Search For The New-Moon Stones
	Story by Allen Morgan
	art by Doreen Foster
	Full length novel: ages 9 - 12
	seventeen chapters - 160 pages

Chapter Two (part d)

Jennifer was very relieved to hear that they could stay. So was her mother. They both smiled happily at each other as they followed Moffat up the stairs to the second floor. It didn't take long to find them a bed, there seemed to be any number of them available. The only thing was, all of the rooms were already occupied.

"You can sleep here," Moffat told Mrs. Jones as he dumped a large groundhog off the spread.

"Fine," she answered and she put down the suitcases.

But she wasn't really paying attention and by the time she came over to the bed, the groundhog had gone underneath it. Jennifer decided not to say anything. What her mother didn't know probably wouldn't hurt her, at least not too much.

"There's a bathroom in here... " said Moffat.

Jennifer followed him in. The first thing she saw was the raccoon, he was sitting in the bathtub like he owned it. Perhaps he did, it certainly looked like he kept most of his personal belongings there. Moffat waved for him to go away. The raccoon gave a rather disgusted look, then he got out of the tub and climbed out the window.

"You don't mind sharing a bath do you?" said Moffat.

"Not at all," said Mrs. Jones as she came in.

Jennifer blinked in surprise. It was hard to believe that her mother could seriously be interested in bathing with a raccoon. She decided she wasn't and had probably not even noticed him at all. It was entirely possible. Her mother didn't seem to be noticing anything.

"Jennifer can sleep in here," said Moffat. He opened a door on the other side of the bathroom and went into the room beyond. Mrs. Jones followed him.

"Oh, it's beautiful I " she cried. "Jenny, come see I Jennifer went in. The room was on the back of the house with a wall of windows that looked out onto the ravine. The woods seemed magical and full of promise. The darkness of the coming night was creeping out of the shadows below while the last bit of light from the afterglow had turned the tree tops golden. A gentle breeze moved through the trees and turned the leaves this way and that. They made a sound like the falling water of a distant waterfall.

Jennifer sat down on the bed. She felt very happy. She had always wanted a room just like this.

"Time for bed now Jenny," said her mother.

Jennifer nodded her head. She took off her shoes and slipped in under the covers. The bed was as comfortable as it looked so she decided to close her eyes and see just how it would feel to go to sleep in it.

"She's tired from the train," she heard her mother say and then there were footsteps walking away.

Jennifer couldn't say exactly how it happened, she was sure she hadn't actually fallen asleep; but when she opened her eyes again it seemed to be later. The stars were out and it was completely dark in the ravine down below. The night was deep and quiet and kind; it seemed oddly familiar, like an old friend wearing a mysterious new coat.

Jennifer rolled over and looked towards the bathroom. A yellow glow shone out from under the door. She heard the sound of running water and she knew her mother was about to take a bath. It was a very comforting sound. Jennifer closed her-eyes again, and as she lay in bed listening to the splashing sound of the water inside and the wind outside, she felt something soft nestle in against her arm. She opened her eyes just a crack and peeked. The small baby skunk was curled up next to her in bed. Jennifer smiled and stroked his soft fur.

"Goodnight," she said and she closed her eyes. Soon she was fast asleep.