Oyster Chute

It didn't take too long to figure out where the oysters were coming from.

There was a huge pile of 'em under a hole in the ceiling.

Oysters

To his amazement and curiosity... the entire surface under the tree was covered with oysters.

What is the significance? I don't know.

Stu pocketed a few anyway... you never know.

:)

Dusty Hollow

Stu entered with trepidation... he hated spiders and snakes.

This seemed like a perfect place for either.. or both for that matter.

As Stu explored the hollow area under the tree,

he found the space bigger than he expected.

New Dilemma

Stu finally arrived at the Tree of Ages.

It was huge... it was old... it didn't have limbs for the first 100 feet or so.

But it did have some sort of hollow at the base.. between the roots.

Quick Fix

Stu didn't have time to deal with the hook right yet...

so he quickly bit the string and ditched the fishing pole.

He ran on wondering why he even was carrying it in the first place -

Was he going to give it back to Lenny if he ever saw him again?

Never run with scissors

And never run with a fishing pole either.

He hadn't run a hundred yards before the hook found a new home in his ear!

Got a Plan?

Stu realized he didn't have much time before Lenny was dinner for the owl... and he knew exactly what to do. So he took off in a dead sprint toward the base of the Tree of Ages.