Free Courage by Joseph G. Udvari

so.” Jim looked at his watch and said, “We just have to be patient. ”
    â€œWe should probably just do what we always do at this time of day, we don’t want to raise the kid’s hopes.”
    â€œI think that’s a good idea,” Jim confirmed.
    â€œOkay kids, we should go down to the stream after lunch for water, in the meantime let’s forage for some fire wood.”
    Mary stayed back while the three went out to collect firewood.
    â€œDad look, the wolf is back with his friend. I don’t know what they want, but they’re looking at us in a strange way,” Jill commented.
    A growl was heard in the bushes some distance away. “We have to get back to the plane, I think that sounded like an angry bear.”

    They just got back to the plane when they heard a growl again, this time much closer. The two wolves ran toward the growling sounds and growled in return, their ears pulled back and the fur on the back of their necks stood on end. A black bear emerged from the bushes, heading directly toward the plane, and another, much larger, was following it, breaking branches and pawing the ground along the way.
    â€œInto the plane everyone, I just hope they will ignore us and head in the opposite direction,” Jim said but he stayed outside the plane.
    Both wolves charged the lead bear and attacked, one from the front and one from the rear. The bear reared up on her hind legs and swung a mighty paw at the wolf approaching her from the front. The wolf jumped sideways to avoid the front paw swipe while at the same time the wolf at the rear jumped on the back of the bear, grabbing it by the skin of its neck. The enraged bear shook off the wolf and ran off into the bushes. The other bear attacked the wolves, forcing them toward the plane. Jim threw the pole with the knife attached into the bear’s belly; the bear shook it free and lumbered into the forest. The two wolves licked their paws, yawned and took off in the opposite direction.
    â€œI think it’s safe to come out of the plane now. Boy, were those bears angry!”
    â€œDad, dad look, I think those are search planes, look up, we have to signal them.”
    â€œCan you get the fire going again?”
    â€œIt’s still smoldering, what if we throw on some of our cedar boughs from the plane, would it work?” Lucas asked.
    â€œMary, Jill, grab the cedar boughs and throw them on the signal fire. Lucas and I’ll be signaling with the windshield.”
    The family prayed fervently as they performed their jobs. One of the planes signaled the survivors by dipping its wings up and down.
    â€œJim, I think they saw us!!!”
    â€œWave to them, jump up and down, scream, do whatever you can to make sure they see us!”
    And they did. The other plane also signaled them by dipping its wings. It flew low and waved to them.
    The planes took one more fly by, then headed back to base.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
    â€œThis is ‘Firefox One’ and ‘Firefox Two’. We have confirmation of the survivors. The co-ordinates were as given. You will need a chopper to get them out. ‘Firefox One’ and ‘Firefox Two’. Out.”
    â€œWonderful news! This is Search and Rescue HQ, understood. We are dispatching a rescue helicopter to specified location. Request you do one more fly by. If you can, signal them that we’ll be there just before dark. How many survivors did you see? Out.”
    â€œCounted four and they appeared to be fine.”
    â€œUnderstood, ‘Firefox One’ will drop leaflets with the message. ‘Firefox Two’ returning to base. Out.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
    â€œThe search plane is coming back, I wonder why?”
    The plane dipped low and tossed a bunch of paper out of the plane.
    â€œLook dad, they’re throwing something out of the plane.”
    â€œLucas, chase them down, see what they say!”
    â€œI got one dad! It says