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accidentally let her trunk slip beneath the surface as she took a deep breath…of water. Gasping for air, she sprayed water all over Bram, who promptly lost his balance and slipped off her back into the lake.
    Embarrassed by her behavior, Modoc tried to help him with her trunk. Bram was irate.
    “Keep that garden hose away from me!” he spouted as he swam for shore, followed by Mo.
    Once out of the water, they complained to each other that they were right.
    “You didn’t hear a word I said!”
    “Duuuuutuuuuu.”
    “We could have drowned.”
    “Rauuu Duuutuuuu.”
    “I know you can swim!”
    “Cauuuu tuuuuu.”
    The pair didn’t stop jabbering to each other until they arrived home.

5
    “H I , I’ M G ERTIE ,” said a voice.
    Bram was lying flat on his back atop of Modoc and didn’t hear a thing. It was a blistering hot day, and after finishing the chores he had decided to take a rest. He liked to lie on his back, his feet hooked under Modoc’s ears, and catch a few winks. Mo’s gentle swaying reminded him of when his mother used to rock him to sleep. Of course, for a man of thirteen years come April next month, he didn’t really admit to anyone that he felt that way.
    “Hello up there,” said the voice again.
    Bram bolted from his placid position, nearly falling, and looked to the left, back, front, right: no one. Again the voice.
    “Are you always this rude?” it asked.
    “Where are you?” Bram replied.
    “Here, just here, under the elephant’s chin.”
    Leaning way out from Modoc’s back, clinging to the ropearound her neck, he could see from this angle a pink dress and a pair of legs.
    “Who are you, and will you please come out from underneath so I can see you?”
    Bram saw some kernels of popcorn fall to the ground. Apparently this person, whoever she was, was feeding Modoc popcorn. As he watched, the face of a beautiful tawny-haired little girl with hazel eyes appeared from under the elephant’s chin. The face smiled. It was a gentle, self-assured smile, the kind only a little girl can have.
    “I’m Gertie,” said the smiling face.
    “I’m Bram.”
    “Is this your elephant?”
    “No, she belongs to the circus in town, but my father’s the elephant trainer and he and…uh…I have been training her for the circus.”
    “What’s her name?”
    “Modoc, but sometimes I call her Mo. Where do you live?” asked Bram. “I’ve never seen you around here before.”
    “Up the road about two miles. I’ve seen you many times. Even been here before. I walk across Kunz farm and follow the rail tracks. Then I jump into the old culvert under the trestles at Weessenchter Road and, well, here I am.”
    Gertie gestured with her arms outstretched, head tilted, a look of confidence on her face. Bram was impressed. He’d been down in that old culvert himself and it was a bit scary even in the daytime.
    “Want a ride?” he asked.
    “Sure,” replied Gertie, looking up and down the elephant as if looking for a ladder.
    “Just stand in front of her. Mo’ll do the rest.”
    Gertie looked up hesitantly.
    “Not afraid, are ya?”
    “No, just wondering how I’m going to get down after I’m up.”
    Bram chuckled as Gertie stood in front of Mo. “Modoc, up!”
    Mo wrapped her trunk around Gertie and gently lifted her upto Bram, who grabbed her arm and sat her down in front of him.
    “Wow! It’s really high up here!” exclaimed Gertie.
    Bram, seeing that she was a little frightened, slid an arm around her waist, while nudging Mo with the bull hook he held in his free hand.
    “Move up, Mosie. Sometimes I call her Mosie, too.”
    Modoc moved out in long, gentle, quiet strides that rocked them with each step. Gertie snuggled back into Bram, feeling secure and protected in his arms. When Bram caught her looking at him, he didn’t turn away. He felt a strange, warm sensation creep through his body that caused him to shiver even though the sun was hot.
    They arrived back at the barn just as Josef