Gold Fever - Long Rachael Freeman

Jack is excited when he gets a pick hammer and mining helmet for his ninth birthday and can help his dad look for gold in the Black Rock Range. But waking up alone in a cave was never part of the plan. Helpless and desperate, Jack befriends and places his trust in a little bat named Pinta and a coyote pup named Sonny who are determined to help him and his way home.

But something evil is lurking in the mountains. Even the wolves are frightened because animals are disappearing from the forest. Will Jack and his new friends find their way home before this dangerous enemy finds them?

Jack must find the courage to protect his friends and family in this gripping first book of the Black Rock Desert Trilogy: Gold Fever!