January 19, 2002--Day 1: Mark has just returned from the Cloudy River area. At the dinner table, he sits before an untouched roasted chicken and holds a small cup of coffee. Mark asks if anything new happened while he was away. Cherry replies, "Rusty made an "A" in Math, isn't that great?" Mark says, "Congratulations, Rusty, we're proud of you!" Rusty says, "Thanks...Something else is now...old Betsy, the mother goose, has a nest full of eggs...I'll show you tomorrow!" But as Betsy, the pet goose, sits on her eggs, a hungry Foreground Fox watches her. (The fox appears as though it might be a fox-Alsatian cross.)
January 21-26--Day 1 to Day 16: Mark notes that it's nice to get back home to a little peace and quiet. Cherry now says that, "Nothing much has happened since you left!" No further mention is made of Rusty's math grade. (Nor is any mention made of Cherry's trip to visit her aunt. Her plan was to visit the aunt, who Mark described as "a fine woman," while Mark was away having adventures on the Cloudy River. Andy was to tend Rusty and Doc while she and Mark were away from Lost Forest.) Mark is still holding his cup of coffee. Andy watches him intently. The chicken has mutated. The Fox approaches Betsy, the Canadian Goose. Betsy flies at the fox and shrieks, "AAHHNKK." Mark's coffee goes flying as he hears a terrific, "AAAHHKK." Mark shouts, "WHAT WAS THAT?" It sounds to him as if the sound came from down by the lake. Outside, Rusty is wide-eyed. He shouts, "IT'S A FOX, AND IT HAS A GOOSE!" The immense Fox carries off a limp Betsy (Depending on Betsy's lineage--of which sub-species of Canada Goose she belongs--the depicted Fox must weigh somewhere between 30 and 60 pounds. Rusty sees that the goose is, indeed, Betsy. Mark is afraid all of her eggs were broken. Rusty says, "Poor Betsy, she's been sitting on those eggs a long time!" Mark discovers one of the eggs is not broken after all. Rusty feels sorry for Betsy. She was proud of her eggs. As Mark holds Foreground Egg, he asks Rusty if there are any brooding hens in the barn. Rusty thinks there is one hen sitting on some eggs. Foreground Beavers gnaw as Mark tells Rusty that the egg may hatch if they put it under the hen. Rusty says, "Good idea, that will be neat if it does." In the barn, Rusty holds the brooding hen as Mark places the goose egg in her nest. He says, "We'll try letting the little hen hatch the goose egg, Rusty, it might work." Rusty hopes so. Flustered Foreground Hen watches as the two leave. Rusty wants to know how long it will take for the egg to hatch. Mark says that it is hard to say. The incubation period for a goose is normally about 28 days. Over two weeks later (Day 16!), Rusty has a wild look in his eyes. He shouts, "WOW, IT WORKED! MARK! CHERRY! COME QUICK!" Mark and Cherry listen from the blacksmith station adjacent to the barn. Cherry has a new hairstyle. She says, "What's Rusty so excited about?" Foreground Andy ignores it all. (CLASSIC PANEL ALERT! This panel is obviously vintage Ed Dodd work for the most part, with exquisite detail to the horse and the blacksmith shop tools!)
January 28-February 2--Day 16 to Day 35: Mark asks Rusty what all the excitement is about. Rusty says, "The goose egg has hatched!" The Foreground Mother Hen has a smug expression. Mark thinks Rusty's news is great. He bets the mother hen is surprised to have such a big youngster. Mark says hello to the goose. The goose now appears to weigh between one and two pounds. Rusty smiles and says, "He was lucky the old fox didn't get him...Hey, why don't we name him Lucky?" Cherry (sporting her new hairstyle) replies, "Lucky is a good name, Rusty...he's so precious!" Lucky sits on Cherry's palm waving his tiny wings. Soon the young goose is running around the barnyard with Foreground Mother Hen and Chicks. Mark sits before his cup of coffee as Doc reads the paper and Andy pants. Mark tells Rusty that the hen seems to be taking good care of Lucky. Mark has seen them, strutting around the yard. Rusty replies, "Yeah, it won't be long before he's bigger than the hen!" Foreground Mother Hen looks on from her perch in the barn as Cherry holds the little goose and says, "I guess Lucky thinks he is a chicken!" Mark tells her, "Don't get too attached to him...he'll be migrating when he gets big enough!" (Lucky appears to now weigh between 1 and 2 pounds. It is difficult to say how much time has passed, for he grew enormously only a few moments after hatching. But if we assume that he is now growing at a normal rate, at least several weeks have passed, bringing us to, at least, Day 35. Mark is hardly ever home at Lost Forest for 35 whole days. Has he changed, or did he, perhaps, leave and have a secret adventure which he has now returned from? As darkness settles over Lost Forest, a hungry weasel is checking out the chicken house. As the weasel smiles happily, two Foreground Hens cry, "SQUAWK! SQUAWK!" Barechested Mark sits up in bed, shouting, "OH, NO...THAT OLD FOX MUST HAVE RETURNED! Cherry remains silent, the covers up to her chin. She appears to be silently admiring her husband's physique. Outside, Andy has also been awakened by the hens. He races toward the chicken house. Mark, his hair rumpled, dresses in his dungarees and workshirt. Cherry throws on a robe and says, "WHAT is it, Mark?" Mark says, "It sounds as if something's after the chickens!" In the barn, Cherry demurely holds her robe shut with one hand as she bends over to inspect the empty nest. She tells Mark that Lucky and the chicks are GONE. She then spots them, standing near the water dispenser. She asks Mark what he thinks was after them. Mark says sternly, "There are weasel tracks around, and the hen is missing." Rusty tells Mark that Andy was after something. Maybe he will catch the weasel. Cherry holds the little white goose, which looks like an ornament.
February 4-9--Day 35 to Day 178: Realizing that Andy is getting close, the immense weasel drops the hen. (If the hen is average size, it probably weighs between 2 and 3 pounds. The weasel holding the hen then appears to weigh 15 to 25 pounds! The average weasel, by comparison, is about the size of an elongated Norway rat!) Andy looks at the dizzy little hen lying at her feet and wonders what to do. Rusty soon spots Andy with the hen in his mouth. The hen's head hangs limply. Cherry says, "Oh, no, is she alive?" Rusty, like Mark, is fully dressed. He picks up the hen and says, "I don't see any wounds on her, I guess she's just a little shaken up! Apparently the weasel didn't have time to kill her!" <(To judge from the signs of tremor and dizziness surrounding the little hen, she may have something like a bad hangover, but Rusty is undoubtedly right--the hen appears to be alive.) Back at the barnyard, Mark and Rusty release the strange bird. Mark tells Andy, "You did good, Andy...the hen is in good shape and she's anxious to get back to her chicks!" Rusty holds Lucky, the ornamental goose, whose neck has taken on the black markings of a Canada Goose since we last saw him in the barn several minutes earlier. Mark tells Rusty that Lucky is getting too big for the hen to take care of. Rusty and Andy will have to do the job. Rusty notes that Andy and Lucky are already friends and that he thinks he's a member of the family. Mark agrees as he watches the mallard-sized goose sitting on the neck of patient Andy. The mischievous goose is always teasing Andy, but the big dog tolerates Lucky's frequent antics. They both seem to enjoy each other's company. As the goose perches on Andy's back, Rusty suggests to Andy that they take Lucky to the lake so he can get more experience on the water. At the lake, Lucky obediently swims as Rusty's stock profile smiles and says, "It won't be long before Lucky will be flying south with the other geese!" (Holy Mackerel! Just how much time has gone by??! I suggest that Lucky hatched on May 1st and that it is now the end of August. So this must be somewhere around Day 178! Since Mark is always 34 years old, a huge chunk of his life has been done to death in this episode. Only time will tell if this is Mark's last waltz.) As Lucky swims, a sinister figure glides below the playful animal. It is a huge muskie with a ferocious visage. The big fish moves quickly to capture its dinner.
February 11-16--Day 178: Rusty spots the huge fish bearing down on Lucky and shouts, "LUCKY, LOOK OUT!" The young goose lifts off the water just in time. Rusty tells Lucky, "WOW, that was close...you sure deserve your name, Lucky! It's hard to tell you from an adult goose now, Lucky...you have sure grown fast!" Mark watches Lucky fly and says it is time to put a leg band on Lucky. It may help Mark to follow his movements. As Foreground Lucky, all grown up, flys, Rusty asks Mark if he thinks Lucky will ever leave them. Mark tells Rusty, "It's what they do, Rusty, we don't want to interfere with that!" As Cherry holds a full grown Lucky, Mark bands the bird, telling Rusty and Cherry that, "This tag will help us identify Lucky if he returns here after migrating!" Rusty hopes he does come back. Meanwhile, a stout woman faces a man across a table. The man has a mustache, shaggy hair and very long sideburns. In his right hand he tightly grips a bottle of whisky with fingers which are of even length. His left hand has shortened fingers which grasp a large tumbler full of booze. The Stout Woman says, "We're getting short of food, Moss...what are you planning to do now that youve lost your job?" Moss replies, "Don't worry, I'll figure out something!" Stout Woman, holding a stack of dirty dishes, counters, "If you'd stay sober, we'd have a lot less problems!" Moss tells Mabel to stay off his back. (It's difficult to say whether Mabel is the mother of Moss, or a Lady Friend!)Moss holds a shotgun, which appears to be pointed at Mabel. Mabel, still clearing dishes, demands to know where Moss is going with the gun. Moss tells her, "You wanted food, I'm going to find some! There's plenty of game over at Lost Forest...that's where I'm going!" Mabel replies, "That's a wildlife preserve!" Meanwhile, Mark and Rusty watch geese fly. Mark says, "Lucky's flying as good as the other geese now!" Lucky flys freely around Lost Forest with the other geese. Moss, in a thicket, has spotted the geese. He tells himself, "This is going to be easy...a few of those big geese will feed us for a long time! I've got to shoot them over land so I can retrieve them!" Meanwhile, as Andy watches, his friend Lucky is enjoying being able to fly with the other geese. Moss says, "There are geese all over the place! There's one coming in range...when it gets over land I'll take it!" (This does not sound Lucky!)
February 18-23--Day 178: Moss, the evil hunter, tells Lucky to come just a little closer. As the unsuspecting young goose comes in to land at Lost Forest, Moss's shotgun emits a loud "WHAM." Lucky falls from the sky, losing feathers in all directions. Moss shouts, "GOTCHA!" At Lost Forest, Mark is standing in a stooped position in front of his computer. In this panel, Mark bears a resemblance to Mr. Ryatt from "The Ryatt's" comic strip.) Mark says, "Did you hear that, Cherry?...it sounded like a shotgun!" Cherry holds her hands over her heart and stomach, saying, "It came from down near the lake!" Cherry runs, listing at an extreme angle, (Almost like a Dutch Tilt, however, we can see that the horizon is not also tilted) and asks Mark if he found everything. Foreground Fawn and Doe look sad and attentive as they gaze upon the scene. Mark says, "It's Lucky...he's been shot! I'm afraid Lucky's wing is broken...keep an eye on him until I get back..." Mark looks stern as he says he is going after the person who shot Lucky. Cherry looks at Mark warily and asks him to be careful. Ignoring his wife, Mark tells Andy that the shooter couldn't have gotten too far away. He tells Andy to "GO FIND HIM, FELLOW!" Andy opens his mouth in a St. Bernard-version snarl. Mark and Andy spy a man running away. Mark shouts, "THAT'S THE MAN WHO SHOT LUCKY, GET HIM, ANDY!" Andy needs no urging. He launches himself into the air and flies directly at dumfounded Moss. It appears that Andy will be airborne for 20 or more feet during his mighty leap. (The Canine Long Jump? Jack's nod to the Winter Olympics? What th'?!) The next scene shows Moss lying on the ground as Andy bares his fangs. Mark recognizes Moss. He says, "MOSS MOSES...I should have known...I've warned you about poaching on Lost Forest property!" Moss replies, "I lost my job, Mark, we have nothing to eat!" Andy continues to snarl. Mark says, "That was your excuse before!" Moss begs Mark not to call the sheriff, promising that he won't poach again. Mark replies, "If you seriously need food, Moss, you come back with your wife, not your gun, and we'll help you..." (WHY does Mark want Mabel to come over?! This scribe dares not even wonder WHAT is going on in Mark's mind) Mark warns Moss that if he is caught poaching again, he will go straight to jail. Moss says nothing, but his facial structure begins to resemble Mark's. As Cherry carries Lucky, Mark tells her that Moss shot the goose. He hopes that Doc can patch him up.
February 25 to March 2--Day 178 to Day 192: Cherry tells Doc that Moss was poaching on the preserve again. Doc replies, "That guy is a real pest!" Cherry hopes that Lucky's wing injury is not too serious. Cherry touches Doc's back tenderly as Lucky assumes the pose of a decoy. Doc replies, "You are right, honey, his wing bone is fractured...I'll do what I can to repair it!" As Doc relentlessly winds gauze around the patient goose, Cherry asks, "Do you think Lucky will ever fly again?" Doc replies, "We won't know for awhile...the wing is damaged in several spots! The bandage will keep his wing stationary while it heals!" (Indeed it will! The bandage has immobilized the goose's entire torso. Lucky has taken on the appearance of a mummy goose.) Cherry, leaning on the counter, appears skeptical. Since Lucky, the pet goose, was wounded, he and Andy are seldom seen apart. The bandaged bird follows the big dog constantly. Meanwhile, as Mabel pours coffee, Moss tells Mabel, "Mark Trail forced me off of the Lost Forest preserve...I'll get even with him someday!" Mabel replies, "You talk big, Moss!" Moss tells Mabel, "Trail offered us some food if we really need it, but you have to go get it!" Mabel thinks that was nice. She will go get it. Moss grips a cigarette between pursed lips and shouts, "NO YOU WON'T! We're NOT taking handouts from anyone-ESPECIALLY MARK TRAIL!" Doc removes Lucky's bandage to inspect his wing. (Let's assume that two more weeks have passed, bringing us to Day 192) He tells Cherry it is much better, but it will heal faster if the bandage is kept on. Lucky could cause permanent damage to his wing if he tried to fly too soon. Cherry knows that Lucky is anxious to get back in the air. Doc says, "If nothing else happens to him, he'll be as good as new soon!" As Andy, Lucky, Mark and Cherry stroll about Lost Forest, Cherry tells Mark the good news about Lucky. Mark replies, "That's good news!" Cherry, appearing tense, says, "Mark, do you hear that? It's migrating geese...they're circling to land!" The Foreground Geese approach the Lost Forest lake.
March 4-9--Day 192 to Day 194: Cherry finds the geese a beautiful sight. Mark does too. He wishes he had his camera. Mark and Cherry know that Lucky would like to join the migrating flock. Some of the geese are coming in to land. Mark suggests that he and Cherry get behind the bushes. Lucky visits with the geese that have landed. As Mark and Cherry observe the geese from behind the bushes, Mark says, "I guess the instinct to migrate with the other geese is very strong!" Cherry replies, "How long do you think they will stay here?" Mark thinks they will only stay long enough to feed and rest up for the long flight. After two days (Day 194) the flock leaves. Cherry watches through the window, feeling sorry for Lucky. She asks Doc, "Dad, do you think it's too soon to take Lucky's bandage off?" Doc, dwarfed by a Foreground Flask, is holding a microscope slide. He says they can give it a try. Cherry holds the goose as Doc unwraps the bandage. Cherry tells Lucky that this is his big day, and not to overdo it on his first try. Foreground Lucky flaps his wings happily. Doc says, "He's testing his wounded wing...keep your fingers crossed!" Lucky lifts off and circles the area several times, testing his wounded wing. Meanwhile, not too far away, Moss sits at the table clenching his whiskey bottle, as he says, "Listen to all of those honking geese passing over, and most of them will set down on the lake at Lost Forest!" Mabel is silent. The two go outside. Moss stares at the flock of geese and says, "Look at that...dozens of geese, but they never get close enough for me to shoot! They all land on the lake at Lost Forest where I can't touch 'em!" Mabel warns Moss, "Well, you'd better figure out some way to get food in the house or I'm going BEGGING to Mark Trail!"
March 11-16--Day 194: Moss smiles, holding a cup of coffee. Mabel asks him, "Why the big smile...what's that evil mind of yours up to now?" Moss says, "I just had a great idea! I think I know how to get those geese at Lost Forest without making any noise!" Mabel looks skeptical as she replies, "Oh, how's that?" Moss grabs his old fishing net from the corner of the kitchen and says, "My old fishing net...I'll slip up on the ones that are near shore and throw it over them!" Lucky's wing appears to be healed. The young goose tests its strength, flying with other geese on the lake. A young female goose finds Lucky attractive. Lucky is excited. Mark and Cherry notice that the geese enjoy each other's company. Cherry wonders if Lucky will migrate with his new friend. Mark thinks this probable, but he hopes Lucky's wing is strong enough for a long flight. Meanwhile, Moss holds his net and tells Mabel, "Get the pot ready, we're going to have goose for dinner. (How does one get the pot ready? By scraping off the two week old burned on food? By getting rid of the seeds and stems? WHAT 'TH!?) Outside, Moss is flailing with his net. Mabel demands to know WHAT he is doing. Moss is practicing. He needs to get the net over the geese on the first try; he may not get a second chance. Lucky is excited about the migration trip, but suddenly one of his injured wing bones snaps and he plummets toward the ground as Andy watches in alarm. Lucky lands safely and sets off for Lost Forest. Meanwhile, Moss smokes a cigarette as he carries his net. He tells himself that he'll take a few fat geese and Trail will never know that he's been there.
March 18-23--Day 194: Soon Lucky is back with the other geese. Moss spies the flock and says, "This is my lucky day...I can throw my net over a bunch of fat geese at one time! If I can get a little closer I can probably trap enough meat to last a long time!" He throws the net over the relaxed geese and says, "They're as good as in my cooking pot! It worked...I got me some geese, and Trail will never know I've been here!" Just then, Andy rounds the corner, sighting Moss. Moss says, "Oh, no, it's Trail's big dog! That crazy animal will rip me apart...I'd better get out of here fast!" As Moss runs, he throws his lit cigarette into the woods. The cigarette quickly ignites dry grass, alarming Foreground Rabbit. The fire spreads along the shore as Foreground Deer runs. The trapped geese honk frantically as the fire closes in on them. Andy hears the frantic honking and turns to see the flames nearing the trapped geese. He rushes to try to help them, grabbing the net with his teeth. He works hard to pull the heavy fishnet off the trapped geese before the flames reach them. Mark opens the door of the Lost Forest home and shouts, "WHAT ON EARTH IS ALL OF THE HONKING AND BARKING ABOUT? HOLY MACKEREL, THE WOODS ARE ON FIRE!" (Shades of Willy Loman!")
March 25-30--Day 194: Mark shouts excitedly to Cherry, saying, "CHERRY, GET RUSTY...THERE'S A FIRE NEAR THE LAKE!" Meanwhile, Andy frees the trapped geese from the net. But Lucky, with a damaged wing is unable to escape the flames. Andy urges him to move faster, but the injured wing slows the bird down. Andy realizes he must do something; he grabs Lucky by the neck and drags him away from the fast-moving fire. Cherry and Rusty beat off the fire with tree branches as Mark tells them, "We've got to keep it from spreading away from the shore and into the deep underbrush!" Foreground Chipmunk runs as Rusty beats the fire with his branch. Finally an exhausted Mark tells Cherry that they about have it licked. A smudged Cherry asks, "Mark, HOW ON EARTH did the fire get started?" Mark says, "That's a good question!" He thanks Andy for saving Lucky. Mark speculates that Lucky's wing collapsed soon after he took flight. Cherry holds the huge bird and notes that for a bird named "Lucky," he sure has bad luck. Doc examines Lucky and tells Mark and Cherry that, "I'm afraid it's going to be a long time before he flies again--if ever!" Cherry blames herself for being so anxious for Lucky to fly. Doc says they were all too anxious. Mark dourly points out that Lucky is going to be around Lost Forest for a long time now. Cherry asks Mark how the fire started. Mark has no idea, but he is going to check it out.
April 1-6--Day 194: Mark knows that the fire didn't start itself. There must be something in the area that will give him a clue. He discovers a partially burned fishing net. Mark does not own a net like this. How did it get to the Lost Forest area. Discovering feathers in the net, Mark quickly deduces that the owner was attempting to trap geese. Mark knows that means the man was Moss Moses. He tells Cherry he will visit his old friend Moss. Cherry tells Mark to be careful. At the Moses residence, Mark insists that Moss come out and talk to him. Moss says, "Yeah, WHAT do you want?" Mark replies icily, "I believe I have something that belongs to you." Moss responds, "WHAT are you talking about, Trail?...you have nothing that belongs to me!" Mark knows Moss left the net at the lake where he was trying to trap geese. Moss knows Mark can't prove that, and without proof, there's no way the law can touch him. Mark delivers a tremendous right hook, saying, "No, but I can!" As Moss holds his sore head, Mark invites Mrs. Moses to Lost Forest for food. Mark will be glad to help her out. Mabel thanks Mark. She may take him up on the offer. Weeks pass, Lucky becomes involved with a female, who is soon sitting on a nest of eggs. (I believe we have no other choice than to agree that an entire year has passed since the beginning of this episode--welcome Day 365!) After many days pass at Lost Forest, the pet goose and his mate become proud parents. (Mark stated that the incubation period for geese was about 28 days, so here is Day 393!) Mark and Cherry watch the Foreground Goose Family. Mark says, "It looks like we're going to be involved with Lucky's youngsters for quite a while!" Cherry replies, "Yes, I'm so happy for Lucky!"
April 8--Day 194: As Cherry wields a kitchen knife, Mark tells her he has invited Mabel over for food. Foreground Cock crows as Mark adds, "...that we can't put up with them poaching on Lost Forest property all the time!" Cherry replies, "Good for you, Mark! If Moss would stop drinking so much, he could probably get a steady job!" Mark says, "I'm sure you're right!" He holds a petite teacup as Andy and Doc watch silently.