Part One: Off To The Fair!

Elbie was a boy who loved puzzles and mysteries. He was really good at putting clues together, even clues that made his grandpa, Lazlo Gimble, scratch his head and wonder. Lazlo was once a famous astronomer, a scientist who studied the cosmos. He knew many scientists and other important people around the world.

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Their cozy, old house was a few miles outside a small town in the middle of the United States, where it was often very windy. The dusty road to their house would get stirred up by the wind, leaving a thin layer of dust on everything.

 

Their house was a nice, warm place to come home to. It had a swing on the front porch and warm lights shining from the windows. On the roof, there were many gadgets for studying the weather and the stars, which showed how much the Gimbles loved science. A big, old oak tree stood nearby, giving shade all day with its twisted branches. Carvings of stars and planets on its trunk showed how much Elbie and his grandpa loved looking at the night sky. Beyond their yard, a thick, rustling forest offered lots of places to explore and think.

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One afternoon, the kitchen still smelled like the apple tarts they had baked the night before. Suddenly, the door burst open! It was Lazlo, who was always full of energy and could make windows shake when he laughed. He had a happy, sneaky look on his face, and in his hands, he held an old, leather travel case. He held it tightly, like a pirate protecting his treasure!

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“Surprise, Elbie!” Lazlo shouted. His voice was so loud that the teacups on the shelf rattled! He threw open the case onto the strong oak kitchen table with a grand show. The sound of the metal clasps echoed like tiny clapping hands. Inside were notebooks and maps that hinted at faraway places and new adventures. But what really stood out were two bright, colorful tickets. They almost seemed to glow! They were tickets for a ship called the SS Lafayette, soon sailing off to far away France!

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“We’re off to the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts! The Paris World’s Fair!” Lazlo announced, his eyes shining with happiness. He danced around the table, pointing at the tickets as if they held a secret to a world full of amazing things. The World’s Fair! Those words made Elbie imagine incredible shows, brand-new inventions, and a big, lively party. It was a celebration of artists and inventors from all over the world. It was also a chance to see amazing things and feel the excitement of new ideas and creativity.

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Elbie, who often thought about machines and designs, felt his mouth drop open. Paris! The fair! He had read about many past World’s Fairs in his grandpa’s old magazines. His favorite was one called Popular Mechanics. It was 1925, and the world was full of new ideas, but this ... this was more amazing than anything he had ever dreamed of. He hugged his grandpa, the scent of sandalwood and old paper making him feel safe. “Really, Opa? To Paris?”

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“Yes, my boy! A great adventure is waiting!” Lazlo said, cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief.​

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Two weeks later, the Gimbles stood on the busy docks in Philadelphia, a city on the east coast of the United States. The air smelled of salty ocean water and excitement as they waited in line to get on the ship. The SS Lafayette was a huge, majestic ocean liner! Its red and black smokestacks reached high into the sky. The ship belonged to a French company, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, and Elbie had spent days reading everything he could about it. He excitedly told his grandpa facts about the ship, and Lazlo listened closely. The Lafayette was 790 feet long, could go 24 knots (which was fast for a ship!), and had a "draft" of 32 feet (that's a fancy way to say how much of the ship was under the water). Elbie also knew it used to run on coal but now ran on fuel oil, which was a real technological upgrade.

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The ship’s horn let out a loud, deep blast that echoed over the water. On the docks, people waved handkerchiefs, saying sad goodbyes and happy farewells as the ship began to move away. Elbie leaned against the railing, watching the city get smaller as the ship sailed down the Delaware River. Soon, the river opened up into a big bay. Further on, he watched the coast of North America disappear as the ship sped up. The huge, sparkling Atlantic Ocean stretched out before them. Just like his grandpa, Elbie was excited for a long and peaceful trip across the sea.

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The week-long trip was a blur of good sleep, fun games, and delicious food. They often ate in the grand dining hall, which was full of shiny wooden walls and brass decorations. Crystal lights swung gently as the ship rocked with the ocean waves, and the sound of forks and knives mixed with lively talk. Elbie and Lazlo often played fun games on the ship's promenade deck, like shuffleboard and quoits. Elbie sometimes won against his grandpa, which Lazlo pretended was a surprise but secretly loved.

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But what really kept Elbie’s attention was his endless interest in the ship’s engines. He found every chance he could to be near the powerful, mechanical heart of the ship. The steady rumbling of 48,000 horsepower beneath his feet somehow made him feel calm. He talked to many of the ship’s crew—from the neatly dressed people who brought morning tea to the tough but kind deckhands who tied up ropes at the back of the ship. Most everyone welcomed his curiosity and answered his many questions about the ship. The Chief Engineer even let him peek through a tiny porthole that looked out at the spinning propellers! Another time, he was allowed to watch for a short time through an open door into the huge, hot, and loud engine room. The air that rushed out smelled strongly of burning oil and steam. It was super hot, but the sight was amazing. There, among shiny metal and a maze of pipes, he could see huge pistons moving back and forth. It was a fascinating dance of power, with each strong movement pushing the huge ship easily across the endless, rolling ocean. The sight made Elbie really admire how smart people could be at building things.

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Almost every evening after dessert, Lazlo and Elbie would sit together on the top deck to watch the moon rise. It was a quiet, serious time, especially for Lazlo, who often got lost looking at the magical, glowing moon. Elbie guessed his grandpa was thinking about his old studies of stars, or maybe his lost love, the grandma who Elbie had never met. The moon was a waxing gibbous on the first night of their trip, so they knew a super bright full moon would greet them as they got closer to France.

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Part Two: The Dream Machine

Just when Elbie was getting a bit tired of being on the ship and really wanted to be on land, the Lafayette sailed into a port in France called Le Havre. The salty ocean smell started to fade away, and new, fresh smells of the French coast took its place. The wind carried a mix of rich earth, a little bit of woodsmoke, and a sweet smell of purple flowers called lilacs.

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Getting off the ship was busy but easy. Workers in uniforms, speaking quick French, quickly moved luggage onto waiting carts. People walked off the ship, including fancy ladies in cloche hats, important men in white cravats, and other excited tourists. Lazlo easily handled everything to get them off the ship, and soon they were sitting in a train car on their way to Paris.

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The French State Railways (État) Express Train was known for being fast and trusty. Elbie was excited because he loved all kinds of trains and knew almost everything about them. The engine that pulled the car was a powerful 230 series steam locomotive. The passenger car they rode in was fancy, with rich, dark wood and soft seats. It felt different from American trains, which had smaller, simpler rooms. The steady "clack-clack" of the wheels as it rolled along the tracks was a new, calming sound.

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The French countryside zoomed by, looking like a giant green blanket with neat rows of tall trees, huge fields of grapevines, and apple orchards full of old, twisty trees. Elbie pressed his face to the window, noticing everything: the colorful, tiled roofs of sleepy villages, a field of bright red poppies, and distant church steeples. He could almost hear the bells ringing across the quiet land. He saw farmers working their fields with horses and carts, and children waving from garden gates.

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As they got closer to the big city of Paris, the view changed fast. It went from quiet country to a busy city in just a few minutes. The sounds of the city grew louder and more mixed up. Factory smokestacks started to appear, blowing black smoke into the sky. The cute stone houses turned into bigger brick buildings, with windows that shined in the afternoon light. The feeling of Paris, alive and huge, pressed in from all sides, a growing hum of people and activity.

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Finally, they arrived at the amazing Gare Saint-Lazare, a huge train station made of glass and iron. The station was full of life, like a mini-Paris itself! A short taxi ride later, they settled into their hotel, La Cornaline, an old, tiny place in a quiet corner of the city. They unpacked their bags, got cleaned up, and after a quick bite in the hotel restaurant, they quickly got ready for bed. The very next morning, they set off for the main event: the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts!

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The fair was an explosion of sights and sounds! Elbie walked through the grand, stylish gates, his eyes wide at all the colors and noises. Art Deco was everywhere! It was a dazzling show of sharp, pointy shapes, fancy decorations made of shiny bronze, dark shiny wood, and bright colors like deep blue, emerald green, and sparkling gold. Buildings of tall glass and shiny chrome gleamed under the Parisian sun. Their modern designs looked very different from the city's old buildings. Fountains with cool, futuristic statues shot water high into the air, catching the light like a thousand sparkling diamonds. The air itself buzzed with a happy mix of languages—French, English, German, Italian—with the faraway, choppy sounds of upbeat jazz music and the steady whirring of machines you couldn't quite see.

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Elbie, always curious, followed his grandpa to the French section of the fair, where new and clever home appliances and gadgets were on display. It was there, among some clever but a little bit odd inventions for the home, that they saw him.

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“Pierre! Bonjour!” Lazlo called out, raising a hand as he led Elbie through a small crowd.

 

A tall, thin man with wild, curly hair and glasses on his nose turned around, his face breaking into a wide smile. It was Pierre Dubois, an old friend of Lazlo’s from long ago. Pierre, it turned out, was now a respected (though a bit strange) inventor.

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“Lazlo! Mon cher ami! You made it!” Pierre’s voice had a strong accent, and his hands moved wildly as he spoke. Then he looked down at the boy. “And you must be Elbie!” he added. “I’m so happy to meet you. Come! Allons Y! You both must see my newest amazing invention! The ‘Générateur de Rêves’ – the Dream Generator! Wearing my device at night helps you have a very peaceful night’s sleep.” He paused and ruffled Elbie’s burnt-toast-colored hair with a hand, grinning in a fun, sneaky way. “And it also makes you dream!”

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He led them to a small, detailed device made of metal and glass. It looked like a tiny engine, connected by a cord to a strange kind of cap for your head. Inside the engine, working hard on a wheel, was a furry, grey animal with big, innocent eyes and a bushy tail. Lazlo recognized the animal as a Glis glis, or a European edible dormouse. Elbie couldn’t help but wonder why the word “edible” was part of the creature's name. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

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“This, my friends,” Pierre announced with a big wave of his hand, “is Antoine! He powers my ‘Generator’ with his endless energy! Just a tiny flip of a switch, and the dreams flow!” He winked secretly. Elbie, very interested, leaned in to watch Antoine, who seemed quite happy, sometimes stopping to nibble on a seed. “You’ll have to forgive dear Antoine, no? The little rascal can sometimes cause a lot of mischief.”

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After many minutes of catching up, Lazlo and Pierre made plans to meet back at the end of the day. Elbie and Lazlo then kept exploring the huge Exhibition. The warm sun cast cool shadows from the stylish buildings, inviting them to wander further. They were amazed by the sparkling displays of French crystal and fancy silver items in the Grand Palais. Then they went to the Belgian building, admiring its bold, strong-shaped furniture. Elbie stayed to watch a new automatic loom that wove cloth, amazed by the tricky dance of threads. Lazlo stopped to look at a sleek, modern car, talking about how it was built with a knowledgeable person who worked there.

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They tried delicate pastries from a pâtisserie stand. The sweet, buttery taste was a lovely change from the fair’s metallic shine. The summer air continued to hum with a happy mix of music, distant talking, and the soft whir of countless new machines, each promising a brighter, easier future. By late afternoon, Elbie’s mind was full of new shapes, bright colors, and amazing machines. Each new thing he discovered made him even more interested in all the cleverness on display.

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After an exciting day at the fair, the Gimbles and Pierre met back up. Pierre happily said, “Nonsense to retiring early! Elbie, mon fils, you and your grand-père must join me for a proper evening in Paris!”

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Both Lazlo and Elbie, always ready for talking and laughing with friends, quickly said yes. They called a charming old taxi. Its engine sputtered as it drove through the busy city streets. Elbie hung his head out of the open window, watching the lamp-lit streets blur past. The sidewalks along the grand roads were alive with people. The air smelled of roasted meat and wine and was full of the sounds of laughter and accordion or violin music.

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Their first stop was the Eiffel Tower, which was in the Champs-de-Mars, a park that was actually part of the fair. Even as the evening grew dark, it cast a huge shadow, a giant iron structure reaching for the stars. Its bottom was a massive tangle of beams and rivets. As they stood right underneath its enormous structure, looking straight up, the tower began to glow with a strong energy. A thousand bright light bulbs, strung along its detailed frame, flickered on in a dazzling display, painting the Paris sky in a warm, golden light. This amazing sight took Elbie’s breath away. He bent his neck way back, feeling dizzy from how big it was. He imagined all the detailed engineering that held such a giant building up. He thought about the countless pieces of iron, each placed perfectly, and the math that must have gone into building it from the very bottom.

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Lazlo gently patted him on the shoulder, a wide smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. He clearly felt the same deep wonder as Elbie. “How would you like to go up?”

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Elbie gasped, his excitement making him unable to breathe for a moment. “YES! PLEASE!” he shrieked happily.​

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—

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The cool night air around them tingled with the quiet, excited chatter of other people and the amazing view. The Paris night stretched out around them like a quilted blanket of a million twinkling stars. It was, honestly, one of the most beautiful sights Elbie had ever seen. In the quiet night, 906 feet above the city, Pierre pointed out famous places for Elbie and Lazlo to see, world-famous buildings from French history: The Arc de Triomphe. The Louvre Museum. Notre Dame. Just to name a few. And down below them, the Seine River flowed like a dark black ribbon through the city, silent like a snake as it stretched far into the distance. When their visit at the top of Paris ended, Elbie was speechless and rode the elevator back down in quiet wonder.

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From there, they went to a small, fancy restaurant tucked away on a side street. The feeling inside was warm, full of the rich smells of butter, herbs, and simmering sauces. White tablecloths gleamed under soft lights, and the clinking of silverware mixed with quiet talking. Elbie, who was usually a picky eater, found himself trying new things—a creamy soup, tender duck, and a surprisingly delicious pastry for dessert. Lazlo and Pierre had lively talks, sometimes in French. Their voices were a comforting hum, discussing everything from new scientific discoveries to the differences between the many French cheeses.

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By the time they were back in a taxi, driving through the quieter, dimly lit streets towards their hotel, Elbie was completely, wonderfully tired. The bright sights, the constant hum of the city, the delicious food, and the pure wonder of the day had finally caught up to him. His head rested against Lazlo’s shoulder, and he drifted off to sleep, a happy smile on his face.

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Lazlo gently nudged him awake as the taxi pulled up to their hotel. “Elbie, my boy, home sweet home.”

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Pierre got out with them, his eyes twinkling. “A wonderful evening, Lazlo. Thank you. Elbie, mon jeune ami, we will meet again at my humble exhibit first thing tomorrow, no?”

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Elbie nodded sleepily. “Yes, Pierre. J’ai … hâte d’y … être,” he answered in French with some difficulty. (It meant, "I can't wait to be there!")

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Pierre’s eyes lit up as Lazlo beamed with pride. “Ah! Bonne nuit! You speak very good French!” He encouraged the boy.

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“Danke Schön,” Elbie said, much too tired to realize he had replied in German instead of French. He was already half-asleep as Lazlo guided him into the hotel lobby. Dreams of glittering towers and smiling dormice had already begun to form in his mind.

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Part Three: Follow Your Nose

The next morning, soft sunlight peeked through Elbie’s hotel window. He stretched, feeling wonderfully rested. The tiredness from yesterday’s fun had melted away in his sweet sleep. He still thought about the Eiffel Tower and the city twinkling below. He saw Lazlo already dressed and humming, looking out the window.

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“Good morning, Opa,” Elbie said, his voice a little sleepy.

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“Ah, good morning, Elbie! Perfect timing,” Lazlo replied, turning with a happy look in his eye. “Our hotel has a small, lovely secret we need to see. Hurry and get dressed!”

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He led Elbie not downstairs to the usual breakfast room, but to a hidden elevator. It quickly took them up to the roof. Stepping out, they found themselves on a charming rooftop patio. It was surprisingly quiet above the city, which was just starting to wake up with the sun. A few small, metal tables were set with clean, white and red checkered cloths. The smell of fresh coffee and warm, buttery croissants filled the air.

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The view wasn't as grand as from the top of the Eiffel Tower, but it was still amazing. Now, he could see much more detail. All around them, Paris spread out like a huge, old map, glowing in the soft, golden light of early morning. Rooftops of gray and orange tiles stretched as far as he could see. Every now and then, a golden dome or a graceful church tower shone. In the distance, the Eiffel Tower, which now felt familiar, stood tall and slim against the light blue sky. Elbie could just see the winding line of the Seine River, which looked much less scary in the daylight. Its many bridges looked like delicate lace.

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The streets below were still fairly calm, but the faraway hum of cars starting up and the occasional ding of a bell hinted that the city would soon be full of life. Pigeons and doves flew between chimneys. Their chirps and coos were soft sounds against the distant noises of Parisian life. Lazlo poured Elbie a small glass of fresh orange juice and offered him a warm, flaky croissant. Its smell was almost as wonderful as the view. A waiter brought them a plate of tasty sliced meats, cheeses, and sweet jams to share. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the meal and the calm beauty of the city waking up below them. It was a peaceful change from the lively chaos of the fair. It was a perfect start to what promised to be another exciting day.

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As they finished breakfast, the growing energy of the city below reminded them of their plans. “Alright then, Elbie,” Lazlo announced, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Time to check on our friend Pierre and his Dream Generator. I really hope Antoine behaved himself last night.” The last comment made Elbie giggle.

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With a new purpose, they left the peaceful rooftop and headed back down to find a taxi. It took them a good twenty minutes to weave through the already thick Parisian traffic. The early morning calm had turned into the city's usual rush. With the occasional "AWOOGAH" of a car horn always in the background, they passed street sellers setting up their stands, cafes already serving hot coffee to early risers, and the general hum of a big city coming alive. The air now smelled faintly of car fumes, mixed with the always-present smell of fresh bread and blooming flowers from a nearby market. When they finally arrived at the fairgrounds, the entrance was already more crowded than it had been the day before, showing how popular the Exhibition was. They moved through the growing crowds, feeling more and more excited with each step.

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However, as they got close to Pierre’s exhibit, the happy mood of the fair seemed to fade. Elbie and Lazlo turned the corner and found their inventor friend very upset and sad.

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“Antoine! He is gone!” Pierre cried, running a hand through his already messy hair. “Vanished! My little power source! My inspiration!” He walked back and forth quickly, muttering about rival inventors and who might have ruined his plans.

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Elbie, however, had a different feeling. He knelt by Antoine’s now empty, but undamageed, cage. The latch was a simple hook, which a tiny, determined claw could easily open from the inside. No. This wasn’t a theft. Following his gut feeling, Elbie carefully looked around the area. A faint, sweet, earthy smell was in the air – a familiar smell. Hazelnuts.

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“Grandfather, do you remember seeing those yesterday?” Elbie asked, pointing a finger towards tiny scuff marks on the dusty ground, almost impossible to see, beneath the table where the cage sat. Lazlo, busy with Pierre’s dramatic behavior, just grunted.

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Elbie decided to look into it. “Don’t worry, Pierre,” he said with a confidence that surprised even himself. “I think I know where Antoine might have gone.” But neither adult seemed to hear him.

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He began his quiet search, following the subtle trail he had seen. His eyes, sharper than Lazlo’s and not clouded by grown-up worries, scanned the ground. He saw more tiny, almost impossible-to-see scuff marks, heading away from Pierre’s display, towards the busy Esplanade des Invalides, a big open area.

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The search led Elbie through many amazing exhibits. He passed through the grand British building, all straight lines and gleaming wood. Then he saw the bright Japanese displays with their delicate, shiny lacquerware. He ignored the stunning haute couture fashion shows, keeping his eyes on the ground. Art Deco wonders were everywhere: detailed iron gates, stylish flower designs on wall panels, geometric patterns on everything from rugs to teacups. But Elbie was on a mission. The smell of hazelnuts grew stronger, leading him further from Pierre’s booth.

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He passed a demonstration of a new electric iron, then a display of incredibly detailed silverware. The smell became impossible to ignore as he got closer to a section about food and farming. And there it was: a busy stand with rows of woven baskets overflowing with roasted chestnuts, shiny candied walnuts, and large, inviting piles of fresh hazelnuts.

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Elbie slipped through a group of fairgoers, skillfully moving through the chattering crowds and past people looking around. His eyes, sharp and focused, carefully scanned the different sacks and barrels that lined the busy stand, searching for any sign of his furry target. The air here was thick with the rich, inviting smell of cinnamon and roasted nuts, a scent that now seemed purposely strong. Then, tucked deep inside a particularly overflowing barrel of plump, roasted hazelnuts, he saw it. A small, gray shape, remarkably round and almost perfectly hidden among the brown, crinkled shells, was barely visible. It was a moment of quiet victory, the subtle end result of his careful observations.

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“Antoine!” Elbie whispered, almost to himself.

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The dormouse stirred, its tiny nose twitching. It held a half-eaten hazelnut in its paws. Its eyes blinked lazily up at Elbie with complete happiness. Its belly looked noticeably plump, which confirmed Elbie’s suspicions. It hadn’t been stolen; it had simply followed its nose to paradise.

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Elbie carefully picked up the very full Antoine, who didn't fight at all. He was clearly too full to protest. Elbie gently carried the little runaway back to a relieved Pierre.

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“He wasn’t stolen, Pierre,” Elbie explained, holding out the sleepy dormouse. “He just really likes hazelnuts. I found him at the nut seller in the next aisle, quite full.”

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Pierre took Antoine, holding him gently in his hand. The little dormouse, still heavy from its recent feast, yawned and wiggled its tiny paws in the air. Pierre’s gaze shifted from the round, happy creature to the finely made, but now empty, little wheel in his ‘Dream Generator.’ The unique invention seemed to make fun of him, a tribute to human cleverness that had missed a simple, basic truth.

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A slow, thoughtful smile, mixed with a bit of embarrassment, spread across Pierre’s face. “Ah, Antoine,” he whispered, his voice soft and full of love, “My little gourmand. My sweet, hazelnut-loving friend. He followed his true calling, yes? He simply couldn’t say no to the alluring smell of the roasted nuts, could he?” He sighed, a happy, thoughtful sound that seemed to lift a weight from his shoulders. “Perhaps … Perhaps I have been selfish. To use such pure, natural energy for my silly machines, when all he truly wanted was the simple freedom of a woodland feast. It’s a paradox, is it not? Nature against my carefully built modern wonder.” This thought brought a new understanding to his odd mind, a quiet realization that sometimes, the greatest inventions were found in nature.

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Part Four: Freedom for Antoine

That evening, as the fair's lights slowly turned off, Lazlo, Elbie, and Pierre took a quiet ride on a local streetcar. They went to the very edge of the Bois de Boulogne, a huge, leafy park on the western side of Paris. The streetcar hummed softly, taking them away from the bright, still-glowing fair and towards the peaceful quiet of the park. The city lights slowly faded, replaced by the deeper shadows of trees. The air here was much cooler and fresher than at the fair. It smelled of wet grass, rich dirt, and old trees. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves above, making a soothing natural quiet that was very different from the loud sounds of people and machines back at the fair. The faraway sounds of the city, now soft like a gentle whisper, faded even more as they went deeper into the park’s wide borders. Here, under the appearing stars, nature came back to life, offering a peaceful place after the day’s amazing, man-made wonders.

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Pierre found a quiet spot among some oak trees and hazelnut bushes, whose branches were heavy with ripening nuts. He knelt down and opened Antoine’s small carrying cage.

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“Go on, mon ami,” Pierre whispered, his voice full of feeling. “Live free, and eat all the hazelnuts your little heart desires.”

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Antoine paused for a moment, then scurried out. He stopped to twitch his whiskers at Elbie. Then, Elbie bent down and gently whispered, “Goodbye, Antoine. Be free.” With a final, tiny flick of his bushy tail, he disappeared into the thick bushes, a tiny, gray shadow melting into the evening light.

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Elbie chuckled, a soft, warm sound that mixed with the faint, faraway music drifting on the evening breeze. It was a lazy, flowing whisper from a distant cafe, a perfect sound to go with the rustling leaves of the park. Paris, he realized, had given him so much more than just a fair of amazing, scientific wonders. It wasn’t just the impressive buildings or the clever inventions that he would remember most clearly. No, it was the unexpected kindness of a quirky inventor, the quiet win of a small animal’s simple wish, and the surprising joy of solving a mystery with nothing but his own sharp eyes and a little bit of effort. This was a memory he would truly treasure. It was a bright picture woven with the smells of French food, the sounds of foreign languages, the dazzling lights, the views from the Eiffel Tower, and the deep, yet funny, truth about Antoine. That tiny, plump dormouse, in its pure hunt for hazelnuts, had, in its own way, found its true dream – a dream of freedom and instinct that spoke so much without a single word.

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Their trip back was aboard the Lafayette’s sister ship, the SS Fleur de Lis. As the ship pulled away from the busy docks of Le Havre, turning its bow westward towards the Atlantic Ocean, Elbie stood by the railing, a happy smile on his face. Beside him, Lazlo Gimble gently patted his shoulder, his own eyes shining with satisfaction. The big adventure to Paris, with its amazing sights and sounds and unexpected dormouse mystery, had filled their minds and hearts with memories they would never forget. Elbie knew he'd always carry the smell of roasted chestnuts, the hum of the city, and the quiet success of a solved puzzle with him. For both Gimbles, the trip back home wasn't an end, but a quiet moment to enjoy all the rich experiences they'd shared, already looking forward to the next puzzle the world might offer.

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- THE END -​