Extending his hand, Kahn shook Heath’s. “Deal.”
~/~/~/~/~
“Are you really a bear?” Galen asked Smokey.
“Theo sez he is,” Eamon replied. “Why are you askin’ him?”
“I’m just checkin,’” Galen said.
“Why?” asked Eamon.
“Cuz if he is, then maybe he’ll give me a ride like Carsey did on his wolf.”
“I want a ride too,” Eamon insisted.
Sighing, Smokey wondered how he ever got into this predicament.Oh yeah, my mates think it will do me good when our cub comes.He wasn’t convinced spending the afternoonwith members of the puppy pack would help him when it came to taking care of their cub, but if Theo thought so, he would try.
“Hey mister, whaz your name again?” asked Eamon.
“Smokey.”
“Smokey? What kinda name is that?” asked Eamon.
“It’s his name,” Galen replied. “Smokey the bear…you’re a bear, isn’t you?”
“Aren’t you,” Smokey said, correcting Galen.
“Aren’t you what? A bear?” asked Galen. “Theo said you waz.”
“I’m a bear…a grizzly bear.”
“What’s a grizzy bear?” asked Eamon.
“Agrizzlybear,” Smokey corrected.
“That’s what I said…a grizzy bear,” Eamon replied.
“Is your bear white like Theo’s?” asked Galen. “He makes us white bear cookies. Do you like cookies? I love ‘em.”
“Me too!” exclaimed Eamon. “Can I have a cookie? I’m hungry.”
Smokey was out of his depth. He never knew kids could talk so much about so little and have so many questions. They weren’t even a third of the way to the meadow and he was already exhausted.
Chuckling, Norm answered for Smokey. “No cookies until we stop.”
“Oh, man,” Eamon said, kicking at the loose gravel on the path. “That’s not fair, I need food.”
“Hey,” Galen said, tugging on Smokey’s hand, “will you give me a ride on your bear? I rode Carsey’s wolf and it was so cool.”
“I rode him too,” Eamon shouted, his voice echoing in the trees.
“No yelling in the woods,” Norm said softly.
Twisting his head so he could see Norm behind him, Galen asked, “Why not?’
“Because you’ll scare the animals,” Smokey replied.
“What animals?” asked Eamon, looking around.
