from the utility room, and rushed back to the kitchen. By the time he came in, however, the rat had dived to the floor.
Fearful that it would run under the table, Thelma lifted her feet. Dad swung the broom, but the rat was too fast. It quickly disappeared under the curtain beneath the kitchen sink. Dad jerked the material open, but the rat, thumping its tail, made its escape through the hole in the floor.
“Oh, great.” Mom pressed her hand to her forehead and moaned. “As if things aren’t bad enough around here already, now the girls have a ratt in their home.”
“Calm down, Kathryn.” Dad held up his hand. “I’ll hitch Pearl to the twins’ buggy and go to the hardware store today. I’m sure I can buy a rat trap there. Better yet, I’ll take Rusty. From what Thelma said when she called us the other day, it sounds like that spunky horse could use some more time on the road.” He chuckled, looking over at Mom. “So far there hasn’t been a dull moment around this place.”
“Then we… we’d better all go.” Mom’s voice trembled as she continued to stand on her chair. “Because I’m certainly not going to stay here with a rat!”
“Before anything else, I’ll throw out that bread. Also, I’d better use some disinfectant wipes on the whole counter. Who knows where that dirty rat has been?” Elma picked up the bread bag and tossed it in the garbage can. “We’d best not leave any more food out unless it’s in a sealed container.”
“That would be a smart idea,” Mom agreed. “Besides, who knows what kind of diseases that thing may be carrying around? I hope we can catch it before we leave for home.”
Dad gave a nod. “Not to worry. I’m sure we’ll get that rat caught in no time at all.”
“Mom, why don’t you come out to the store with me and Thelma?” Elma suggested. “We still have a lot of work to do out there, and we need to be there for at least part of the day because we may get some customers.” Glancing at the curtain beneath the sink, she lowered herself into her chair.
Mom nodded and sat down as well. “That’s a good idea. I’d be happy to help with whatever needs to be done in the store.”
“Would you two mind if I go with Dad after I get the counter cleaned?” Thelma asked, looking at Elma and then their mother.
“That’s fine with me,” Elma said with a nod.
Dad put the broom away and took a seat at the table. “Before we go anywhere, I’m going to finish my breakfast. Then I’ll see about closing up that hole in the floor under the sink. After that, I’ll head down to the basement and take a look at the water tank.”
“Did Grandma and Grandpa have rats to deal with?” Thelma asked.
Dad shrugged. “I don’t know. If they did, they never said anything about it to me. Maybe with their house sitting empty for a few weeks after their death, the mice and rat moved in.”
Elma frowned. “They can’t move out soon enough to suit me.”
While Elma helped Mom do the breakfast dishes, she kept glancing down, fearful that the rat might make another appearance, even though Dad had put a temporary patch of wood over the hole before he and Thelma went downstairs. She couldn’t believe all the problems she and her sister had encountered since they’d moved to Topeka. Was there no end in sight? How glad she was that the rat had appeared when Dad was here. She had every confidence that he would get rid of it, too. Elma knew the unwanted creature had made its escape and disappeared down the hole in the kitchen floor. But the route it took would put it somewhere in the basement. She hoped her sister would keep a watchful eye on her surroundings and be wary of that rat and its creepy long tail.
Mom reached for a dish to dry as she looked over at Elma. “You girls really ought to sell this place and move back home. It’s not safe here, and there’s too much work.”
“I don’t think we’re in any grave danger,” Elma said, “but you’re
Fearful that it would run under the table, Thelma lifted her feet. Dad swung the broom, but the rat was too fast. It quickly disappeared under the curtain beneath the kitchen sink. Dad jerked the material open, but the rat, thumping its tail, made its escape through the hole in the floor.
“Oh, great.” Mom pressed her hand to her forehead and moaned. “As if things aren’t bad enough around here already, now the girls have a ratt in their home.”
“Calm down, Kathryn.” Dad held up his hand. “I’ll hitch Pearl to the twins’ buggy and go to the hardware store today. I’m sure I can buy a rat trap there. Better yet, I’ll take Rusty. From what Thelma said when she called us the other day, it sounds like that spunky horse could use some more time on the road.” He chuckled, looking over at Mom. “So far there hasn’t been a dull moment around this place.”
“Then we… we’d better all go.” Mom’s voice trembled as she continued to stand on her chair. “Because I’m certainly not going to stay here with a rat!”
“Before anything else, I’ll throw out that bread. Also, I’d better use some disinfectant wipes on the whole counter. Who knows where that dirty rat has been?” Elma picked up the bread bag and tossed it in the garbage can. “We’d best not leave any more food out unless it’s in a sealed container.”
“That would be a smart idea,” Mom agreed. “Besides, who knows what kind of diseases that thing may be carrying around? I hope we can catch it before we leave for home.”
Dad gave a nod. “Not to worry. I’m sure we’ll get that rat caught in no time at all.”
“Mom, why don’t you come out to the store with me and Thelma?” Elma suggested. “We still have a lot of work to do out there, and we need to be there for at least part of the day because we may get some customers.” Glancing at the curtain beneath the sink, she lowered herself into her chair.
Mom nodded and sat down as well. “That’s a good idea. I’d be happy to help with whatever needs to be done in the store.”
“Would you two mind if I go with Dad after I get the counter cleaned?” Thelma asked, looking at Elma and then their mother.
“That’s fine with me,” Elma said with a nod.
Dad put the broom away and took a seat at the table. “Before we go anywhere, I’m going to finish my breakfast. Then I’ll see about closing up that hole in the floor under the sink. After that, I’ll head down to the basement and take a look at the water tank.”
“Did Grandma and Grandpa have rats to deal with?” Thelma asked.
Dad shrugged. “I don’t know. If they did, they never said anything about it to me. Maybe with their house sitting empty for a few weeks after their death, the mice and rat moved in.”
Elma frowned. “They can’t move out soon enough to suit me.”
While Elma helped Mom do the breakfast dishes, she kept glancing down, fearful that the rat might make another appearance, even though Dad had put a temporary patch of wood over the hole before he and Thelma went downstairs. She couldn’t believe all the problems she and her sister had encountered since they’d moved to Topeka. Was there no end in sight? How glad she was that the rat had appeared when Dad was here. She had every confidence that he would get rid of it, too. Elma knew the unwanted creature had made its escape and disappeared down the hole in the kitchen floor. But the route it took would put it somewhere in the basement. She hoped her sister would keep a watchful eye on her surroundings and be wary of that rat and its creepy long tail.
Mom reached for a dish to dry as she looked over at Elma. “You girls really ought to sell this place and move back home. It’s not safe here, and there’s too much work.”
“I don’t think we’re in any grave danger,” Elma said, “but you’re
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