The whole class is going on an outing to see the fall foliage. They have a mission: to spot a black woodpecker, a bird that makes a very unusual sound when it sings, as though it were laughing. Misha and Larry get so involved in their search for the bird that they get lost and separated from the class. Gina and Carol are very worried about their friends, but Larry and Misha finally find their path back thanks to the help of the black woodpecker.