Tiger in Trouble by Eric Walters Page A

gaining weight with each step. My only consolation was that while it was hard for me, it was twice as hard for Samantha with her two big suitcases. Hopefully we didn’t have to go much farther.
    Vladimir led us through the clearing and onto another path leading off to the side. At the end I could see another building. It wasn’t fancy or new. It looked sort of like a cottage, which was what I’d expected, anyway. It wasn’t big, but it was kind of cute.
    “So this is it,” I said.
    “Nyet. This is where I sleep. You sleep there,” he said, pointing toward the end of the clearing. There were three buildings. As we got closer, I could see that they weren’t just little, but run-down. One even had a broken window, a piece of cardboard replacing the pane of glass.
    “Come, look,” Vladimir said as he stepped up onto the little wooden porch of the middle of the three buildings. It seemed to sag under his weight. Vladimir opened the front door, and it squeaked loudly. He entered, with Nick, Samantha and Daniel following. I wasn’t sure if this little building could hold five of us and all our luggage, but there was no way I was waiting outside.
    The inside was tiny but neat. There were two sets of bunk beds on opposite walls. Between them were two dressers, a little table and three chairs tucked underneath.
    “You stay here,” Vladimir said.
    “All of us?” Samantha asked.
    “Four kids, four beds,” he answered.
    “But what about the other two cabins? Couldn’t somebody else sleep in one of those?” I questioned.
    “Not ready yet.”
    “You mean they need the beds made, or to be dusted or something? I could do that,” I volunteered.
    “Needs more than the bed made. They need windows replaced or roof fixed to not leak when it rains,” Vladimir said. “I will fix before more kids come, but not now.”
    “It’s not a big deal,” Danny said. “We’re not going to be spending much time in here, anyway.”
    “He’s right,” Nick agreed. “Besides, all that’s really important is that I get the top bunk!” Nick put a dirty foot on the lower bunk and heaved himself onto the top bed.
    “I got the other!” Danny screamed. He threw his bag onto the top of the second set of beds, then quickly climbed up to join it.
    “I don’t care which bed I’m in,” I said as I plopped onto the bed beneath Nick.
    “Neither do I,” Samantha agreed.
    That was good, because there was only one bed left.
    “I have to go to the washroom,” Samantha said. “Where is it?”
    Vladimir pointed out the door. “Go to side and around back. You will find in the forest.”
    “The bathroom is outside?” Samantha gasped.
    “Not outside,” Vladimir said. “In the building. Little building.”
    “It’s an outhouse?” Nick asked in disbelief.
    “Not out of house. In little building. Not bad. I used it for years.”
    “Your place doesn’t have a toilet, either?”
    “There is a toilet where I live now,” Vladimir answered. “I lived here for over three years. When new boss build the new house, I get the old house of boss.”
    “That was nice of your boss,” I said.
    Vladimir snorted. “Old boss was nice. New boss is the son of the old boss.”
    “What happened to the father?” I asked, although I was pretty sure what the answer was going to be. “Did he retire?”
    “Not retire. Dead.”
    “I … I’m sorry.”
    “I am sorry, too,” said Vladimir. “Old boss was a nice man. Good man. He knew much about animals. He loved animals like family.”
    “I guess it was lucky his family, his son, felt the same way,” I said.
    Vladimir looked confused. “I don’t understand.”
    “Well, I just figured that since he took over the park, he must like animals a lot, too.”
    Vladimir didn’t answer. He had a look on his face that was … different.
    “How long since the father died?” Samantha asked, ending the silence.
    “He died last summer. Almost twelve months ago.”
    “And did you know him for