have really thought I was being a wimp! Actually, it’s the opposite. I’ve had them in for a few meetings to discuss Veronica’s behavior around here. If she doesn’t shape up, she’s not going to be allowed to come to camp.”
In one motion, Stevie, Lisa, and Carole sat back on the sofa they were sharing. Their brains had reached information overload, and they couldn’t absorb—or give—one more explanation. Max and Deborah rose and went to get their bags ready. Mrs. Reg began busying herself with the cleanup. Red and Denise reappeared in the doorway.
Lisa, whose logical mind couldn’t rest until she knew every detail, made a superhuman effort to ask one remaining question. “By the way, Red,” she said, “what
is
your real name?”
Red looked surprised. “I thought you knew,” he said. “It’s an old family name: Redford.” He and Deborah clasped hands and headed out to the stable.
The three girls looked at one another and began to howl. They laughed until tears streamed down their faces. And then they laughed some more.
T HE WEDDING WAS over, and the girls had helped Mrs. Reg do the few dishes. It was time for Max and Deborah to leave. Max brought their suitcases into the hall.Deborah, who’d changed into her traveling clothes, joined him. They both embraced Mrs. Reg, whose face was the tiniest bit tearstained. “Max is her only son, and now he’s married. I’m sure mothers think about days like this for years,” Lisa whispered.
Then Stevie had an idea. She dashed out to the grain room. Everybody knew you weren’t supposed to throw rice these days. It was bad for the birds that ate it because the rice expanded in their stomachs. So why not oats instead? She grabbed half a bucketful.
Lisa and Carole met her outside and scooped up handfuls of the grain. They waited, giggling, for the bride and groom. When Max and Deborah emerged from the house, the three girls showered them with handful after handful. Max grabbed Deborah’s arm and they ran to her waiting car. “I knew I could count on you to do just one more ridiculous thing,” Max said happily.
“But it’s perfect, isn’t it?” Stevie asked.
Max looked at the woman standing beside him. “Yes, it is,” he said. They got in, and the car door closed. They were off.
C AROLE YAWNED AND turned over. This time, since the sleepover was at her house, she had the bed, and Lisa and Stevie were sharing the floor. She knew that she should enjoy her last chance to sleep in: Camp started tomorrow, and the riders had to be at Pine Hollow by eight every morning. Unfortunately, even though it was six A.M ., she was wide awake.
“Carole, are you awake?” Lisa whispered.
“Yes.”
“Oh, good. I’ve been dying to talk about the Bath, but I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Why didn’t you talk to
me
? I’ve been staring at the ceiling for half an hour,” Stevie said indignantly. Sheand Lisa climbed onto Carole’s bed to get more comfortable.
The Bath had been a smashing success. Everyone who had volunteered had come through with great food and clever presents.
“You know, even Simon Atherton’s Jell-O got eaten,” Lisa said, giggling.
“Yeah, it was a real hit with the younger kids,” said Carole.
“Didn’t you love the look on Deborah’s face when she suddenly figured out the theme of all of Max’s presents?” Stevie asked.
Both Max and Deborah had been confused when they saw the first few gifts. “Dusting powder?” Max had asked. And then, “A mini–tape recorder?” Still, obviously not wanting to seem ungrateful, Max had thanked the gift givers. “I have to admit, though, I don’t really understand what this stuff is used for.”
“But, Max, it’s obvious. The powder is for fingerprint dusting. The tape recorder is miniature so that you can record things without anyone knowing,” Deborah explained.
“How do you know?” Max asked.
“Because all the gifts are”—she stopped for a split second, a slow
In one motion, Stevie, Lisa, and Carole sat back on the sofa they were sharing. Their brains had reached information overload, and they couldn’t absorb—or give—one more explanation. Max and Deborah rose and went to get their bags ready. Mrs. Reg began busying herself with the cleanup. Red and Denise reappeared in the doorway.
Lisa, whose logical mind couldn’t rest until she knew every detail, made a superhuman effort to ask one remaining question. “By the way, Red,” she said, “what
is
your real name?”
Red looked surprised. “I thought you knew,” he said. “It’s an old family name: Redford.” He and Deborah clasped hands and headed out to the stable.
The three girls looked at one another and began to howl. They laughed until tears streamed down their faces. And then they laughed some more.
T HE WEDDING WAS over, and the girls had helped Mrs. Reg do the few dishes. It was time for Max and Deborah to leave. Max brought their suitcases into the hall.Deborah, who’d changed into her traveling clothes, joined him. They both embraced Mrs. Reg, whose face was the tiniest bit tearstained. “Max is her only son, and now he’s married. I’m sure mothers think about days like this for years,” Lisa whispered.
Then Stevie had an idea. She dashed out to the grain room. Everybody knew you weren’t supposed to throw rice these days. It was bad for the birds that ate it because the rice expanded in their stomachs. So why not oats instead? She grabbed half a bucketful.
Lisa and Carole met her outside and scooped up handfuls of the grain. They waited, giggling, for the bride and groom. When Max and Deborah emerged from the house, the three girls showered them with handful after handful. Max grabbed Deborah’s arm and they ran to her waiting car. “I knew I could count on you to do just one more ridiculous thing,” Max said happily.
“But it’s perfect, isn’t it?” Stevie asked.
Max looked at the woman standing beside him. “Yes, it is,” he said. They got in, and the car door closed. They were off.
C AROLE YAWNED AND turned over. This time, since the sleepover was at her house, she had the bed, and Lisa and Stevie were sharing the floor. She knew that she should enjoy her last chance to sleep in: Camp started tomorrow, and the riders had to be at Pine Hollow by eight every morning. Unfortunately, even though it was six A.M ., she was wide awake.
“Carole, are you awake?” Lisa whispered.
“Yes.”
“Oh, good. I’ve been dying to talk about the Bath, but I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Why didn’t you talk to
me
? I’ve been staring at the ceiling for half an hour,” Stevie said indignantly. Sheand Lisa climbed onto Carole’s bed to get more comfortable.
The Bath had been a smashing success. Everyone who had volunteered had come through with great food and clever presents.
“You know, even Simon Atherton’s Jell-O got eaten,” Lisa said, giggling.
“Yeah, it was a real hit with the younger kids,” said Carole.
“Didn’t you love the look on Deborah’s face when she suddenly figured out the theme of all of Max’s presents?” Stevie asked.
Both Max and Deborah had been confused when they saw the first few gifts. “Dusting powder?” Max had asked. And then, “A mini–tape recorder?” Still, obviously not wanting to seem ungrateful, Max had thanked the gift givers. “I have to admit, though, I don’t really understand what this stuff is used for.”
“But, Max, it’s obvious. The powder is for fingerprint dusting. The tape recorder is miniature so that you can record things without anyone knowing,” Deborah explained.
“How do you know?” Max asked.
“Because all the gifts are”—she stopped for a split second, a slow
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