CHAPTER 60

THE FISH

“Help! Help! He’s got my tail!” Paddler was splashing and screaming in the pond. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver were nowhere to be seen, so Roz picked up a fallen tree branch and stomped into the shallows.

“Grab on to this!” she said as she reached out with the branch. Paddler grabbed it with his big teeth, and the robot lifted him up out of the water. And there, hanging from the young beaver’s tail, was Rockmouth, the grumpy old pike. In one quick movement, Roz pulled in the branch and gripped the fish with her two hands. Paddler flopped into the water, where his parents suddenly appeared.

“What is wrong with you, Rockmouth?” Mrs. Beaver dragged her son away. “You’ve always been a nuisance, but this time you’ve gone too far! Do us all a favor, Roz, and toss him to the vultures!”

“I cannot do that,” said the robot. “But I might be able to help.”

Roz placed Rockmouth in a deep puddle near the pond where he couldn’t swim away. Then she waited for the fish to explain himself. Fish aren’t very talkative, especially grumpy fish like Rockmouth. But eventually he opened up to the robot, and before long she was waving for the beavers to join them.

“Rockmouth used to live in the river,” said Roz as the beavers shuffled over. “But you trapped him here when you built your dam. He has been angry about it ever since.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to attack my son!” hollered Mr. Beaver.

“It most certainly does not!” hollered Mrs. Beaver.

“I’d be upset too,” said Paddler softly. “I’d hate to be kept away from my home. Mr. Rockmouth, you should have said something sooner!”

The fish looked up from the puddle with a frustrated expression that meant “I tried, but no one was listening.”

Well, the situation had to be remedied. And you can guess who rose to the occasion. Roz was determined to get Rockmouth back to his home. After she explored the nearby waterways, it became clear that she would have to carry the pike through the forest and across the Great Meadow to the nearest bend in the river.

“I need a large container,” said Roz to the beavers. “Something I can fill with water so Rockmouth can breathe while I carry him home. I could make it myself, but I thought you might like to help.”

It couldn’t have been easy to overcome her anger with Rockmouth, but after Mrs. Beaver had a chance to cool off, she finally came around. “I suppose we’re partly to blame for this whole situation,” she muttered. Then the beavers did the right thing, and together they carved out a wooden barrel for the fish.

“Here you go.” Mrs. Beaver rolled the barrel over to the puddle, where the robot and the fish were waiting. “This should work nicely. Rockmouth, I hope you’re happy back in the river.”

Rockmouth just flicked his tail in a way that meant “Will someone please take me home now!”

Roz filled the barrel with water and a grumpy fish, and then they were off. She carried Rockmouth through the forest and across the meadow until she was standing on the riverbank.

“Welcome home,” said the robot. Then she tipped the barrel and the fish plunked into the river. Rockmouth’s face poked above the surface, he flashed a big toothy grin, and then he quickly swam away.