October 2026: The Million-Year Picnic

           SomehowtheideawasbroughtupbyMomthatperhapsthewholefamilywouldenjoyafishingtrip.Buttheyweren’tMom’swords;Timothyknewthat.TheywereDad’swords,andMomusedthemforhimsomehow.

           DadshuffledhisfeetinaclutterofMartianpebblesandagreed.Soimmediatelytherewasatumultandashouting,andveryquicklythecampwastuckedintocapsulesandcontainers,Momslippedintotravelingjumpersandblouse,Dadstuffedhispipefullwithtremblinghands,hiseyesontheMartiansky,andthethreeboyspiledyellingintothemotorboat,noneofthemreallykeepinganeyeonMomandDad,exceptTimothy.

           Dadpushedastud.Thewaterboatsentahummingsoundupintothesky.Thewatershookbackandtheboatnosedahead,andthefamilycried,"Hurrah!"

           TimothysatinthebackoftheboatwithDad,hissmallfingersatopDad’shairyones,watchingthecanaltwist,leavingthecrumbledplacebehindwheretheyhadlandedintheirsmallfamilyrocketallthewayfromEarth.HerememberedthenightbeforetheyleftEarth,thehustlingandhurryingtherocketthatDadhadfoundsomewhere,somehow,andthetalkofavacationonMars.Alongwaytogoforavacation,butTimothysaidnothingbecauseofhisyoungerbrothers.TheycametoMarsandnow,firstthing,orsotheysaid,theyweregoingfishing.

           Dadhadafunnylookinhiseyesastheboatwentup-canal.AlookthatTimothycouldn’tfigure.Itwasmadeofstronglightandmaybeasortofrelief.Itmadethedeepwrinkleslaughinsteadofworryorcry.