Migrating to Michigan by Jeffery L Schatzer Page B

forward with his club and started swinging it back and forth. The club made whooshing sounds as it cut through the air. The wolf backed into the corner and continued its fierce growl.
    â€œProfessor, the wolf must have come through the teleporter,” Owen whispered. “We’ve got to do something fast!”
    â€œMy goodness! My goodness!” the professor said. He joined Rachel, Mister Adams, and me behind his desk. “I’ll re-set the teleporter to send it somewhere back in time. We’ve got to get that wolf out of here now. Does anyone have an idea of how we can do it?”
    Rachel and I were too scared to think. “Don’t let the wolf get us,” Rachel cried.
    Our eyes widened as Owen bravely swung his club back and forth. The wolf tried to come forward, but Owen managed to keep him cornered. The professor quickly tapped away at his laptop. While the professor worked, Mister Adams was rummaging through the drawers in his uncle’s desk.
    â€œHurry, Professor!” Owen shouted over his shoulder. “I can’t hold it off much longer.”
    I looked over at the professor and saw Mister Adams open a cheese stick. At first I thought it was a funny time to look for something to eat. Then I understood what he was doing. Mister Adams threw the cheese stick to the wolf. The animal stopped growling and quickly gobbled up the treat.
    â€œKeep throwing treats to the wolf,” shouted the professor. “I’m almost done here.”
    Another cheese stick flew through the air and landed near the dark corner. It, too, was quickly snapped up by the wolf. Rachel and I crept closer to the professor as the wolf continued growling and baring its big teeth.
    â€œDone,” shouted the professor as a green cloud once again appeared in his office. Mister Adams took a cheese stick and threw it into the cloud. The wolf chased the food and disappeared into the past. Professor Tuesday quickly closed the teleporter and sat down hard in his chair.
    â€œWhew, that was close,” the professor said with a sigh. “Owen, you are a hero.”
    Owen put his club down and started shaking. Mister Adams and I ran to his side. “You did a great job, Owen,” I said. “Don’t you agree, Rachel?”
    â€œI suppose,” Rachel said, “but now that we’re all safe, I’d like to learn more about immigrants in Michigan.”
    â€œRachel,” I said, “you are a royal pain.”
    â€œWe can continue our research if we can do it safely,” said the professor. “I don’t need another scare like we had with that wolf. My old heart can’t take it. But this should be a good lesson to all of us. Immigrants who came to early Michigan had to face many dangers, including wild animals.”
    Professor Tuesday’s hands shook as he picked up a book from his desk. He scratched his noggin as he paged through it. “Yes, yes,” said the professor to no one in particular, “we probably should take a look at that.”
    â€œTake a look at what?” Owen asked. Mister Adams shook his head. He was curious, too.
    â€œI want to visit an early lumber camp,” said the professor. “But the lumber companies mostly operated during the winter.” Professor Tuesday shrugged his shoulders twice. “We don’t have warm coats, and I don’t want anyone to catch cold by visiting the north woods at that time of the year. Plus, there were wolves, bears, and coyotes roaming the woods in those days.”
    You could tell by the look in Mister Adams’s eyes that he was thinking. Suddenly, he pointed one finger in the air to get Professor Tuesday’s attention. Then he started spelling out words in sign language.
    â€œSlow down, Mister Adams,” the professor said, “I can’t understand what you are signing when you go so fast.”
    Mister Adams scowled at the professor and started all over again. The professor