March 1-6--Day 1: Mark says they'll return the otter in a couple of days. Rusty reminds Mark that he promised to take him to "the sports show." Mark asks where Cherry is. Rusty says she's in the house and that Mark had better notice her new hairdo! Mark thanks Rusty for the warning! Mark enters the house and asks Cherry if she's wearing a new sweater. Cherry is miffed that Mark never notices anything about her. Mark then says he was just kidding, he noticed her hair the moment he saw her. He adds that she is beautiful and her new hairdo is great. Cherry says it was Michael's (her hairdresser) idea. After a several year absence, Rusty's dog, Sassy appears in the foreground as Mark and Cherry converse. Cherry pets her, noting that Rusty has neglected Sassy since the otter care began. Cherry asks Mark what's on his agenda; he replies that he has promised to take Rusty to the sports show. Cherry hopes Mark will have some time for her when he returns. Sassy, now described as a "jealous little dog," tries to take it out on the chickens, but is browbeaten by a large hen. I'm betting that the Otter Tales Adventure is now concluded, and that we have actually segued into the Andy Plays Chicken Adventure!
March 8-13--Day 1: A rooster chases Sassy, who runs to Andy for safety. Andy chases the rooster and Cherry admonishes him. Cherry continues to browbeat Andy as Sassy beats a retreat. Sassy discovers a new potential friend--a skunk!! Andy intervenes in time to get sprayed by the polecat! Cherry again browbeats Andy.
March 15-20--Day 1: Cherry tells Andy he'll have to stay outside until Mark returns to bathe him. Mark bathes Andy, lecturing him the whole time. Mark tells Cherry he and Rusty will be gone for "several days" at the Outdoor show (originally, the "Sports show"). Meanwhile, Sassy harrasses Andy, who walks off into the forest to escape her. Sassy tries to track Andy and eventually catches up to him, deep in the forest. Back at Lost Forest, Doc notes ominous storm clouds. Cherry goes to check that the NOAA weather radio is working. It is. She wishes the dogs were home.
March 22-27--Day 1: The storm clouds are the worst Cherry's ever seen. The NOAA weather radio alarm emits a frightening, "eeeeeeeeeeeeeee." The radio announces that a tornado is bearing down on Lost Forest! Cherry and Doc hit the basement. In the woods, Sassy crawls into a narrow cave. Andy is too large to enter so he crouches miserably next to a fallen log. The tornado arrives and Andy flies off in it!
March 29-April 3--Day 1: Andy flies along in the tornado with what appears to be a delighted expression. He is dropped "many, many miles from Lost Forest." Sassy is trapped in the little cave by fallen debris. Doc and Cherry hug, glad that Lost Forest was spared by the tornado. Cherry hopes the dogs are alright. No mention is made of the young otter. Sassy's cave begins to fill with water as the river rises. Cherry goes looking for the dogs in the forest and hears Sassy barking in the cave.
April 5-10--Day 1: Cherry hears Sassy saying, "Wolf! Wolf!" and runs back to Lost Forest for a horse. Doc follows her. As they arrive at the cave the water is up to Sassy's head. Cherry ties a rope around a big rock and prepares to move it with the horse's aid. As the horse pulls, the rocks begin to fly into the air. Doc shouts that it's working.
April 12-17--Day 1: As the horse pulls, the rocks begin to fly into the air--AGAIN!! Doc shouts that it's working AGAIN!! What th'?!! (Those who may be confused should review the Mark Trail Handbook chapter regarding Mark Trail Time.) The rocks fly clear and Sassy is rescued, but Doc doesn't see Andy anywhere. Miles away, Andy lies unconscious where the tornado dropped him. Mark and Rusty are relieved that Lost Forest was spared. Mark is glad the animals are ok, and Rusty points out that Andy is missing. Mark says he has to go look for Andy, who still lies unconscious as Foreground Squirrel watches.
April 19-24--Day 1: Mark can find no trace of Andy. At home, he tells Cherry he'll try again tomorrow. Cherry allows that tornadoes do strange things. Meanwhile Andy still lies unconscious as Foreground Squirrel continues the vigil. Mark and Doc wash dishes as Mark confides how he misses Andy. Meanwhile, in the area where Andy lies unconscious, a woman tells a man named Joe that she's worried about their daughter, Katy, who is more depressed than usual. Joe thinks that's not remarkable since the eye doctor didn't think Katy would regain her sight. Joe and his wife decide a trip to Florida will cheer Katy up. Meanwhile, Katy, sitting outside and feeling low, hears a "WWNNNN" sound and thinks it's some sort of animal.
April26-May 1--Day 1: Father comes out to help Katy find the source of the noise. It's a BIG DOG! Upon examination, Father finds no serious injuries to Andy--some bruises, contusions and maybe a few broken ribs. He and Katy decide to move Andy to the house. Andy groggily gets to his feet. Katy asks Father what color Andy is. Father replies that Andy is mostly black and white (this must not be Sunday or Oz). Andy appears to be feeling much better. Katy says she's prayed about having a big dog like this, and asks Father if they can keep Andy. Father notes that Andy is not wearing a collar and says they can keep him until they find the rightful owner. Katy shows Andy to Mother, who says Andy is beautiful. Andy appears to be fully recovered and very happy to be with a full time family. Over coffee, Mother and Father wonder if they have done the right thing in allowing Katy to keep Andy.
May 3-8--Day 1 to Day 2: Katy renames Andy "Miracle." Mother and Father decide to tell Katy about the trip to Florida. Katy is excited and asks if Miracle can come along. Mother and Father say he can; he is now part of the family. Meanwhile, Mark tells Cherry he found Andy's collar. He removed it when he bathed Andy and forgot to put it back on. Cherry says, "Oh, Mark." Mark tells Rusty that he will continue to search. The Miller family leaves for Florida with Andy in the back of the extended cab pickup. We can assume that it is now day 2. Mark asks a man with an axe if he's seen Andy. The man hasn't. Mark asks a woman if she's seen Andy. She hasn't. Mark notes that no one was home at the Miller farm. The woman offers to get a number where they can be reached. Mark says that won't be necessary.
May 10-15--Day 2 to Day 3: The woman again offers to give Mark the Miller's phone number. Mark again declines. Meanwhile, Katy has an appointment with the Florida eye doctor "tomorrow." As tomorrow arrives (Day 3), Andy ("Miracle") goes along to the appointment. Doc notes that Katy is very attached to Miracle. Father agrees. Doc is going to confer with other eye doctors and hopes to have good news for Katy. As Katy leaves, Doc begins to talk to himself. The big dog looks familiar. Doc remembers an outdoor writer named Mark Trail went fishing in the area about a year ago (see TrailTime--this event, if recorded by Dodd and Elrod, would cause severe problems for anyone seeking to understand the workings of time in Mark Trail; i.e. since Trail's creators maintain that Mark is always the same age in the strip, an event of a year ago would have occurred before Mark existed--if anyone out there can locate the strips documenting this particular fishing trip, let us know!!). He had a big Saint Bernard with him. Doc West calls "Ranger Tom," to ask him if he's going fishing with Mark soon. Ranger Tom is evidently NOT Ranger Tom Mills of the preceding episode. This Ranger Tom sports a full head of hair. The Ranger asks Doc when he's planning on doing some fishing with him, and also wonders why Doc mentioned Mark Trail.
May 17-22--Day 3 to Day 4: Doc West tells Ranger Tom Smith about Katy's Saint Bernard. Meanwhile, Cherry and Rusty note that Mark is really down since he lost Andy. Mark, apparently deeply depressed is seen wandering aimlessly about the yard wearing a forlorn expression. Ranger Tom calls Mark and tells him that the Miller family who live, apparently, quite near to Lost Forest, discovered a dog resembling Andy. A doe and her fawn appear shocked, their ears standing straight up as a tremendous HALLELUJAH! emanates from Mark's Lost Forest home. Mark tells Tom that he will fly to Florida tomorrow. He excitedly tells Cherry and Doc that the Millers went to Florida with a big dog they found. Day 4 arrives and Mark flies to Florida with Foreground Geese. Dr. West and Ranger Smith both meet Mark at the airport. Later, over beverages, the rather stout Dr. West describes the dog Katie found as black and white with a little brown on his muzzle. Mark says this sounds like Andy, and asks where he can find the young lady. Dr. West tells Mark it's not going to be that easy; there's more to the story. Mark asks him what he's talking about.
May 24-29--Day 4: The portly Dr. West asks Mark if he's a compassionate man. Mark says that he likes to think so, holding his canned beverage in his normal stiff manner (the letters "ola" are visible on the can). Dr. West goes on to say that Andy has changed Katie's life and that she is now much happier than she used to be. Mark, appearing rather astonished and irritated says that Andy changed his life too. Dr. West notes that Mark is not blind. Mark, shocked, says, "What??!" West says he'll understand, whatever Mark decides. Mark asks where the Millers are staying. Dr. West says they are at a condo across the bay. Mark asks the doctor if he may borrow his boat. Mark rows across the bay and remarks to himself that he sees a big dog with a young lady who must be Katie. The seagull hovers as Mark stands precariously in the boat. Andy is licking Katie's cheek. Mark sees that he cannot ask Katie to give up Andy, and stands sorrowfully in the boat.
May 30-June 5--Day 4: Dr. West's nephew, Ted, tells Doc over the phone that he's coming to do some fishing. Doc says it's a good time. Doc then calls Mark, who answers the phone by saying that yes, he is Mark Trail. Mark asks Dr. West if the call concerns Andy. Doc says it may. Mark meets with Doc who tells him that his nephew, Ted West, is a great eye surgeon and that he has agreed to examine Katie while fishing in the area. Mark says, "That is good news." Mark wonders if he should take Andy back in the event Katie's sight is restored. Doc doesn't know. He tells Mark that Ted is a big fan of his and wants to go fishing with Mark. Mark says he will fish with Ted and remain in the area until Katie is examined. Mark and Doc meet Ted at the airport. Ted can't believe he's going fishing with Mark Trail. Mark warns that he gets skunked quite often.
June 7-12--Day 4: As Mark and Ted fish, Ted remarks how close Andy and Katie are. Mark asks what the odds are of Katie regaining her sight. Ted says they are about 50/50, adding that he doesn't know if Katie would give Andy up even if she regains her sight. Mark suggests that Ted throw his line into the area of some mangrove roots to hook a snook. Mark says Ted is a great fisherman. Ted says he was trying to impress Mark and that he had good luck. He asks Mark if he will be staying until after Katie's surgery. Mark says he will, adding that he will not feel so bad about taking back Andy if Katie's sight returns. Back in his motel room, Mark calls Cherry, who asks if he's found Andy. Mark explains that Katie is very attached to Andy. Cherry points out that Mark is also attached to Andy. Mark agrees, but adds that he is not blind.
June 14-19--Day 4 to Day 5: Mark tells Cherry he'll be in Florida until after Katie's surgery. Cherry asks if Katie knows that Andy is Mark's dog. Mark says Katie isn't aware of this. Cherry says that maybe if the surgery goes well, Katie will give up Andy. Mark says, "Maybe," looking doubtful. Ted performs surgery on Katie on what we may presume to be Day 5. Meanwhile, Mark visits several wildlife areas in the state, researching future articles. Everywhere he goes, people ask him where Andy is. Mark returns to the hospital, and he and Ted go out for coffee. Ted says the bandages will come off tomorrow and that Andy is in the hospital room with Katie.
June 21-26--Day 5 to Day 6: As Day 6 arrives, Dr. Ted arranges for Mark and Andy to meet at the hospital. Andy is boisterously happy, and Mark says, "I sure have missed you, old fellow!" Ted then introduces Mark to Katie, who asks if it's true that her dog, Miracle belongs to him. She says she loved him from the minute she put her hands on him. Ted removes the bandage. Katie can see. She says that she has no right to keep Andy if he's Mark's dog. Mark suggests they let Andy choose between them. He then tells Andy he'll understand, whatever Andy's decision.
June 28-July3--Day 6: Mark leaves the hospital wearing a sad visage. Apparently Andy has chosen to stay with Katie. As he walks mournfully off, Andy appears! Not wishing to take any more chances, Mark immediately leaves with Andy without another word to Katie, Ted or Doc West. He calls Cherry with the exciting news and packs his suitcase. Bill Ellis, Mark's editor, calls and suggests that Mark swing by Big Swamp on his way home. Something has concerned the local residents in that area. Bill congratulates Mark on finding Andy. This is the end of Andy's Oz Adventure.