And so the adventure began. They marched down one trail, then branched off to follow another, going from boulder to boulder, from tree to tree. All the while, Uncle Marvin kept re-reading his sheets of clues and checking his compass dial.

Tina began to breathe a little heavier as the trail climbed steeply up the side of the hillside. The air smelled fresh and clean.

Everywhere she looked, she saw trees and vines, flowers and ferns. The greenery was filled with the sounds of life. Birds flittered all about, and she often heard tiny rustlings in the underbrush.

"Is that a mouse? No, no... it's a lizard! See, Uncle Marvin?" The little reptile darted off so fast, it seemed to disappear into thin air. Max barked once at the creature, but stayed faithfully by Tina's side. "I love hiking in the forest!" she exclaimed.

"Me, too!" Uncle Marvin replied. "The only thing better than taking a hike out here is eating lunch out here! The clues say there should be a nice picnic area just ahead. I'm sure glad you brought those provisions!"

As they approached the clearing ahead, they could hear water trickling over rocks. The trees suddenly opened up into an island of stone in the sea of trees. This rocky bald spot in the forest was as large as a football field.

Tina quickly realized that the scattered boulders covering the area served nicely as picnic tables and benches. She picked out a spot facing the small stream that intersected the trail here, and began to unload the contents of her pack.