Spies at Rayon Junction — Linda Rasmussen

In Book Three: Spies at Rayon Junction, Gerry and his classmate, Shane, continue their journey through Cookie County, unaware that the gold keys they each carry have special powers. On their way to Balloon Field, where Trent, the hot air balloon pilot, is waiting to take them for a ride, they pass through the Rayon Junction Train Station. While they are there, they meet many peculiar citizens of Mydreama, including, Uncle David, the engineer of the Mountain Wildcat. They also find out that they are being followed by many ominous-looking blackbirds, but they have no clue that these birds are after their keys. When the boys finally reach the balloon, they are joined by the mysterious teacher that gave them the keys. With her is one their classmates, Dawnie, who joins Gerry and Shane on a very adventurous trip in the hot air balloon. While they are sailing across Cookie County, they see the Black-eyed Hills, just before a rare cotton ball storm disables their balloon, causing them to crash into the Raisin River. The adventure continues, as the gondola of the airship is transformed into a sailing vessel. Then, while they are sleeping, the currents pull them into the slower-moving Sweetwater River of the Sugar Hills, where they become stuck in a sugar slide. Gerrys sparrow friend comes to find them and takes, Mac and Tosh, two stowaway Knottys, to the Jamthumb Ranch to get help. In the meantime, the stranded castaways must figure out how to get their stuck craft out of the sugar, but are interrupted by two curious sugarbears. When their very angry mother shows up to claim her lost cubs, the kids are able to get away from her and get their boat back in the river, by eating some of Ms. Razzleberrys miraculous Jillybeans.