They pulled into the parking lot at the lake and Mr. Rowan came around to open the tailgate.

“Hello, troops,” he boomed.

With his big belly, bushy beard, and laughing eyes, Mr. Rowan had always reminded Jess of a younger version of Santa Claus. Mrs. Rowan was half his size, and about twice as strict. They all loved her, of course. Mrs. Rowan was Jess’s mom’s best friend. But today the boys didn’t seem too upset that their no-nonsense mom wasn’t here to keep them in line. Mrs. Rowan was away for the week. She was taking care of the twins’ grandma who lived about fifty miles from Cedar.

There were only two other cars in the parking lot today, a beat-up Toyota and a white pickup. There was an older woman standing by the truck. Even from a distance, they could see her long gray braid and bright smile.

“Hello!” she called out with a wave. “What a day!”

“You said it!” Mr. Rowan exclaimed.

It was usually pouring rain around here in late March. But this morning the sky was bright blue and the sun shined down.

“And just look at our pretty mountain,” Mr. Rowan said, putting an arm around each of the boys and smiling up at St. Helens.

The mountain’s lower slopes were blanketed with green trees. The top was covered with snow. Its perfect triangle peak sparkled in the sun. Jess always felt a flash of pride when she looked at St. Helens. No, it wasn’t as famous as Mount Hood, across the border in Oregon. And it wasn’t as tall as Mount Rainier, which loomed over Seattle, about two hundred miles to the north of Cedar. But folks who lived here knew St. Helens was the most beautiful mountain in the Cascade Range. And if most people had never heard of it, who cared?

Mr. Rowan gathered his supplies and headed to his fishing cabin.

“I’ll be organizing my gear,” he called. “Don’t go far. And, Jess, keep those boys out of trouble.”

“Will do!” Jess promised.

Jess and the twins watched him disappear down the little path that led to the cabin.

“This is going to be fun,” Sam said, rubbing his hands together.

“Fun?” Eddie said.

“Let’s face it,” Jess said. “We have nothing better to do.”

The twins nodded.

Cedar wasn’t a terrible place, but it sure was dull. Only about four hundred people lived there. The closest grocery store was twenty miles away. Last weekend the big excitement was the elk that wandered onto Main Street and blocked traffic for an hour.

But Jess and the twins had their mountain and their forests.

And they had each other.

Eddie held out his hand, palm up. Jess and Sam laid theirs on top of his. It was a three-way secret handshake they’d made up back in kindergarten.

“All for one,” Sam said.

“And one for all,” Jess and Eddie chorused.

Dad had taught them that saying a long time ago. It was from The Three Musketeers, which was a book way before it became the name of a candy bar. The book was about three best friends who’d do anything for each other.

Like Jess and the twins.

They linked arms and started marching toward the dark woods.

“Watch out, Skeleton Woman!” Sam screamed. “We’re coming to get you!”