Professor Trainey laughed. "That'll teach me to let my daughter drag me to dances," he said.
"I asked Dan to scout around for us today, but when we got back from Jackson a little while ago, we found out that he'd vanished."
"I'm afraid I was out of action," Trainey said, wryly. "Fortunately, Nancy was on the job."
Edith smiled. "Great detective work. Nancy! Did you know that there's a five thousand dollar reward for catching poachers?"
"Wow," Nancy said.
"Better start thinking about what to do with it," Edith went on.
The next morning Nancy was awakened by voices outside her tent. Bess was gone, so Nancy knew it had to be fairly late. She got up, threw on jeans and a sweatshirt, combed her hair, then stepped out into the sunshine. The sight that met her made her gape.
Two large trucks were parked near the campsite. From one of them came the rumble of a powerful electrical generator. Dozens of people were wheeling big blue metal equipment cases, rolls of cable, and light stands up the path to feeding station 1.
"Nan! Do you realize what's happening?" Bess ran over to greet her friend. "Randy Dean's going to shoot his special right here! He'll be here any minute, and I'm going to meet him if I have to sprain my ankle to do it!"
Nancy looked around. "Where is everyone else?"
"They're all up at the feeding station," Bess explained. "Come on, hurry!"
At that moment Nancy heard the low throaty growl of a perfectly tuned racing engine. She looked over her shoulder and saw a bright red sports car pulling to a stop in the lot.
"Bess," she said, "your prayers are about to be answered."
Bess gasped as Randy Dean stepped out of his car. "Hey, Nancy!" he called. "Good to see you again."
"Hi, Randy," Nancy replied when the rock star joined them. "I want you to meet my friend Bess Marvin."
Randy held out his hand. "Hi, Bess."
Bess turned pale, then red, as she took his hand. Still holding it, she gasped out, "This is just so totally awesome! I think you're the best singer ever!"
"Well, thanks," Randy replied. He gently disengaged his hand and glanced up the hill. "Is that the way to the feeding station?"
Bess nodded.
"I'd better get up there. My producer will kill me if I'm late. Want to come?"
Bess just about tripped over her own feet as she moved to Randy's side.
At the top of the hill, Randy sat down on a folding chair while a makeup artist went to work on him. Dan Trainey was inside the enclosure, holding a marmot. The Turkowers, Ned, and the rest of the Emerson students were off to one side, watching. To Nancy's delight, Brad was among them.
"Hi." He grinned when she and Bess went over. "I finally talked them into letting me out of that place."
Nancy smiled and returned his greeting.
"Ned's told me everything," Brad went on. "Imagine, Jack being the mastermind of the whole scheme."
Ned kissed Nancy and then put his arm around her shoulders. "Didn't I tell you she was a first-rate detective?"
Trainey brought Spike over and handed him to Bess. He had removed the bandage. "This little fellow's ready to be set free," he said.
A stricken look appeared on Bess's face. "So soon?"
"It's time," Trainey said firmly.
"Oh." Bess turned away from her friends.
Nancy could see she was fighting back tears.
"We have to do it, Bess," she said softly. "He belongs in the wild."
Randy joined the group. "I have a great idea," he said to Bess. "Why don't you release your little marmot as part of my show?"
Bess's eyes widened. "Me? On television?"
Randy nodded. "We'll release him together. It'll be a great sequence."
Bess was too stunned to speak. Then she looked down at herself and shrieked. "I've got to change my clothes!"
Nancy laughed as Bess placed Spike in his cage, turned, and ran down the hill to their tent. "I don't think I've ever seen Bess move that quickly," she said.
"Thanks for everything you've done. Nancy," Trainey said. "You've helped make this study a success and saved my reputation."
"You're welcome," Nancy replied. "What about the last stage of the project?"
Trainey sighed. "That part's not as successful. We can retag the marmots you recovered, but unless we can raise more money, the study ends right now."
Nancy smiled. "Would five thousand dollars help?" she asked.
Trainey stared at her.
"I'm donating my reward money to the project," Nancy explained.
"That's very generous. Nancy," Trainey replied. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Professor, I know you'll put it to good use."
Ned put his arm around Nancy's shoulders. "Thanks, Nan."
"Say," Alicia said with a broad smile. "Maybe you and Bess could come back in August and help us with the last phase of the study."
"I'd love to," Nancy said, "but I don't know if I'm brave enough."
"Why?" Alicia asked. "Are you afraid of bears?"
Nancy shook her head. "No. I'd be too afraid to tell Bess that she has to camp out!"