A Huckleberry Valentine

Chapter 6: Rock Candy Mountain Climbing

"Joy, Poppy, slow down!" Huck cried, giggling.

"Sorry, but we're almost at the Big Rock Candy Mountain!"

"Save your energy too, Huck!" Hokey panted. "We're gonna need it for climbing!"

The gang walked on a bit longer through the woods, then soon came to a clearing, and standing right in front of them was the base of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, which was made of well...hard candy! One by one they tried to step on the stones that sat around the bottom of the mountain to give themselves a boost up, but none of them found themselves able to climb the side of the mountain itself, not even Snag!

"Shucks, how are we gonna get up there?" Huck wondered.

"Not even my talent for climbing mountains is of any use to us," Snag said dejectedly.

Coco tapped Snag on the shoulder. "I think now is the perfect time for you to open your knapsack," she said. "There's something in there that might be of help for you."

Snag had almost forgotten all about the backpacks they were wearing! He took it off of his back for a moment and reached inside, rummaging around for a second until he felt something. He pulled it out to reveal that it was a grappling hook attached to a very long rope!

"Heavens to Murgatroyd!" he cried. "This should be of help for certain!"

Snag twirled the rope as if it were a lasso, then he threw it up to the very top of the mountain, where the hook attached to the rocks like an anchor. He gave it a tug and smiled.

"Way to go, Snag!" Huck said.

"Thank you very much!" Snag smiled. "Now, enough dilly dally! We have a mountain to climb!"

Everyone started climbing the mountain, except for Joy and Poppy, who could fly. It was a very steep climb, but Snag's rope held nice and taut, so they were able to make their way up without too much trouble.

Hokey chuckled. "I don't know about you, but this is giving me an overwhelming urge to yodel." Then, as loud as he could, he yodeled a loud tune. "Yo-de-lay-he-hoo!"

Huck giggled. "That's a peachy yodel, Hokey! Lemme try!"

"Yodel-ay-hee-hoo!"

"Hey, you're not bad yourself! In fact, that reminds me of a joke!" Hokey cried. "Knock knock!"

"Who's there?" Huck asked.

"Little old lady!" Hokey answered.

"Little old lady who?"

"I didn't know you could yodel!" Hokey laughed.

Huck found the punchline so funny he began to laugh very loudly, even throwing a few howls in with his laughter. But his howling was so loud and so off-pitch that it caused a few rocks to come tumbling down the side of the mountain. Snag screamed in fear and nearly let go of the rope, but he caught himself and dangled there, shaking all over.

Huck stopped laughing and looked around. "Whoopsie daisy!" he giggled.

"Don't ever do that again!" Snag cried. "We were almost crushed, smashed to bits, smithereens, even!"

"It's okay, Snagglepuss," Cinnamon said. "They're only candy rocks."

"Oh, okay!"

"Look you guys!" Minty cried. "Up there!"

Joy and Poppy flew on up ahead of the others to see what Minty had spotted.

"The rock candy cave!" Joy cried. "The way in is right up here!"