Six months later

The magazine that had sent the O'Haras to the Amazon had spent a small fortune looking for them, but to no avail. Timothy and Sylvia had simply vanished and after a few months the search was called off.

Mart and Grace had not given up hope entirely and refused to believe their parents were gone for good. But as weeks turned into months, their hope began to erode. Neither would admit to themselves(or to each other), but sometimes late at night they feared their parents were not coming back and wondered what was going to become of them.

The answer to this question came in the form of a email:

Subject: Arrangements

From: wolfe@ewolfe.com

To: grace_o'hara@xlink.com

Cc: marty_o'hara@xlink.com

Dearest Grace & Marty:

I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear of your great loss. Your mother and father's accident has had a profound effect on all of us.

I wanted to contact you because I had hoped to have better news. Unfortunately, there is still no sign of your parents.

During this sad time, I think it is best for you to be with family. To that end I have arranged for you to come here and live with me.

Your headmaster has been contacted and he will assist you in getting here. I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Love,

Uncle Travis.

Grace was totally distraught by the message. She printed t out, found Marty, marched him down to Dr. Beasel's office, and burst through his door without bothering to wait for the secretary to announce them.

''What does he mean, again?'' she shouted, waving the email before the headmaster's perplexed face.

''We didn't even know we had an uncle!''

The headmaster expected this kind of behaviour from her brother, but not form Little Grace, the finest student ever to walk the hallowed halls of the school.

''Calm yourself, Grace,'' Dr Beasel admonished her. ''Can't you see that I have a visitor?''