Tim carried Carolyn. Emily and Matt followed with Poppy. As soon as they arrived, Matt and Emily peered around the entrance hall of the hospital. No sign of the sled.
“Do you remember where you last saw it?” Emily asked Matt.
“We had it when we were helping Andrew. Then we were so busy rushing around looking for Carolyn that we must have forgotten about it. Andrew could be anywhere. The sled could be anywhere.”
The hospital overflowed with people. Doctors, nurses, and volunteers raced around bandaging people and offering them food and water.
“Please help my sister,” said Tim to a nurse.
The nurse quickly examined Carolyn’s arm and leg. “You’re a lucky girl. Nothing is broken. You have a nasty bruise on your arm and your ankle is sprained. If you can get some ice, put it on your ankle right away. Keep your leg up. Rest and you’ll be fine. I have to go now.”
“Thank you! That’s a relief! I’m going to take Carolyn home,” said Tim. “Our parents will be so happy to see her.” He turned to Emily and Matt. “Thank you both for your help. When things are better, come and visit us.”
“We wish we could,” said Emily.
“But we probably have to leave Halifax and we don’t know when we’ll be back,” said Matt.
“Thanks for looking out for Poppy,” said Carolyn. “Would you like some gumdrops before I go?”
Emily and Matt shook their heads. They patted Poppy. “He’s a sweet dog,” Emily told Carolyn. “Goodbye, Poppy.”
Matt and Emily waved as Tim and Carolyn left the hospital.
“I like Carolyn. It would have been fun to get to know her,” said Emily.
“We’d better find our sled,” said Matt.
“Let’s look for Andrew. Maybe the sled is still there beside him.”
The friends walked up and down the long halls of the hospital. They looked up and down for the sled and Andrew, but they didn’t see either.
“What are we going to do now?” said Matt after they’d checked all the rooms and halls.
“I can’t think straight anymore,” said Emily. “It’s so sad to see all these hurt people. Let’s go outside.”
“I hope no one tossed the sled in the garbage,” said Matt, as they headed to the front door of the hospital.
“They couldn’t. They wouldn’t. The sled wasn’t broken or anything. It has to be here somewhere.”
They reached the main door leading outside the hospital. In front of the door, they saw a girl of ten pulling a boy of five on a sled.
“Hey, Em!” said Matt. “It’s our sled.”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “Where did you get that sled?” she asked the girl.
“It was lying around. This boy went home and left it,” said the girl.
“It’s our sled,” said Emily. “We brought that boy to the hospital on it.”
“Oh,” said the girl. “Come on, Peter. Let’s give these children back their sled.”
“No,” said Peter. “I like this sled, Mary. We found it. It’s ours now.”
“It’s not your sled. We need it. Come on, Peter. Give it back,” said Emily.
But Peter wouldn’t budge.
“Come on, Peter,” said Mary. “It belongs to these children. It’s not ours. Mama will be angry if we don’t give it back.”
“I don’t care,” said Peter. He started to cry.
“I’m sorry. Peter is upset because our grandmother was hurt in the explosion.”
“We understand,” said Matt, patting Peter on the back. “But we really need the sled back.”
Peter wiped the tears out of his eyes with his hand and shook his head.
Mary sighed. “Well, there’s one good way to get Peter off that sled.” She leaned over and whispered into Emily and Matt’s ears.
“Okay,” said Emily. “Let’s do it.”
“One. Two. Three. Tickle attack!” said Mary.
Mary, Emily, and Matt tickled Peter under his chin, under his arms, and behind his ears.
“Cut it out,” he said, giggling.
But the three wouldn’t stop till Peter squirmed off the sled.
Matt grabbed the sled, and the two friends raced out the front door of the hospital.
“Thanks, Mary!” they called.
“Quick. Let’s hide before Peter tries to find us,” said Matt.
“No time to hide,” said Emily. “Look at the sled.”
You came in time
To help a friend.
Your journey now
Is at an end.
Emily and Matt hopped on the sled. As soon as they did, the sled flew up over the hospital, over Halifax, and into a fluffy white cloud.
Soon they were back in Emily’s tower.
The friends slid off the sled.
“Phew! We were lucky to find the sled,” said Emily.
“But, boy, that was a surprise adventure,” said Matt. “I’d never heard anything before about that terrible explosion in Halifax. I want to find out more.”
“Me, too,” said Emily. “Let’s check on the Internet, but first I want some gumdrops.”
“Gumdrops? You said no to Carolyn when she offered you some.”
“That’s ’cause I didn’t want to eat gumdrops that had been through an explosion. There could have been dirt on them, or who knows what.”
“Do you have any gumdrops at your house?”
“I have a bag in our candy drawer. I got some for Halloween. I ate all the red and green ones, but I think there are some blue ones left. They might be squished, though. I sat on the bag by accident,” said Emily.
“Squished gumdrops?” said Matt. “Yuck.”
“When they’re squished, the flavour is even better,” said Emily. “Really. Try some.”
“No, thank you. You can have them all.”
Emily smiled. “Great! I will.”
