After a few cups of hot cocoa and some cookies, Mrs. Claus was able to calmly tell everyone what she thought had happened to Santa: When Mr. Nanotuk had been unable to join Santa because of a bad head cold, Santa had gone ice fishing alone. Schmoo could tell this news was very serious. She knew it could be dangerous to be out on the ice alone, but Santa was magic. Still, the elves and reindeer seemed very concerned. Schmoo wanted to help to save Santa. Her dream of flying with the reindeer at Christmas would just have to wait. Right now, there were more important things to do.

The elves had quickly sent a group e-mail, via BMI Internet, to all the residents of the North Pole asking them to come to an emergency meeting at the North Pole Community Hall. Within two hours, the Community Hall was packed.

Schmoo stood at the front door of hall greeting people as they arrived, "Hi, nice to see you, glad you could make it. Schmoo, Schmoo LaRue. I'm just here to help out anyway I can," she said to almost everyone as they entered the Hall.

When everyone had taken seats, Mrs. Claus stood before the crowd, "Thank you all for coming. We need your help. Santa is missing," she began. Mrs. Claus told the crowd that Santa was lost on an ice fishing trip by himself.

"Hey, I'm happy to help, but isn't Santa magic? How does a magic elf get lost in his own backyard?" asked one of the North Pole neighbours.

"As many of you may know..." Mrs. Claus began, "Well he, he..." she wasn't sure she wanted everyone at the North Pole to know Santa's weakness. But maybe, in times of trouble you need to ask for help. "...He has no sense of direction," Mrs. Claus finished quickly, "I know this may come as a surprise to all of you but it's true. My dear husband is a sweet, wonderful, jolly old elf, but he couldn't find his way to the kitchen for a midnight snack without me!"

The assembled crowd gasped.

"Wait a minute," Mrs. Aliknak said, "Every year Santa flies around the world delivering toys to all the good girls and boys. He never misses a home, at least I've never heard any complaints. How can that be possible?"

"Flight maps," Mrs. Claus said quickly. "Our state-of-the-art computers have made this an easier job and now we get up-to-date mapping information from all of the world's best sources via BMI Internet," Mrs. Claus answered briskly. In times of trouble she was like a general, delegating tasks, making decisions, formulating plans.

"We need your help to search for Santa! The children of the world are counting on all of us for Christmas. We must find Santa!" Mrs. Claus cried.

"We'll do anything for Santa!" Mrs. Aliknak said.

"You can count on us!" the crowd shouted.

"Smith, the overhead please," Mrs. Claus said. Smith, the elf, darkened the hall and projected maps onto the screen at the front of the Hall as Mrs. Claus indicated the places Santa could be.

When everyone knew the search plan they streamed out of the hall chanting; "Santa, Santa, Santa..."

The chant warmed the rafters of the Hall as people, elves and reindeer flowed out to the waiting dog sleds and snowmobiles. Searchers were equipped with skis, snowshoes, whistles, flashlights, flares and any other gear they might need to find the jolly old elf.

Schmoo was the last one in the hall. "I can help save Christmas," Schmoo said to herself, her voice echoed through the empty space, "I can find Santa!"