The Ghost of Schafer Meadows Read online

  “You know, I’m really proud of you, Jessie,” Dad said. “You’ve come a long way since we left New Mexico. I know how hard it was to leave, but it seems like you’re okay with being here at Schafer.”

  I put my arms around Dad and gave him a big hug. “Leaving New Mexico nearly broke my heart, but all that has changed. I’ll always miss my friends there, but everyone here is fantastic, and I love Schafer Meadows and the Great Bear Wilderness. But most of all, I love Oriole. It’s hard to think how I ever got along without her.”

  “She’s something all right. She’s about as smart as they come. But just being smart doesn’t make a good dog. You’ve worked long and hard with her and have let her become a great dog. The two of you have a relationship that you don’t often find.”

  “I wouldn’t have her at all if you hadn’t cared enough to worry about me in the first place. Thanks for the best gift ever. I promise to keep working with her so she’ll be even better than she is already.”

  “I don’t know how you’ll ever do that, but keep trying.”

  I looked at Oriole and stroked her head while she closed her eyes. “Don said he’s really impressed with her. I asked him if Oriole could work with him and Casey to become a law dog. He thought that was a great idea and said we can start the next time he comes to Schafer. And he said I can keep training Oriole during the school year.”

  I thought for a moment. “You know, Dad, there’s still one unsolved mystery. What about the ghost? Do you think there really is one?”

  “I don’t know, Jessie. We may never have an answer to that one.”

  I realized it probably wouldn’t matter if I never found out about the ghost of Schafer Meadows.

  “Dad, thanks for bringing us here. Everything’s going to be great.”

  “I know,” he said. He put his arm around my shoulder and smiled. “I know.”

  The door banged open and Mom burst in. She was beaming, and her eyes, the color of yogo sapphires, shone brightly.

  “Come out here now. You’ve got to see this!”

  With that she turned around and hurried out the door. Dad and I looked at each other, shrugged, and followed her.

  Mom motioned for us to be quiet as we walked to the edge of the trees by our house. Jed stood staring into the distance. Mom pointed to the airstrip. There on the other side, maybe 200 feet away, was a mother grizzly bear and two cubs. A cloud partially covering the sun caused sunbeams to streak toward the trio. The sun’s rays highlighted the mother grizzly’s beautiful dark brown coat tipped with silver. The great bear looked in our direction, and we saw her distinctive dish-shaped face as she sniffed the air. The two tiny blonde cubs with light brown legs followed one-by-one behind her as they lumbered along the edge of the airstrip. Too stunned to speak, we watched the mother grizzly raise one paw, revealing claws the size of my fingers. Her powerful shoulder hump moved as she raked a huge log with her claws and rolled it over. The squalling cubs ran up to their mother and the three of them made a feast of ants living under the log.

  I looked down at Oriole, who sat motionless by my side, watching the bears with what looked like intense curiosity. Either she was in awe of them or being respectful. It didn’t matter—she wasn’t about to chase them.

  I sat beside her, gathering her to me. She licked my face as we sat in our yard by our home and watched this phenomenal sight.

  Life was good!

  ###

  About the Author

  Beth Hodder worked for the U.S. Forest Service for over 25 years, almost entirely with the Flathead National Forest in Montana. Part of that time her work took her to the Schafer Meadows Ranger Station in the Great Bear Wilderness, where her husband, Al Koss, was a wilderness ranger. Her first book, The Ghost of Schafer Meadows, won a 2008 Independent Publisher Book Award. Her second book, Stealing the Wild, won a 2011 WILLA Finalist award for Children’s/Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction, a 2011 Moonbeam Award for the Children’s Juvenile Mystery category, and a 2011 Purple Dragonfly First Place for Children’s Chapter Books. A native of Ohio, she and her husband and dogs, Dusty and Scout, make their home in Montana.

  Acknowledgements

  As I wrote this book, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people who gave freely of their ideas, time, and talents.

  I would like to thank the following people who read the manuscript and offered suggestions that helped me improve the book: Rose Beranek, Mollie Boisen, Danielle Crandell, Ann DeSimone, Lynne Dixon, Sylvia Eisenmann, Helen Gallagher, Bryan, Sherri, and Bill Haag, Heidi Haugen, Victor Murphy, Deb Mucklow, Vivian Rosenthal, Shannon Sommers, Lauren and Aleisa Stevens, Thad Wollan, Joan and Mark Wierzba.

  Two Columbia Falls, MT School District Six classes also read and provided important critiques for this book. I thank Doris Guidi and class and Julie Moylan and class for helping me in this endeavor.

  Terry Divoky, Columbia Falls School District Six librarian, encouraged teachers to have their classes read and critique the manuscript.

  Lorney “Jay” Deist provided me with information and folklore about William Schafer.

  Sylvia Stearns proofread the manuscript.

  Special Thanks

  I would like to give special thanks to the following people:

  My husband, Al Koss, for the time, space, encouragement, love, and support to write this book and for help with editing and proofreading.

  Janet Muirhead Hill, author of the award-winning Miranda and Starlight Series of horse stories, for insights into the world of book publishing.

  Florence Ore, whose advice and encouragement answered my many questions and strengthened the story.

  Marian Strange, “leetle seester” and incredible editor, whose red pen tightened my wandering prose. Mom would have been proud.

  Marjorie J. Fisher, author of A Business of My Own? 21 Steps to starting and running a successful small business, who led me through the entire process as mentor and friend.

  Mary McNeill and Maxine Watkinds, two people with extraordinary talent and huge hearts. They took me, a total stranger, into their home and spent hours critiquing this book, challenging my thinking and giving me the courage to face the troll and walk past it. From them I learned the importance of kindness, generosity, and friendship.

  Connect with Me Online:

  Visit my website at: http://www.grizzlyridgepublishing.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One - Spotted Bear Ranger Station

  Chapter Two - The Swimming Hole

  Chapter Three - Schafer Meadows

  Chapter Four - The Ghost of Schafer Meadows

  Chapter Five - The Ranger's House

  Chapter Six - The Pilot

  Chapter Seven - The Light

  Chapter Eight - Flying

  Chapter Nine - Break-In at the Food Cache

  Chapter Ten - A Trail Mess

  Chapter Eleven - Law Dogs

  Chapter Twelve - Another Mystery

  Chapter Thirteen - The Snack

  Chapter Fourteen - The Storm

  Chapter Fifteen - A Ghostly Intruder

  Chapter Sixteen - Oriole's Note

  Chapter Seventeen - The Horse Camp

  Chapter Eighteen - Just Desserts

  Chapter Nineteen - Top to Bottom

  Chapter Twenty - Home