“Why Sammy, you are shaking. Are you scared?” Nogdorf asked.

  “Misser Noggy, you be scared too if you see what I did.” Sammy jumped inside Nogdorf’s robe and only the tip of his nose was showing. “You never seed anythin like this, Misser Noggy. When moon comes out, dinosaurs appear here. They see-through and run at you. It not hurt but it gross. They run through you.”

  “Why Sammy, are you saying dinosaur ghosts appear here during the night? Nogdorf asked.

  “YES! You understand. Not every night; just when moon really round and bright. I so scared,” Sammy explained.

  Nogdorf thought for a minute. He really wanted to use this space. There weren’t any other cleared off places like this one in the forest. It wouldn’t do to have dinosaur ghosts running through the animals. That would definitely detract from the magic of the dance. He laughed as a vision of a dinosaur elephant running at Merina and then getting scared of her and running in the other direction ran through his head. “I have to concentrate. This is really bothering Sammy.”

  “Sammy, I want to try an experiment. Would you be so kind as to help me?” Nogdorf asked Sammy Squirrel.

  Sammy got so excited that he forgot he was afraid of the dinosaurs and he jumped out of Nogdorf’s robe and started running in circles around his neck and his belly and ended up in his arms, looking up at him. “Sammy help. What do?” he asked.

  Nogdorf said, “I will explain it to you when I come to get you tonight at 8:30. Be at your nest and I will pick you up!”

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  The sun had set when Nogdorf arrived to get Sammy. Sammy was asking Nogdorf every question that ran through his little head. “Where we goin, Misser Noggy? Why you go so late? Why you tall and me small? I like you to carry me; it make me tall, too. Show flashlight over there, misser Noggy. OOOOh, it so bright. Wait, this path to dinosaurs, Noggy. It nighttime. Scary.

  “Don’t worry, Sammy. Oh here we are. If what I’m thinking turns out to be right, you will have very little to be afraid of.” The sliver of a moon shone on the great forest flats. Sammy was shaking. They caught a glimmer of a ghost of a triceratop, but it vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. Then they saw a glimpse of another dinosaur. It also disappeared .After about the fifth appearance and disappearance of dinosaurs, Sammy stopped shaking and started watching closer.

  “Misser Noggy, they not scary tonight. They not here long enough. What goin on?” Sammy asked.

  “Sammy, the moon seems to be causing the portal for the ghosts to come here. Since there is not much light tonight, they don’t have much strength. I think if we plan our party on a night when the moon is not shining, we won’t have to be bothered with dinosaur ghosts. What do you think, Sammy?”

  “Let’s watch some more. Misser Noggy, this funny. They go away before they can run through me.” Sammy and Nogdorf watched a while longer and Sammy was no longer scared. They decided to call it a night and Nogdorf took Sammy home.

  The following morning, Nogdorf and JJ stopped by Merina’s house to see the progress she and the other seamstresses had made. Merina was concentrating so much on her sewing, she didn’t see them walk up. She jumped when Nogdorf spoke. “Merina, these gowns are so lovely. This purple one with pearls all over it is so attractive, I don’t think you can make anything any prettier. Oh, I was wrong. This yellow one reminds me of the sun. This red and orange cape goes with it to emphasize the sun’s rays. Who will wear it?”

  Merina said, “Oh, that dress is for Silly-Sally. I think she will be just the right person for it. This blue gown with the very light shimmering pink over it is for Lily. It will go so well with her eyes.