At precisely 9:00 the doors to rooms 9,10, 11, and 12 all opened. The three families, along with the older versions of their children, headed for the elevator.

"I get to push the button, I get to push the button!" Steven squealed with delight. He ran ahead of everyone and pressed the down button.

"Hi again." Rudy said to Oscar.

"Do you know him?" his father asked.

"We met at the playground yesterday."

"Oh so my son does know how to play," Herb teased.

Steven looked up at Rudy. "We are going to the bottom of the canyon today, If we get back in time will you push me on the swing again?"

"Sure kiddo" he said and reached over and pulled his nose. "Any time."

The elevator arrived and everyone stepped on. "First floor" Herb said.

Again Steven pressed the button. "I know my numbers," he said.

"That's great!" Little Rudy said. "You must be pretty smart."

"I am"

Everyone laughed.

No one was surprised to see they were all headed for the restaurant

Herb smiled. “I guess we all have to eat before our journey."

While they ate breakfast the waitress told everyone that for just a few cents per person, they could have a picnic prepared for their lunch. "If you are taking the Day Trip, it costs around well they have a family deal $1.50 a family doesn't matter if you have one child or a dozen. Anyway. It takes about half hour to get to bottom; the mule train leaves about every 45 minutes it runs all day. You can stay for an hour, or 6 hours. The last mule train is at 7:30."

They all agreed that sounded wonderful. They all ordered the picnic packs for their own families. Doc Steve and Chip also ordered the picnic packs. Why should the kids have all the fun?"

"The hotel offers an entire package deal if you buy the packs. You get the picnic packs and the tickets for the Canyon all for $1.60."

Everyone paid the waitress and left the restaurant. They stepped out of the Hotel. What a beautiful morning it was. The men waved good bye and said the would meet at the canyon.

The boys wanted to ride together though. "They can ride with us." Jim offered.

"That's fine, but Rudy will have to sit in the front."

'Oh no!!’ went through Doc's mind.

"He has a tendency to get car sick."

When Doc, Steve and Chip got into the car, Chip and Steve got hysterical. "Are you sure you know want to sit in the front?"

"Look I outgrew it by the time I was fifteen."

"I can just see him throwing up on his date."

Steve broke up laughing.

They all arrived at the Canyon within minutes of one another.

They gave their tickets to the muleskinner.

Everyone was sitting on a mule, everyone except for Oscar. "Come on" his father coaxed.

"You didn't tell me this was how we got down to the bottom of the Canyon."

"How else did you think we would go down?" His dad asked. "Now come on get up on top of the mule, and don't make a scene."

Doc and Steve turned to the adult Oscar whose face was beat red.

The next thing they new Oscar was crying his eyes out. "I don't want to ride a mule he'll throw me off."

Now Bill's face was red. "Look at that little fellow," he said indicating Steven. "He's not crying and he's younger than you."

"I don't care. NO, NO, NO!!! I'm not going to, I'm not going to."

By now everyone was looking at him. "Oscar!! You are making a scene now climb up on that mule!!"

Sniffling he slowly sat on the mule's back. "If he throws me off."

After all was settled they headed for the bottom of the canyon. "I like these long trains," Jeff the muleskinner said as they started down.

A half an hour later they were all down at the bottom of the Canyon. "The train leaves every 45 minutes. I know it only takes a little less than thirty to get down, but we allow for packing the mules up and everyone getting on. The last train is at 7:30.”

"They told us that at the hotel, but thanks," Jim said.

All three men took there sons aside. "I don't want you to wander off by yourself." were the instructions from all three Fathers.

"It looks like Steven has made some new friends," Jim said as the adults watched the three boys play. "The older boys seemed to have taken quite a shine to him," he continued. “What are their names?"

Herb spoke first. “My son is Rudy, he’s 12. By the way I'm Herb. This is Cora."

"I'm Bill. This is my wife Fran. Our son's name is Oscar. He's 9."

“Steven is 6 and I'm Jim this is my wife Helen.”

The men all shook hands and the woman went off to prepare a picnic area. They thought they might as well eat together since the boys seemed to be having such a good time. They all seemed quite pleased that their child had someone to play with.

While the grown ups chatted the boys decided to do some exploring. Doc, Steve and Chip pretending they were off someplace else decided to follow along trying to stay out of sight.

The boys had a wonderful time running around playing tag and other chase games. "Oscar's it," Steven cried. "Stay away from Oscar."

They played like that the rest of the morning, not going to far from their parents’ watchful eyes. They were unaware that other eyes were also watching, the grown up versions of themselves. They were having a great time teasing each other. "Hey Doc, stay away from Chip." Steve teased.

No one realized how close it was to noon, till Helen called all three boys to lunch. "Boys! If you want something to eat you better come and get it."

While the families ate Steve and company went off by themselves to eat their Lunches. They didn't want to raise any suspicion.

After lunch was all cleaned up, the three families took off they had all become fast friends between the mule train ride and lunch. They all set off together. They spent most of the afternoon exploring the Canyon. It was about 4:30 when they arrived back to the hotel.

"What time should we head back?" Jim asked the other men.

"How bout 5:30? That ought to get us back to the hotel in time for a late supper."

Everyone agreed 5:30 was a good time. The boys took off exploring again. Only this time there was no one watching.

"Let's go this way." Rudy called as they started off.

"We promised our folks that we wouldn't wonder off," Oscar cautioned.

"We're not 'wondering off',” Rudy mocked. "What are you chicken? Cluck, cluck!"

"Of course I'm not chicken."

"You'll come won't you Steven?"

Steven afraid he might lose his friend readily agreed.

"Ok, I'll come to." Oscar said.

"We're not going too far. When we were out earlier I saw some rocks that looked fun to climb. They were over this way if I remember."

Oscar grabbed his shoulder. "You meant you're not sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. They were over this way."

The two younger boys wanting to please the older one followed willingly.

Rudy was right they were great climbing rocks. They ran around them and played cops and robbers.

"Oscar is the robber!" Rudy called. "Steven you and I are the cops, like on Gangbusters.”

"What's gangbusters?" Steven asked.

"It's a radio show, it’s..."

"What time does it come on? I have to go to bed at 8:00."

"Oh I forgot, you're only six. It's just a cop and robber radio show. Just follow my lead.”

They started running around the mound of rocks.

Oscar pretended to be the robber. He grabbed a handful of pebbles. "Ok see, I just robbed Fort Knox see."

He put the pebbles in his pocket and started to run off. Rudy and Steven were right behind him. They pointed their fingers at Oscar. "Stop, stop in the name of the law!" Rudy called as they ran after the robber of Fort Knox. "Bang, bang rat a tat, tat." Rudy made the sound of a machine gun. Oscar grabbed his chest and fell to the ground.

"Yea!! We got him! " Steven cried. They ran over to Oscar.

"Ok hand over the loot," Rudy snarled.

"Ok, ok now you two are the cops," Rudy said. He walked over to the rocks. "I'm John Dillinger," he called.

Oscar broke all the rules. "Dillinger is dead you dope! G-man Melvin Purvis killed him over ten years ago in front of the Bio graph theater"

"Don't you know how to pretend Goldman?"

"I guess so. Ok, ok if you're Dillinger, I'm Melvin Purvis."

Rudy hid behind the rocks and came out one fist full of rocks and sand. The other hand pointing toward the rock, bang, bang he yelled as he started to make his 'getaway'.

Oscar and Steve were right behind him. "Stop!" Oscar cried. "FBI!"

"You're going to have to do better than that G-man."

Steven ran around in front of him. He jumped out from behind a rock really scaring Rudy. He dropped the sand and rocks.

Oscar was right behind him "Gotcha!" He said as he grabbed him by the collar. "Good job partner," he said to Steven.

"Any time, J Edgar," Steven said trying to fit into the game.

"It's Melvin, but I like J. Edgar. I kind of like that. Maybe I'll be a G-man when I grow up."

"Yea right Goldman," Rudy scoffed. "Some G-man you'll make. I never heard of a G-man scared to ride a little ole mule down a little ole path to a little ole canyon."

"Aw quiet about that. And besides it happens to be the Grand Canyon. By the way what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"That's easy. A doctor just like my father."

"Your father's a doctor? I didn't know that."

They looked over at Steven. "How bout you?" Rudy asked.

"I'm going to be a pilot just like my daddy. It's my turn to be the robber now."

"Actually we better head back. They will be looking for us. It's getting late."

By 5:00 the adults had realized the boys were nowhere to be seen. "We better spread out an look for them if we want to make the 5:30 mule train," Herb suggested. "They can't be too far," he added.

"I think we're going the wrong way," Oscar pointed out as they walked along trying to find their campsite.

"No we're no. I know exactly where I'm going, " Rudy scolded. "I know that mound of rocks is right over this way."

After they had walked for what seemed forever Oscar became upset. "Well where is it dummy?"

Rudy scratched his head. "I thought it was right over here?”

Steven really wanted to cry. He knew they were lost, but to cry, in front of older boys was just not done. He held back the tears and just followed along hoping they would find their way back.

"Maybe you're right Goldman, maybe we are going the wrong way."

“Oh Great!!” Oscar threw his hands in the air. "Bone head here got us lost."

"I did not. We're not lost, we're just sort of misplaced.”

"Well Mr. 'I'm going to be a Dr' get us out of this mess."

"You're the one who wants to be the G-man just pretend our parents robbed a bank or something, and you have to find them."

"Ha, ha, ha."

"Come on you guys stop fooling around. I want to get back," Steven said still trying to hold back the tears.

Rudy put his arm around him. "Don't be scared little man. I got us into this fix. I can get us out."

"I hope so," Oscar mumbled.

"You can it!!"

"Can it yourself!"

"I'm really worried." Jim said. "Where could they be?"

Steve, Doc and Chip walked over to the group of men. "What's the problem?" Steve asked.

"Who are you? Oh I think I saw you at our hotel," Jim said.

"That's right, in fact we have the room right next to yours. # 9"

"Well it's not your problem. We can't seem to find the kids."

"Are they lost?"

"I don't think so, I think they just wandered off to far from camp."

"Do you want us to help?"

"No, that won't be necessary."

"Really, we want to help. With six of us, we can cover more ground. Plus we have to find them by at least 7:15 in order to catch the last mule train.”

"We appreciate it," Bill commented. "Thanks"

After Jim, Bill and Herb were out of earshot Steve turned to his friends, "Do you guys remember getting lost? I was awful young."

"I remember." Oscar pointed to Rudy "He got us lost looking for that mound of rocks.”

Steve interrupted. “I think I remember those rocks. I saw them when we were walking around earlier. They were over this way.”

They followed Steve. "Do you see anything?"

He scanned the area with his eye. "There they are. They are going the wrong direction."

"That's because they are listening to Mr. Smarty pants here," Oscar shot Rudy a glare.

"Would you two stop arguing and come on.” This time it was Steve who led the way. And the adult Oscar and Rudy were more than willing to follow.

Within minutes they caught up to the boys.

"Hey guys, you're going the wrong way," Steve told them.

"I knew it, I knew it! " Oscar griped. "You said you knew the way?"

"Listen settle it when we get back," Steve chided. "You're folks a looking all over for you."

"I'm really tired," Steven complained for the first time since they had gotten lost.

Steve reached down and picked him up, put him on his shoulders and they all started walking back to camp.

"Helen, I'm going to find a park ranger," Jim started to say right before the three men from their hotel room showed up with the boys.

All three fathers were furious. "I thought I said don't wander off alone."

"I didn't!" was each response. "I was with him," they said as they pointed to each other.

Herb was the first to respond to that little statement. "That's not what I meant. Steven you had mama scared to death. Don't you ever do that again."

"I won't," he cried.

Bill was next. “Oscar Owen Seth Inglebert Goldman, just what did you think you were doing?”

The three families started back to catch the mule train back up.

Oscar, Rudy and Steve followed some distance behind. Steve and Rudy looked at each other then they both looked at Oscar. "Oscar Seth Inglebert Goldman?You have three middle names?”

"All the men in my family wanted me to be named after them."

After thinking for a moment Rudy burst out laughing.

"What?" Steve turned to him.

"Owen Seth Inglebert."

Steve repeated it. Then he too burst into laughter. Tears running down his face he said, "The initials of your middle name are OSI?”

"That's why I didn't want to tell you."

They all made it back up out of the Canyon. And back to the hotel without any more incident.

Rather than eat in the restaurant they all ordered in their rooms. After dinner Steven asked if he could go play in the playground. Helen and Jim both said yes.

He walked to the room next to theirs and knocked. "Hi, can Rudy come out and play?”

"If he wants."

"Sure I'll come out and play. Let's get Goldman too."

The two boys walked over to room 12. Rudy knocked. Oscar answered. "Wanna go to the playground?"

“Sure, why not?”

Steve and the gang were sitting a table in the playground. They had eaten their dinner there. They had just finished and were about to play a card game when the boys arrived.

"Hey Steven, I wanted to tell you,” Rudy began. "That was pretty cool your not crying like a baby or something when we were lost.."

Steven climbed onto the swing Rudy and Oscar both pushed him while they talked.

Oscar started. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I was just scared."

"Yea me too. It was pretty scary."

Shortly after they arrived in the playground Jim came out. "Boys, your fathers sent me to get you. It's time for you to come in too."

They all went inside together. Jim looked over at the three men who had helped them earlier in the day. “Herb and Bill were looking for you a while ago. We all wanted to thank you for finding the boys today."

"No problem Mr. Elgin," they all said.

After another quick game of rummy they too headed for bed.

The next morning Steve and his friends decided to check out. They went to the front desk and told them they were leaving.

They grabbed their bags and headed for the door. When they stepped out onto the street, it was 1974, "You gentlemen need a cab?" The doorman asked.

"That would be nice," Oscar said. "We need to go to the airport."

On the cab ride to the airport they wondered if Steve's plane would still be there. Luckily it was and they were soon on their way back to Washington.