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behind him.
    It was their mother.
    â€œShe must have fallen off,” said Tom.
    â€œCool,” said Johnny.
    The snowmobile slowed as it got nearer the dogs,
    and stopped. Their mother got off the back. They saw
    her stretch to get her foot over the seat. She nearly
    fell. They could see her face. She was red. She looked
    at Tom and Johnny. She smiled at them and stuck out
    her tongue. She struggled through the high snow.
    Then one of her feet landed on the hardened snow,
    and she saw that it was easier to walk on the path.
    â€œHiya, lads,” she said. “I went on my bum.”
    They laughed.
    Kalle spoke.
    â€œWhy – did – you – fall – off – your – sleigh?” he
     said.
    â€œAh Jaysis, Kalle,” said their mother. “I didn’t do it
    on purpose.”
    They could hear Aki laughing.
    â€œWhat – was – the – cause?” said Kalle.
    â€œI – don’t – know,” said their mother. “I – just –
    fell – off.”
    She lifted her hands.
    â€œSorry,” she said. “I’m being rude. Sorry, Kalle. But
    I just fell off.”
    Kalle nodded.
    â€œ Paska – happens,” he said.
    The other sleds had caught up. Johnny could see
    the other people trying to stay steady on their brakes.
    Their dogs tried to pull, nearer to Kalle.
    â€œAnd, so,” said Aki.
    They heard him turn on the snowmobile.
    Kalle held their mother’s sled while she stepped on
    to it and put her feet on the brake. He turned and
    stared at Tom, and Johnny.
    They ran – they tried to run – back to the sled,
    through the high snow, then the flattened stuff. Tom
    slid. He tried it again, but it didn’t work. Johnny got
    there first.
    â€œSorry, no room.”
    He pushed Tom back.
    â€œLay off,” said Tom.
    He slid again. But this time he didn’t want to. He
    tried to get on to the sled, and Johnny pushed again.
    Suddenly, Kalle was there. He leaned down and
    picked up Johnny. He hoisted him a few centimetres
    and dropped him to the side. There was room for
    Tom. He climbed in.
    â€œBrothers,” said Kalle. “I – understand.”
    â€œDo you have a brother?” said Tom.
    â€œI – give – him – to – the – husky – dogs,” said
    Kalle. “They – eat.”
    â€œReally?”
    Kalle nodded.
    Tom believed him. He didn’t – he did. There was
    nothing jokey about Kalle. But maybe Finnish jokes
    weren’t meant to be funny.
    Kalle stepped on to the sled, behind them. He
    spoke to the dogs, and the sled began to move.

 
The Taxi
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    Gráinne looked out the window. Her mother was at
the front door, waiting. Her cases and stuff were
all around her. She leaned over one case and rang
the bell again. She looked back at Gráinne and
    smiled.
    Gráinne saw the door open. Her granny came out
    to the porch and hugged her mother. She saw them
    hold each other for a long while. She saw them speak.
    Her granny looked at the taxi. She smiled, and waved.
     Gráinne waved back.
    She watched her granny and her mother bending
    down and picking up the cases.
    â€œWhat’s the story there?” said the taxi driver.
    She’d forgotten he was there.
    â€œWhat?” she said.
    She could see his eyes in the rearview mirror. His
    glasses were on a bit crooked. She looked away.
    She saw her mother coming out of the house. She turned, and said something to Gráinne’s granny. She
     waved, and started walking to the taxi.
    â€œIs that your mother?” said the taxi driver.
    Gráinne didn’t answer.

 
CHAPTER SIX
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    They were going over ice now. They were on a lake,
just a few centimetres between them and the freezing
    water.
    Tom pulled back his head and called up to Kalle.
    â€œIs it deep?”
    â€œNot – understand,” said Kalle.
    His voice boomed across the ice. The trees at