WORD PUZZLE #16 from GABRIEL'S JOURNEY
NOV/DEC 2008 Chapter Nine: A Gathering of Frogs
Read the story passage at the bottom to find the ten clues to the puzzle below. Good luck!
Gabriel led them along the water’s edge, a dark wall of cattails to their left and a dusky sky encroaching upon their
path. A canopy of nearby oak trees deepened the surrounding shadows. With little difficulty they arrived at the spot
where Simon had fallen into the water two nights ago.
“We’re losing light fast until the moon rises a bit higher, so be extra careful and stay put,” Gabriel warned. “It’s not
easy to see where the land ends and the pond begins. You might think you’re walking on solid ground, but it may turn
out to be a lily pad, as Simon can attest to. No night swims this time!”
Then they waited. The mice were eager to hear of this new home, and all had expected the bullfrog to be sitting
here ready to greet them. So they waited some more. And waited. And waited...
“Maybe he forgot we were coming,” muttered Chester. “I had hoped for some sort of grand reception.”
“We’re only mice,” his brother Elmer said, rolling his eyes. “What’d you expect from these frogs? A meal and a
welcoming committee?”
“Not so loud, boys,” cautioned Florence in the growing darkness. Then she turned to Gabriel. “Do you think he
did forget?” she frantically whispered.
“No,” Gabriel said. “The frog gave us his word. He’ll be here. I trust him.”
But as the minutes dragged by and shadows deepened, a rumbling of discontentment spread among the mice.
One or two went so far as to wonder if the bullfrog had tricked Gabriel and Simon into returning here just as a joke. Or
was he in league with the beasts and setting a trap? But Florence kept them in line.
© 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik All rights reserved. www.TomPresto.com
NOV/DEC 2008 Chapter Nine: A Gathering of Frogs
Read the story passage at the bottom to find the ten clues to the puzzle below. Good luck!
Gabriel led them along the water’s edge, a dark wall of cattails to their left and a dusky sky encroaching upon their
path. A canopy of nearby oak trees deepened the surrounding shadows. With little difficulty they arrived at the spot
where Simon had fallen into the water two nights ago.
“We’re losing light fast until the moon rises a bit higher, so be extra careful and stay put,” Gabriel warned. “It’s not
easy to see where the land ends and the pond begins. You might think you’re walking on solid ground, but it may turn
out to be a lily pad, as Simon can attest to. No night swims this time!”
Then they waited. The mice were eager to hear of this new home, and all had expected the bullfrog to be sitting
here ready to greet them. So they waited some more. And waited. And waited...
“Maybe he forgot we were coming,” muttered Chester. “I had hoped for some sort of grand reception.”
“We’re only mice,” his brother Elmer said, rolling his eyes. “What’d you expect from these frogs? A meal and a
welcoming committee?”
“Not so loud, boys,” cautioned Florence in the growing darkness. Then she turned to Gabriel. “Do you think he
did forget?” she frantically whispered.
“No,” Gabriel said. “The frog gave us his word. He’ll be here. I trust him.”
But as the minutes dragged by and shadows deepened, a rumbling of discontentment spread among the mice.
One or two went so far as to wonder if the bullfrog had tricked Gabriel and Simon into returning here just as a joke. Or
was he in league with the beasts and setting a trap? But Florence kept them in line.
© 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik All rights reserved. www.TomPresto.com
DOWN
1 To think
2 Formed from a lot of seconds
3 A group of working people
5 A noisy croaker
6 It arrives at the end of the day
8 Grows in a pond
1 To think
2 Formed from a lot of seconds
3 A group of working people
5 A noisy croaker
6 It arrives at the end of the day
8 Grows in a pond
ACROSS
3 An outdoor covering
4 The sun's friend
7 Got there
9 A fancy party
3 An outdoor covering
4 The sun's friend
7 Got there
9 A fancy party