GusGus the squirrel, his wife Mrs. GusGus, and their adventurous son Nibbles lived, as we all know, in the trees surrounding Bob Jones Academy, a picturesque campus bustling with students and with grass greener than ever before. Every Saint Patrick’s Day, GusGus would dream of finding the legendary leprechaun that was said to visit the Academy once a year, leaving a trail of gold; he thought finding such a treasure could help the students get the ice cream machine they wanted for the Markham Center.
The next morning, GusGus gathered his family. “Today’s the day! I can feel it! It’s been years, but I will search the Academy grounds and find the leprechaun that we’ve been looking for!“
“Can we look in the Markham Center first?” Nibbles piped up, clutching a piece of Huey Magoo’s that he had found during an earlier adventure. “If I were a leprechaun, I’d be where the ice cream machine is supposed to be!”
Mrs. GusGus laughed. “Let’s follow your daddy’s plan first, Nibbles. But if we do find the leprechaun, you can ask him about why we haven’t gotten an ice cream machine yet from the class of 2024.”
The family set out from their tree next to the Hutto and skittered across the Quadrangle. There GusGus led them toward the Brown Building, where the clovers spilled across the sidewalk like emerald confetti. Mrs. GusGus admired the flowers blooming along the place, while Nibbles got distracted by a group of boys who were punching a hole in the bathroom wall.
“Stay focused, Nibbles!” GusGus called, ushering him out of the boys bathroom and towards the teachers’ lounge. They peeked inside and found no leprechaun, but Nibbles excitedly discovered a green bookmark lying on the floor.
“It’s a sign!” said Nibbles.
Their search continued through the gym, where Mrs. GusGus thought she saw a flash of green behind the bleachers, and Nibbles swore he heard a faint laugh echoing in the locker room. Finally, as the sun began to set and the lights of the campus flickered out, they arrived at the Main Building. A faint rainbow shimmered near Dr. E’s office, and standing on his desk was a tiny figure in a green suit with a hat perched jauntily on his head. It was a leprechaun!
“Well, well! A squirrel family, eh? And here I thought Saint Patrick’s Day mischief was just for the freshman that always come here!” the leprechaun said, his eyes twinkling.
GusGus stepped forward, trying not to show his excitement. “We’ve been looking for you for years! I know you’re probably thinking we’re after your gold, which we are, but we need it for an ice cream machine for the Markham Center.”
The leprechaun chuckled and twirled his beard. “Fair enough, my furry friends. You’ve at least got a heart, and I admire that. Here, take this.” He handed GusGus a large milkshake machine. “Use it wisely, and remember—it’s the adventure that matters, not the treasure,” the leprechaun said before vanishing with a wink.
As the family scampered back home through the Quad, Nibbles chattered about showing the students the milkshake machine that they had gotten.
Mrs. GusGus smiled at Mr. GusGus. “You were right, dear. This was a Saint Patrick’s Day we’ll never forget.”
And from that day on, the squirrels became a legend themselves at Bob Jones Academy, reminding many students years later how they got the ice cream machine the students so dearly wanted.
