At Hidden Oasis, the sand was warm and gold. Palm trees went swish, swish. Blue water went plop, plop.
Cowboy Gomery Bear rode his little pony, Pudding. Gomery wore a brown hat, red boots, and a bright blue scarf. He was kind. He was brave. He always shared his apples.
“Good morning, Oasis!” called Gomery.
“Morning!” sang Musician, a cheerful little rabbit. Musician sat on a smooth rock with a tiny banjo. Ting-a-ling! Ting-a-ling!
But today, the oasis did not sing back.
The water was still. The birds were quiet. Even the happy fountain made no splash.
Musician held one long ear up high. “Oh dear,” he said. “The Oasis Melody is gone.”
“The melody?” asked Gomery.
“Yes,” said Musician. “Every morning, a golden bell under the big palm tree sings: ding-ding, hello, day! Its song wakes the water, the birds, and the flowers.”
Gomery looked at the big palm tree. Under it was an empty patch of sand.
“The bell is missing,” he said.
A small trail of boot prints led away from the tree. Plod. Plod. Plod.
Gomery nodded. “We will find it.”
Musician gave a tiny clap. “Yippee! I will bring my banjo. A search needs a song.”
They followed the prints past soft dunes. Pudding walked carefully. Step, step, step.
Musician played, “Where is the bell? Ding-ding-ding! We will look near every thing!”
Behind a cactus, they found a sleepy lizard.
“Did you see a golden bell?” asked Gomery.
The lizard blinked. “I saw Bandit.”
“Bandit?” said Musician.
The lizard nodded. “He wore a black hat. He carried something shiny. But he looked very sad.”
Gomery did not stomp or shout. He was a thoughtful cowboy. “Maybe Bandit needs help,” he said.
The trail went over a little hill. On the other side stood a tiny cave. From inside came a sound.
“Boo-hoo. Boo-hoo.”
Musician whispered, “That is not a very bandit-y sound.”
Gomery tapped on the cave wall. “Hello? It is Cowboy Gomery Bear. May we come in?”
Bandit peeked out. He had a black hat, a dusty coat, and a round nose. The golden bell was beside him.
“I took it,” Bandit said in a small voice. “I know. That was wrong.”
“Why did you take it?” asked Gomery gently.
Bandit looked at his feet. “I wanted to make music. Everyone likes Musician’s songs. But my old whistle only goes squeak.”
He blew his whistle. “Squeak!”
Musician smiled. “That is a fine squeak.”
Bandit sniffed. “It is not a song.”
Gomery sat on a rock. “You do not need to take things to join in. You can ask.”
Bandit’s eyes grew wide. “Could I join?”
“Of course!” said Musician. “Music is better with friends.”
But then a hot wind whooshed through the cave. Whoooosh! The golden bell rolled away.
“Bell!” cried Bandit.
It rolled down the hill. Bump! Bump! Bump!
Gomery jumped onto Pudding. “Ride, Pudding!”
Pudding galloped, but not too fast. The hill had prickly bushes and wobbly stones.
Musician hopped after them, strumming, “Slow and safe, slow and safe!”
Bandit ran too. “I can help!” he called.
The bell rolled toward a sandy dip. Beyond the dip was a deep, dry crack in the ground.
“Oh no,” said Musician.
Gomery saw a fallen palm branch. He had an idea. “Bandit, hold this end. Musician, play a steady beat.”
“Ting! Tang! Ting! Tang!” played Musician.
Bandit held the branch tight. Gomery tied his blue scarf around the other end. Then he lay on his tummy and reached, reached, reached.
His paw touched the bell.
“Got it!” said Gomery.
Everyone cheered. Even Pudding said, “Neigh!”
Back at Hidden Oasis, Gomery placed the golden bell beneath the big palm tree.
Ding-ding! Ding-ding!
The fountain splashed. The birds chirped. Yellow flowers opened their sleepy faces. The water sparkled like little stars.
Musician played his banjo. “Ting-a-ling!”
Bandit lifted his squeaky whistle. “Squeak!”
Gomery clapped his paws. “Again!”
So they made a new song together. Banjo, whistle, claps, and happy hoof beats.
The oasis danced in the sunny morning.
Then the big palm tree dropped something into Gomery’s hat. Plink!
It was a small silver sheriff star with a golden bell painted on it.
Musician read the tiny words: “Helper of Hidden Oasis.”
Gomery’s cheeks felt warm. “For me?”
“For you,” said Bandit. “You helped me too.”
Gomery pinned the star on his vest. “We all helped.”
Bandit smiled. From that day, he was not Bandit the taker. He was Bandit the Bell Keeper. He cleaned the golden bell every morning and blew his proud little whistle: “Squeak-squeak-song!”
Cowboy Gomery Bear rode home at sunset with Musician beside him and Bandit waving from the palm tree.
“Good night, Oasis,” said Gomery.
“Ding-ding, good night,” sang the bell.
And under the soft, starry sky, the Hidden Oasis slept happily.