As Winslow grows, he becomes more curious, testing things out by nibbling on them. He also follows Louie everywhere, and Mack proclaims that the donkey believes Louie is his mother because he does not know what a donkey looks like. That night, Louie dreams about his parents being donkeys.

One morning, Louie discovers that the door to Winslow’s pen is open, and the animal is missing. His parents and Mack help him search the neighborhood, calling out the donkey’s name. Although his parents must go to work, Louie and Mack stay home from school to continue searching. After an extensive and unsuccessful hunt through neighbor’s yards, Louie pauses to consider where Winslow could have gone. When he remembers sledding down the hill, he heads that way. When he approaches, he can make out the shape of something on top of the hill.

Before going up the hill, Louie remembers when he was five years old, and he saw a bear in his yard. Terrified at the sight of the animal by the garage, Louie was unable to scream or move. He remembered the wind and how