a few slow weeks at the Rainbow Bridge, but
now a lot of fuzzies are coming in, an all de Greeters is busy, and
Sara Ferret is got several orders backed up, and she is running around
trying to get everyone settled, so the Big Boss asked me to get you to
help Sara Ferret out."

"Whew, that is a mouthful," No. 421 said. "Well, I was just about to
sit down to a snack, so why don't you come in, pour yourself something
to drink, and have some of Honey's Paw Print cookies. Let me see the
list, you clutched it so tight it is all wrinkled. Uhmmm let me see,
Chance and Isis, buddies on earth are here. Ok, I can handle that."

No. 421 wiped the cookie crumbs from his whiskers. He asked Oliver to
put a few in a little bag for Chance and Isis when he found them. Then
the two friends set out for the Bridge.

No. 421 sent Oliver to see the Receiving Angel to find out if Chance
and Isis had any brothers or sisters that were already at the Bridge.
He had just settled himself in his chair when Sara Ferret ran over and
gave him a receiving ticket from the Receiving Angel. There were two
sable kids, waiting for him at the other side of the Bridge. Shading
his eyes, No. 421 stood up and waved the two forward.

Chance was limping a little, but Isis held his paw and the two came
over together. No. 421 stood up to his tallest height and said in
his kindest voice, "Welcome to the Rainbow Bridge. I know you were
expecting Sara Ferret, but she could not come. So I am here to greet
you and help you feel at home."

Chance held Isis paw very tight and the two looked frightened, but No.
421 was doing his best to make them feel welcome. He asked if they had
any friends that had come before them.

Chance just stood there and looked at his feet. He did not know what to
say to this kind ferret who wanted to know about his family. He wished
he was home with his momma Sandi. She always made him feel better. She
took care of him when his legs hurt, and she was very good to him.
Everything was easier when he was with her.

Now he and Isis were here all alone.

"Yahoo, hey No. 421, I'se found them," Oliver shouted as he ran toward
the Bridge with Rascal, Bandit and Lola. "They were all in their mound
in the Field of Dreams and were just fixing supper. I left the cookies
there for dessert."

Chance and Isis just looked, and then started to dance and dook. "Hey
ol' Buddy, I sure missed you. One day you just disappeared and we was
wondering were you got to. How ya doin'?"

The five ferrets all dooked together and danced around, and No. 421
said to Oliver, I don't think they will need us any more. Rascal, Lola
and Bandit took Chance and Isis by the paw and the five friends started
home. Rascal thanked No. 421 for greeting his brother and sister and
said to stop by in a day or two and see how things were going.

Rascal and Bandit had been building an addition on to the mound, so
there was room for all the ferrets to live together.

Oliver and No. 421 walked back to the cabin and No. 421 invited Oliver
to stay for supper. He suggested they stop by Baking Bertha's Bakery
and bring in some wood. Bertha and Honey just might pay them with some
more cookies. They could have them to snack on after supper.

The duck soup was bubbling softly on the stove, and the sounds of
dooking could be heard coming up from the mound where Rascal, Bandit,
Lola, Chance and Isis were catching up on all the news from home. Just
before they went to bed, the shooting star came by to see if Chance
and Isis wanted to send a message home.

Chance told her to tell their Mom Sandi that they were all together at
the Bridge, they were very happy, and would wait until she came for
them.

Shooting Star said she would deliver the message and would ask the
Gentle Breeze to drop a kiss on Momma Sandi's cheek when she next
stepped out the door of their former home.

No. 421 and Oliver ate their supper, and sat on the couch with a bag of
cookies. Oliver had had a big day and was getting very sleepy, so No.
421 tucked him in and blew out the light.

Just before he jumped into his bed, he wrote in his logbook that Chance
and Isis had been reunited with Rascal, Bandit, and Lola. Then he
settled down for a peaceful night, knowing he did the best he could to
make everyone happy.

[Posted in FML 6208]