Oh, visions of Otters past…  the only thing Mark has yet to do is promise to take Rusty fishing…

Yes, Mark, while you were away– for an entire day!  “Of course you can see the Otters, I mean Beavers, Rusty…” Be sure to name them and become attached in order that the release be dripping with sadness and poignancy…

What the hell is in the tree in panel three?  No, not the squirrel, the other thing getting ready to pounce on the squirrel.  At first I thought it was a mountain lion, but then it’s not looking so much like that…  the head and tail are all wrong.  Some strange mutated predator with tree climbing ability… kind of creeps me out.

Or was he?  I don’t think so.  He’s being fawned upon and greeted as if he had been to Africa or something…

Ignoring Rusty, it wasn’t until Andy the big dog got into the love fest that Mark felt truly glad to be back among his tribe…

Seriously Mark.  The new Mark Trail shoulda/woulda been sensitive to Cherry’s needs… What with the 24 hour news cycle, the fire on Slumber Mountain (south face) would have been all over the networks and news feeds…  and considering it’s still the same day as when you left Lost Forest, imagine how much Cherry must have missed you…

But tears?  Really?  Cherry needs to take a page out of the Big Dog’s playbook… let’s show a little equanimity here…  and remember for whom the Strip is named… Everyone other than Mark Trail needs to realize that it is they who are expendable…  But wait Cherry, your surprise will not be complete until Mark shows you the beaver pair he picked up…  OK, we’ll leave it at that…

Release the Beavers!  What a concept!  But it’s almost as if Mark wasn’t sure what his next move was going to be once he got the beavers home.  Were they to become permanent residents of Lost Forest?  Live in Rusty’s room?  Share the bathtub, Disney-style?  Well at least Mark put the pieces together and now the pair can start out again, in search of running water to dam up…  and he won’t disappoint Rusty with any notions of keeping them as pets…

I have to say, the forest fire was a completely random and non-sequitur event…  We don’t know the careless campers other than they were careless with fire and over-packed… and it of course introduced us to the BLM, where some of our federal tax dollars go to keep us safe and our interests protected.  Well, let’s hope that Wally Wood and Susan find it within themselves to continue their lives together, proper-like, all married and stuff.  Where will the Trail take us next?  Let’s find out tomorrow!

Wally Wood is once again exhibiting his manic tendencies…  What is that look on his face in the first panel supposed to mean??  Are we sure he’s going to propose to Susan or is he maybe referring to something else?  What is really important to you, Wally?

Thank you Mark for your impeccable grammar!  My faith in humanity is restored!

Never thought I’d say this, but I miss Ol’ Mitchum… at least he was bent on murdering and profiteering…  and at least Mark was allowed to punch someone!

So, on this Memorial Day, let’s remember all of those who have gone before us and shaped our lives.  And let’s do our best to help those who will outlast us and who will remember us fondly someday!

With the beavers in cages, the fire out and the beetles on the run (to be monitored closely by Abbey Powell,) we can all rest soundly now… but what about Wally and Susan? Is he going to pop the question or is he going to continue to “get the milk for free?”  Are we to now go back to Lost Forest and present the demi-god Rusty with the beaver offering?

Wally’s face says it all, though, that is one relieved man, there, ladies and gentlemen…

The fire never had a chance…  what with the aerial support and the lavender suits with matching helmets and walkie-talkies, and the fact that the crew is outfitted with double bladed, Paul Bunyan style axes, we are in very good hands here…

But what could the crew boss be eyeing in the first panel?? He looks like he sees a ghost or something…

Trapped beaver and a strategic forest fire contained by the Bureau of Land Management has solved all of Wally’s problems?  So what if a helicopter and a truck are lost in the fracas?  There’s plenty more where that came from… Not to mention bulldozers!  Was that dropped from a passing C-130??

Wally, dude, Mark is only 25 feet away… you needn’t wave to him to get his attention.  I’m guessing he already sees you!

So know Mark’s powers revolve around his ability to know what resources are available and to summon them?  Will he never punch a bad guy again?  Or is that Cherry’s job now??

In case anyone besides me was wondering…  the Bureau of Land Management or BLM has a Fire and Aviation Division… Who knew?  Apparently Mark Trail.  And now all of us.  I feel so much better knowing all this…

And by the way, AERIAL is a great Scrabble word- might not be 7 letters, but it’s a great vowel-dump…