Over the din, Weazel said to himself, “Ya’d think a bear that fat would be easy ta spot.”

He impatiently plowed his way through the gift shop - knocking a paperweight off the shelf in the process - to the canyon overlook.

Here, there were more people, but not the ones he was searching for. He stood there for a few moments, scanning the crowd for the five bears. How’m I s’posed ta find those thieving bears with all of these stupid people in the way? What am I s’posed to do now, Heimlich?

A snippet of Heimlich’s advice came to him: When things look hopeless, Weasel, you cannot give in to despair. You need to find a way to gain perspective. Now, find that map or else!

“Ah-ha!” Weazel cried. He had just gotten a brainstorm.

To gain perspective, he decided to climb a scraggly pine tree that was growing just outside the wooden fence separating the overlook from the canyon. He clambered onto the fence railing and, using all of the strength that he had in his flabby arms, pulled himself up to the bottommost branch. “The things I do for a coupla quad-trillion dollars. Ouch!” He plucked a pine needle from his thumb.

Precariously perched astride the prickly limb, he put his binoculars to his eyes. Spying a foxy fox, he let out a wolf whistle. “Why can’t shehave the map instead of that fat pilot? Wouldn’t mind chasing her.” Then, he forced himself to focus on his objective. He finally found the family of bears. They were standing near a paddock full of mules that was beside the info center, listening to an attractive, young lioness dressed in cutoff shorts and a red flannel shirt rolled up to her elbows. Twin plaits of tawny hair hung over her shoulders.

“Howdy, folks. I’m Ellie Kay, your guide for today,” the lioness said with a pronounced southern accent. “Are you ready for your twelve-mile, narrated ride through the Colossal Canyon?”

Twelve miles? Weazel thought, alarmed. I’ve got to get that map now! In his haste, he fell from the tree, landing nose-down in the dirt. “Ow...” Despite the searing pain, he regained his feet quickly and hurried towards the paddock.

“Yeah!” Molly squealed in response to the guide’s question.

“One little lady’s ready.”

Weazel tried to sneak up on the bears undetected, but was betrayed by a mule braying, causing him to yelp and jump six and nine-tenths inches.

Ellie Kay said enthusiastically, “Oh, we’re got another rider. Welcome aboard, sir.”

“No...I...uh...that is...I’m just here for...” Weazel stammered, backing away.

Business-like, Ellie Kay said, “That’ll be five dollars, please.” She held out her hand.

With everyone’s eyes upon him, he had no other option. Weazel reluctantly reached for his wallet and gave her the money.

“Thank you, sir,” Ellie Kay said, slipping the money into her pocket. She resumed her perky tone. “Now, everyone pick out a mule, and don’t be afraid of them. They’re as gentle as kittens.” She took a good look at Baloo and suggested, “Why don’t you try Big Ben, sir?” She fondly patted the neck of the largest mule.

Seven mules were quickly saddled for the tourists and, one by one, the five bears and weasel mounted.

“Everybody ready?” Ellie Kay asked from the lead mule, looking over her shoulder at the group. “Here we go.”

“Whoa!” Baloo cried as his mule lurched forward.

Twelve miles, Weazel thought gloomily.

Six Miles Later

Frowning up at the broiling sun, Weazel slapped at a mosquito that was drowsily buzzing in his ear as he bumped along. Riding through the canyon may have been someone’s idea of a good time, but it wasn’t his. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place - literally. The jagged canyon wall loomed to his right. To the left was the steep drop-off into the gorge. All he wanted to do was get that map and go home, but he didn’t know how to do it. He was so deep in thought about his next move that he jumped in the saddle when a falcon screeched overhead.

Easy, Weazel, it’s just a little bird,he thought, trembling slightly. Chasing after that map was making him frazzled and jittery. He wished that he could be more like his surefooted mule, which seemed oblivious to all fear as it slowly, methodically plodded along the narrow trail, its long ears flapping.

The ride through the canyon would have been completely silent save for the steady clop-clop of the mules’ shod hooves against the rock and Ellie Kay’s annoyingly cheerful voice spouting a never-ending monologue.

“In addition to being one of Usland’s largest national parks, the Colossal Canyon serves as an ecological refuge. It’s home to over 1,500 plant species, 355 bird species, 89 mammalian species, 47 reptile species, 9 amphibian species, and 17 fish species.”

“Isn’t this great, Papa Bear?” Kit asked, looking over his shoulder at Baloo, who was on the mule right behind him.

“Yeah, sure, kid,” Baloo replied sarcastically. “Whoa, mule! Whoa!” He had been slipping and sliding on the saddle for the entire trip. His backside felt like one big black-and-blue bruise.

“And the view is spectacular,” Kit added, staring appreciatively at Ellie Kay’s slender form.

“Uh, the canyon’s over there, Li’l Britches,” Baloo chuckled.

“Kit likes a girl. Kit likes a girl.” Molly’s sing-song taunt echoed through the canyon, causing Kit’s face to flame beet red.

“Molly, don’t tease your brother,” Rebecca chided. She gently pried Cassie’s little fingers from the mule’s coarse mane.

Hearing a noise that started down low, then started to grow, Molly asked, “What’s that sound?”

“Uh, my confidence?” Baloo replied, wrenching himself back in the saddle with difficulty.

“The sound you’re hearing is the sound of the Twin Waterfalls, one of Colossal Canyon’s natural wonders,” Ellie Kay replied.

The mules rounded a bend in the canyon, allowing the riders a glimpse of the Twin Waterfalls. Two waterfalls, on opposite sides of the canyon, crashed hundreds of feet into the gorge below.

On the banks of a rushing river, Ellie Kay stopped and dismounted. Over the roar of the waterfalls, she shouted, “This is Promontory Point, folks, the halfway point of your tour. We’re now 1000 feet above the Coloradio River. We’ll stop here to stretch our legs and to look at the waterfalls. But be careful, people. Some of the rocks are slippery.”

Baloo fell off his mule with a ‘thump’ and a pained, “Oh...”

Kit and Molly hopped off easily, and Kit went to help his mother and baby sister.

When Ellie Kay ushered the bears to the ridge overlooking the canyon, Weazel saw his chance. He hurried to where the mules were standing, lined up beside the river, and stood on tiptoe to reach the pink bag that dangled from Big Ben’s saddle.

His fumbling fingers had almost freed the strap from the saddle horn when the rock he was standing on rolled beneath his feet. “Oh, nooooo!”

Arms flailing, he slid into the river and floated past the mules, who were placidly drinking.

“HEEEEELLLLPPP!” he spluttered, trying to keep his head above water as he was swept along with the current.

“Oh, my gosh! Look!” Rebecca gasped, pointing at Weazel bobbing in the river.

Quicker than a flash, Kit seized the coil of rope hanging from Ellie Kay’s belt, took out his airfoil, fanned it open, tied the rope around it, and flung the airfoil like a frisbee at the weasel.

Weazel miraculously grabbed onto the airfoil.

“Yay!” Molly shouted, clapping her hands.

“A little help here,” Kit said through gritted teeth, straining to hold onto the taut rope. Baloo and Ellie Kay also caught hold of the rope. Together, the three of them started to reel Weazel in.

But, then, Weazel’s strength gave out. He couldn’t fight against the current beating against him any longer. With a bloodcurdling, “Ahhhh!”, he was swept from the airfoil, over the waterfall.

Their equilibrium off-balance, Baloo, Kit, and Ellie Kay collapsed in a heap with a collective, “Oof!”

Molly gazed at the waterfall somberly and hugged her mother. Rebecca, tears beading in her eyes at the weasel’s horrible fate, hugged her daughters close to her.

Kit stood up and pulled his airfoil out of the river. He untied the rope from it and stared at it sadly.

“You tried, son,” Baloo said, putting a comforting arm around the boy’s shoulders.

“I should have tried harder,” Kit said fiercely. He closed the airfoil with a click of a button and concealed it beneath his shirt.

“I want to go home, Mom,” Molly murmured with a shuddering sigh.

“Shh, honey, it’ll be okay,” Rebecca cooed, meeting Baloo’s sorrowful eyes.

To the von Bruinwalds’ utter surprise, Ellie Kay said in her usual cheerful way, “Time to head back, folks.”

“But what about...about...him?” Kit exclaimed, gesturing to the river.

Ellie Kay let out a dismissive laugh. “Oh, this sort of thing happens all the time. Don’t worry. A rafting party will be along. They’ll pick him up. Come on, now. Stay together, people.”

Downstream...

A soggy and