Everything happened quickly for the Barth family.
Dad had found a good job in the city.
So they had to move back immediately.
The children got up early the next morning.
They visited their neighbors with the homemade cookies.
They wanted to say thank you.
And they wanted to say good-bye.
"These cookies are for you," the children said to the Jenkins.
Then Cy and Jane visited Mr. Keefer.
Panther and Bobby went to see Mr. Becker and Silver.
It was not easy to say good-bye to their new friends.
When they got home, Dad was already loading the car.
"Hurry and pack, kids," he called to them.
"We don't have a lot of time."
The children stared at the boxes beside the car.
Suddenly Panther gasped.
"We didn't say good-bye to Huey!" she whispered.
The children began running toward the woods.
"Where are you going?" Dad shouted.
"To say good-bye to a friend!" Cy yelled back.
The children did not stop until they got to Huey's well.
Cy hurriedly lowered the bucket down.
Once again, he struggled to find Huey's shell.
Finally he pulled Huey up.
As he had the day before, Huey seemed different.
He even smiled at the children.
"Did you come to make your last wish?" he said.
"Last wish? Are you going somewhere?" asked Panther.
"I thought you were leaving," Huey said.
"How did you know?" asked Bobby.
Huey smiled again and said, "We Orlanes know what we need to know."
"Huey," Panther said, her voice choking, "we're going to miss you."
The others nodded sadly.
"Thank you for making our wishes come true," Cy said gratefully.
"We're sorry but we don't have anything to give you," Jane cried.
"We baked some cookies," said Bobby.
"But we gave them all away."
"Cookies?" Huey made a face.
"I'm glad you didn't give them to me.
I don't like human food."
Then he looked at each child more gently.
"But thank you for thinking of me."
"Can we come to visit you sometime?" Jane asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not," said Huey, shaking his head.
"For I, too, am leaving."
"Leaving?" cried the children. "Where?"
"To my next destination," Huey replied.
"How can we find you?"
Jane cried, not caring that tears were falling down her face.
Huey's fins began to open and close.
His head moved from side to side.
Then his whole body glowed brightly.
"One day," he said, "you may come across another well.
Look inside and perhaps I may be there.
But," he continued, "search deeper in your hearts.
And you will find me for sure."
"We're going to miss you, Huey," the children said, weeping.
They stood there in tears for a few minutes.
Nobody said a word.
Finally, Cy spoke up.
"I think we have to go," he said, sniffling.
"Just don't forget to lower me back down," Huey said.
Cy lovingly lifted Huey's shell.
He gently placed it inside the bucket.
"Good-bye, Cy! Panther! Bobby and Jane!" Huey waved.
"Good-bye, Huey!" cried the children.
Then for the last time Cy lowered the bucket down the well.
The children watched as Huey's shell disappeared down the dark hole.
"I have one last wish,"
said Panther, as the children turned to go home.
"But Huey's gone," said Cy.
"It doesn't matter," she answered.
"What is it?" asked Jane.
"I wish the best for Huey.
I wish he finds happiness wherever he goes," Panther said.
"How do you know it will come true?" asked Jane.
"Because the best wishes in life are those you make for others," replied Panther.
Hand in hand, the Barth children walked out of the woods.