Dangerous Hilarity Read online

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Acknowledgements

  Part I - Galena

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Part II – Great Heart

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Part III - Hope

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  The Rainbow Bridge

  A Very Special Welcome

  Other books by Sioux Dallas

  Back Cover

  Dangerous Hilarity

  The Great Adventures of the

  Jackson Twins, Their Family

  and the Dogs in Their Lives

  A Novel for Teens and Young

  Adults and All Those Who

  are Young at Heart

  by

  Sioux Dallas

  CCB Publishing

  British Columbia, Canada

  Dangerous Hilarity: The Great Adventures of the Jackson Twins, Their Family and the Dogs in Their Lives, A Novel for Teens and Young Adults and All Those Who are Young at Heart

  Copyright ©2012 by Sioux Dallas

  ISBN-13 978-1-927360-31-6

  First Edition

  Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

  Dallas, Sioux, 1930-

  Dangerous hilarity : the great adventures of the Jackson twins, their family and the dogs in their lives, a novel for teens and young adults and all those who are young at heart / written by Sioux Dallas. – 1st ed.

  ISBN 978-1-927360-31-6

  Also available in print format.

  I. Title.

  PS3604.A439D36 2010 813'.6 C2010-903153-9

  Additional cataloguing data available from Library and Archives Canada

  Disclaimer: This is a book of pure fiction, a product of the author’s imagination, and does not represent any person, living or dead.

  Extreme care has been taken to ensure that all information presented in this book is accurate and up to date at the time of publishing. Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Additionally, neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express written permission of the publisher.

  Publisher:

  CCB Publishing

  British Columbia, Canada

  www.ccbpublishing.com

  Dedicated to all of my much-loved students whom I had while teaching public school and horseback riding. I loved all of you and you taught me a tremendous amount.

  And to the wonderful people who train and furnish the service dogs and miniature horses for people who need a special friend.

  Acknowledgements

  It gives me great pleasure to say a sincere thank you to two lovely ladies in the Nome, Alaska Visitors Bureau. Myrtle Kinna and Natalie Abrams were not only patient with my many questions, but made sure I received all possible written information on the Nome area.

  I’m grateful to the staff of SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS, INC. in Palmetto, Florida; to PAWS WITH A CAUSE in Wayland, Michigan; GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND in Yorktown Heights, New York; and CANINE PARTNERS FOR LIFE in Cochranville, Pennsylvania for their information on care, training and use of service dogs. I’ve visited numerous times at SOUTHEASTERN and observed as well as handled dogs. God bless all of you for the love and care you give to the animals and humans.

  THE GUIDE HORSE FOUNDATION can be found on the internet and will provide valuable information on the use of the miniature horses as guide animals. These precious little animals can be housebroken and are devoted to their human. The pictures of these horses, with their tiny white sneakers, are as cute as can be. The book “Helping Hooves” by Janet Burleson tells of her experiences in training these small horses and helping people who desperately need help -- and a friend.

  I visited the training quarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa and learned the information which I included in the chapter of the Jackson family encountering them. The officer in charge was very polite and informative. My husband and I had a delightful visit. I’m glad he enjoyed the visit because he died soon after.

  On May 23, 2006, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police held the first annual national memorial at its headquarters in Ottawa to pay respect to all members of the RCMP who lost their lives in the line of duty since 1876.

  This ceremony does not replace the RCMP Memorial Parade Service held the second week of September, nor does it take away from the involvement in Peace Officer Memorial Day on Parliament Hill in September. May 23rd was chosen to commemorate the creation of the RCMP as a federal police force in 1873. This also gave the Prime Minister an opportunity to pay respect to Canada’s National Police Force.

  In 1988, my daughter and I took the trip that the Jacksons had. We had a van with a double bed in it and loads of space. We each took a dog and had a great time. One place we stopped for the night, a big man, who looked a little like Teddy Roosevelt, asked us why we were there. We told him just to stay the night at the motel. He said it was a dangerous place. Around three in the morning I heard a strange noise and looked out the window. There sat that big man in the back of his pick-up truck on a chair and holding a rifle across his lap. He was protecting two ladies who were strangers.

  Part I

  Galena

  Chapter One

  No happier dog could be found anywhere. Galena was a strong, healthy German Shepherd, larger than the average dog of her breed. Galena was brown and tan standing a full twenty-six inches at her shoulder which was two inches more than the usual size. She loved her humans and felt that she lived with the greatest family, especially her twin boys. She loved the girl, and the adults, but the boys were special because they had grown up together.

  Galena’s family was the Jackson family of Fairfax, Virginia. Dr. Herbert Jackson worked for the U. S. Government in the Department of Interior. There was Mrs. Irene Jackson, fourteen year old Anna Maria, who was a high school freshman and twelve year old identical twins, Thomas Harrison and Timothy Michael, who were in the seventh grade. Great boys who made good grades but were mischievous, especially Tom.

  Two days before the Christmas holiday, Herb Jackson rushed home with good news. At least he thought it was stupendous news and hoped his family would be as thrilled as he was. Herb came bounding through the front door, bringing a chilly wind with him. He hurriedly shut the door and hopped around on one foot while taking off his rain boots that he had needed that morning. He was so eager to share the news that he could hardly get his gloves and overcoat off. He placed his boo
ts on a mat in the hall closet, his gloves and his rain hat on a shelf and hung his coat on a hangar.

  “Hey! Where is everybody?” he called excitedly. “Everyone in the den for a family conference. Hurry. Hup! Hup!”

  Galena, feeling the excitement, was running around Herb jumping up to his face and barking. Her tail was wagging so hard she almost lost her balance. She seemed to be saying, “Me, too. I’m family, too.” The familiar expression on Galena’s face was an open mouth and bright, sparkling eyes making her look as if she were laughing.

  “Quiet girl. Yes, you can stay.” Herb rubbed her neck and ears and patted her shoulder while he waited impatiently for his family to gather.

  Irene came running in from the kitchen with a large, dripping, wooden spoon in her hand. “What is it? Is something wrong?” she asked worriedly. She had grabbed up a dish towel and now put it under the dripping spoon that she had been using to stir the homemade potato soup. She sank down on the couch, relieved to see that Herb was all right.

  Galena put her paws on Irene’s knees as if to comfort her. “Yes, I love you, too, but be a good girl and lie down.” Irene used the back of her hand to wipe her curly, blonde hair off her sweaty forehead. Her hazel-green eyes were anxious and slightly amused. She loved her husband and her children, but at the moment, she thought her husband was acting like one of the children. Her bow-shaped lips curled in a quiet smile. Her fair complexion was slightly flushed from cooking over a hot stove. Galena stretched out at Irene’s feet then jumped up when she heard the twins clomping down the stairs.

  The twins were running, skipping stairs and landed with a thud at the bottom. Tim nearly tripped over Galena who was jumping up at him and barking. “What is it?” Tim shouted as he took Galena’s collar and led her into the den between him and Tom.

  “Tell us quickly. Is it a Christmas surprise?” Tom shouted.

  “It had better be good. I’m in the middle of finishing a research paper for history class and it counts as one-third of our grade for this semester.” Anna spoke around a pencil held in her teeth as she clutched a large open book against her chest. She dropped to the floor with her knees bent and her ankles crossed. Galena promptly came and plopped down with her head and a paw on Anna’s lap.

  Anna looked up at her six feet two inch daddy and thought he was the handsomest man in the world. His light brown hair was naturally wavy and his green eyes were snapping with thrilling excitement. He was pacing back and forth and running his fingers through his hair. He had run his fingers through so much that his hair was standing up in spikes.

  “Please. Everyone. Quiet. Pay attention.” Herb grinned and drew himself up as if he were proud of what he was going to say. “I have been requested to take a two to three year assignment to” he hesitated for suspense--

  “Nome, Alaska. What a marvelous experience it will be for all of us.” he finished with great enthusiasm.

  There was a stunned silence so sharp it almost hurt the ears. “Don’t everyone speak at once,” Herb joked. “I know I’m hitting you with unexpected news, and it will take time for us to think about it and talk it over.” He began to look uneasy as the silence grew and he looked from one stunned face to another. “It’s a great honor to be chosen for this special assignment.” He looked worriedly at his silent family. “Well, someone say something.”

  “B-b-b but, Dad,” Tim wailed, “it would mean leaving our friends and our home and our school and ---”

  “Everything,” Anna finished weakly.

  Tom looked as if he had been punched in the stomach. “No!” he shrieked. “I want to go to winter camp with our scout troop. We’re going to learn how to survive in winter weather and how to find directions with a compass.”

  “My French class is planning a trip to Paris and it’ll be during my birthday. We’re doing fund raising activities to help pay for the trip. Oh, I have my heart set on going and I’ve been working hard to earn money for it.” Anna moaned.

  Irene began speaking so low they could hardly hear her. “I’m working with my Sunday School class to adopt a family for Christmas. I also promised to work with the Chamber of Commerce for our Main Street Art Festival next March.”

  “Well, we’re not leaving tomorrow,” Herb snapped, disappointed that his family didn’t feel as he did. “I’ll have to leave in a couple of months, but all of you can wait until the school year is over and then join me in Alaska.” He looked imploringly at them.

  Everyone was silent, looking at each other and absent-mindedly petting Galena as she went whining from one to another sensing the distress in the atmosphere.

  Herb dropped to one knee in front of Irene, taking her hand and imploring. “Honey, just think about it. Our children will have an opportunity to see a lot of their own country and meet a variety of people. I’m sure you’ll find ladies doing interesting, worth while things in Nome.” Herb was beginning to worry that his family could not be persuaded to join him in what he considered a fabulous opportunity. He jumped up and continued pacing.

  Irene took a deep breath and spoke haltingly. “I don’t -- really know. Part of me is as excited as you are and part of me is --- cringing at the idea of such a move and all that it involves. We’ve lived here for sixteen years and have so many friends.

  “What about Galena?” Tom knelt by the dog hugging her against his side.

  “What about Galena? Well, I guess she’ll have to stay here with someone we trust if they’re willing to keep her for us. She’s lived here all of her life and, I’m not sure, at her age, that she could make the adjustment.” Herb answered without thinking.

  “Oh, no!”

  “No way!”

  “Absolutely not!”

  The three children spoke as one.

  “Honey, you might as well suggest leaving one of the children behind. You know they will not go off and leave Galena behind. I don’t like the idea either.” Irene spoke firmly. “She’s been with us since she was three months old and the boys were two years old.”

  “Yeah, Dad. She’s one of the family,” Tim choked out.

  “What kind of work would you be doing, Dad?” Tom questioned with a disturbed expression.

  “I’ll have a team and we’re supposed to investigate to see if there is natural gas under the tundra and maybe coal. There’s no oil on the western side of Alaska, but scientists feel they’ve found evidence to support the theory of natural gas. I’ll be working with the environment in many ways for the Department of Interior. There are no roads into Nome because of the snow and constant freezing. We would have to drive to Fairbanks and fly into Nome. Once we get there, we’ll find many good roads in the city.”

  “Is it a done deal?” Tom frowned

  “I won’t be fired if I don’t accept the assignment, if that’s what you’re asking. I repeat, it’s an honor that they considered me. The job will mean a promotion and a much better retirement fund. That’ll come in handy with three of you going to college.” He gave a nervous little laugh. “I have to be honest. I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

  “Nah. No kidding. You could have fooled me,” Tom spoke facetiously.

  Irene got up and started toward the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready. Cheeseburgers and potato soup. Why don’t we eat and have another talk later.”

  Anna asked the blessing and ended with, “and give us the wisdom to know what is the best thing for us to do.” The meal was eaten quickly with a lot of excited babble, sometimes all trying to talk at once. The children finally agreed to learn more about Alaska and make a decision later--but only if Galena was included. Everyone carried their own dirty dishes into the kitchen. Anna and Irene quickly had dishes done and the room cleaned while the boys carried the trash out. The family then gathered in the den to watch a National Geographic special.

  “Let’s go to bed and sleep on this. There’ll be time to do more talking after we’ve absorbed information about where our home would be.” Irene fluttered around like a disturbed bird as she enco
uraged her family to go to bed.

  Chapter Two

  The next day, in their homeroom at school, the students were eager for the holiday and too excited to think of lessons.

  “Mrs. Berry,” Tim kept waving his hand in the air and even half way standing up. “Tom and I have something to share with you and the class.”

  “Make it quick, Tim. We have much to cover today.”

  “Our dad has been requested --” Tim started.

  “You know he works for the Federal Government,” Tom butted in. “We may have to move --”

  “to Alaska.” Both boys finished together. “For two or three years,” Tim bounced as he talked.

  A lot of the students began talking at once with surprise and excitement. Most of them thought it was great and told the twins that they envied them. Hearing the excitement in the voices of their classmates, the twins began to feel that it might not be such a calamity after all, still they were not totally convinced that it would be a good move.

  The bell rang to leave the homeroom and go to other classes. The children were clattering about the news and telling others that they met in the hall. The twins were momentarily pleased at the attention.

  Herb had been giving each child ten dollars a week for an allowance which they earned by doing chores around the house. Anna earned extra money by babysitting. The twins mowed laws, shoveled snow and ran errands for people to earn extra money according to the time of the year.

  Christmas at last and snow. The children loved it, but the people who had to drive to work were not pleased. The twins each got skis and Anna got a motor bike for their main presents. The twins also received a complete set of ‘Harry Potter’ books. Herb got books he enjoyed written by John Grisham, Ken Follett and Frank Patterson. Irene got a hundred dollar gift certificate to a local spa for a day of relaxation and pampering. The three children had pooled their money and purchased tickets for a stage play and a dinner for their parents. Everyone received smaller gifts.