[Primrose Bolger]

It was almost like having one of her friends from home along! Sassy’s spirits had lifted considerably with the appearance of Sam by her side. She didn’t mind the teasing name, but she knew the unwritten rule that you couldn’t let a friend get one up on you, so she stuck out her tongue at him.

She hauled her little pack off her back and dug down to the bottom of the main compartment. There was still a small coil of thin, strong rope and she hauled it out for Sam to see. She put it in his hands, telling him to go ahead and unwind it. As he did so, she got out one of her loop traps, and together they measured the length of it. Sassy offered to tie the slip knot on it, saying how her uncle had taught her the trick. But Sam’s fingers were nimble enough and soon they had two more traps to use. ‘Let’s give ‘em a try out tonight,’ Sassy said, testing the two knots and nodding her head at how well they worked.

Another game began, as Sassy caught the movement of a red squirrel in the branches of one of the trees ahead. ‘I spy, with my little eye,’ she began, nudging him to get his full attention. ‘Something . . . red . . .’