Read Andy Online

Authors: Mary Christner Borntrager

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Juvenile Fiction, #Religious, #Christian, #test

Andy (6 page)

BOOK: Andy
3.6Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads
 
Page 48
again. It will have all our scents on it, and Shep should know it's all right."
Sure enough, the dog didn't growl at Joey this time.
"Pet him," Andy suggested to Joey.
Cautiously Joey patted Shep, and they started to tolerate each other.
Andy chuckled to himself all evening about how it took his Barlow knife and a pair of torn britches to bring Shep and Joey Swartz to an understanding.
"To get rid of an enemy, make him your friend," Jake told his son later.
 
Page 49
9
No Doghouse Yet!
It was an exceptionally warm day for early November. Joey Swartz had only two more weeks to work for Jake Maust. He would be home by Thanksgiving Day.
The corncrib was built, and Jake had called a husking bee. Their people came from nearby farms one night to help them finish the corn. This frolic was a great social occasion and a chance for them to get together and help each other in time of need.
Jake calculated that they would have the farrowing pens completed within a week, and then they would check to make sure the barn was tight for the winter.
The harvest was over, so the family was looking forward to more relaxing days. Men were thinking of auctions and horse sales, while women dreamed of quilting bees and weddings.
"Buwe
(boys)," said Jake, addressing Andy, Sam, and Joey at dinner one Saturday. "It's a nice day. You've worked hard all fall, so what say we take the
 
Page 50
afternoon off, and you can do what you like?"
This suited the boys fine. Sam wanted to get something for his rig from the carriage maker, so he left right away. Joey decided to go fishing, and Andy had other plans. They would be free for a few hours, they thought.
Their plans changed quickly, however. Esther came running and shouting,
"Daadi
,
die Kieh sin aus der Weed ausgebroche
(Dad, the cows have broken out of the pasture)!"
Sure enough! They were scattered all over, nipping grass and vegetables and flowers. Some had already run down the road and crossed the bridge. Worse yet, three were in Lizzie's large flower garden, and two were going down the rows of cabbage and taking a bite out of each head.
"Get Shep," Jake told Andy.
The faithful dog came bounding out of the barn at Andy's call. He soon sized up the situation. In no time at all, not one cow was in the flower bed or the garden. Lizzie came out to look over the damage, and she was not pleased!
Next Shep went to bring the strays in from the roadway. As usual, there was a stubborn one in the bunch. No matter how much Esther, Jake, the boys, and Shep narrowed the gap, Bossy the heifer escaped.
Andy's temper got the better of him again. He picked up a large stone and threw it hard at Bossy. The stone found its target. It struck the young heifer right behind her ear. She fell as if shot.
For a moment Bossy lay there. Jake quickly went to investigate the damage. Andy felt anger and fear at the
 
Page 51
same time. Then to his relief, Bossy rose to her feet and started toward the the farm lane with Shep at her heels.
''That Shep, now, he's some dog," Joey remarked.
"Ich weese
(I know)," Andy agreed. He dreaded what his father would have to say about throwing that rock.
"Well, boys," Jake said after the cows were penned in the barnyard, "it looks like we'll have to change our plans for this afternoon. As soon as we find where these cattle broke out, there'll be fence to mend."
"These dumb cows," Andy fumed. "I was going to start work on Shep's doghouse. We have some short pieces of good leftover lumber. It would have been nice to work in the shop."
"No, Andy, you figured wrong," Jake said. "Don't you remember our agreement? I had told you, once you learn to control your temper, you may build a doghouse. What you did out there did not look like self-control to me."
"But Bossy made me so mad. Why couldn't she come in like the others did? Now you won't let me start on that house, and it's all her fault." Andy kicked a stick lying there in front of him.
"You're wrong, Andy. If you had not thrown that rock at Bossy, I would let you get started. I was even looking forward to helping you build it."
"You were?" Andy was surprised and started to think:
Why do I get angry so easily? It
'
s not like me to hurt animals
.
Am I any better than Johnny
,
who hit Shep?
How he wished he hadn't thrown that rock. But what was done was done. Andy could not undo the deed.
 
Page 52
The boys followed Jake to the shop. "We'll get the things we need and see where those cows got out," Jake told them.
"Andy," he asked, after rummaging around among his tools, "have you seen my wire snips?"
"No," answered Andy.
"Well, that's strange. I bought a new pair last spring and only used them one day. I'm certain I put them on the hook right next to the level. Several things have come up missing since that Cloyce Rader left."
Andy didn't believe what his dad was saying.
Why does he always pick on Cloyce? Just because he
'
s different
,
is that the reason?
"Who is Cloyce?" Joey asked.
"He was a drifter who worked here for a while this summer," Jake said. "He needed food and work, and I needed a bit of help. But I'm beginning to suspect he wanted more than food."
"What do you mean?" Andy wondered.
"Easy money. If he could carry away some small tools and sell them, it would be money in his pocket."
Andy's neck began to turn red again, and Joey could see he was angry.
Jake told Andy to bring a roll of binder twine. Joey carried a posthole digger and a roll of wire, while Jake tied on a nail apron carrying staples and took a pair of pliers and a hammer.
"We'll try to tie the wires together until I get new clippers. Maybe we can cut some wire with the pliers, but that isn't easy. I hope we don't need to reset any posts. At least he left my digger behind."
"How do you know Cloyce took the clippers, Dad?
 
Page 53
Did you see him do it?" Andy ventured to ask, struggling to hold his temper.
"No, I didn't. But who else would have taken them? I'm only suspecting he did."
After they had the fence temporarily repaired and were on the way back to the house, Andy begged, "May I please build Shep's house?"
"Not yet," answered Jake. "You and Joey can go fishing now, though, but be sure to be back in time for supper and chores. Shep's house will just have to wait."
Fishing with Joey! Andy wondered how that would turn out.
 
Page 54
10
Old Salty
A light west wind was blowing that afternoon. Andy was glad because he often heard his dad say that's when fishing is best.
"I'd better go to town and buy some tools and fencing. We'll have to watch the cows a bit more until we get that fence fixed right. I don't think binder twine will hold them very long.
"There's not much grass left in the pasture. Throw down some hay in the barnyard so the cows have something to chew.
"Now don't you boys fish too hard!" he teased as he hitched up his horse to head for town. "You know you're worn out from the harvest."
Andy looked startled until he noticed the slight grin on his dad's face.
"Well
,
nau
,
ich weese net
(well, now, I don't know)," Joey remarked. "If I get ahold of Old Salty, he's the one who'll wear out first. After I pull him out, first off, I'd
 
Page 55
show him to my brother. We have a bet going on who will catch him."
Old Salty was the name given to that big fish down in Fish Rock Creek. Many an Amish boy tried his hand at catching him, but with a swish of his tail and a twist of his fin, he was always gone again.
"What kind of bet did you make?" Andy inquired.
"I promised him my bicycle if he hooks Old Salty and brings him to shore before I do."
"Why, Joey, how can you bet like that?" Jake Maust knew that Joey had been baptized and was a member of the church. Surely he should know that betting is a form of gambling!
"Oh, well, I was going to give him the bicycle sometime anyhow."
"And what did your brother bet?" Andy asked.
"That's a secret between him and me. Nobody else knows it," Joey answered with a dark look.
"Does your dad know about this?" Jake Maust quizzed his hired hand.
"Mei Zeit
,
nee
(my time, no)!" replied Joey. "Why should we tell him? It's just a friendly bet."
"Such habits are not good and can only lead to trouble," Jake warned.
"Think about it, Joey. Provide things honest in the sight of all people. I suggest you think over that verse in Romans. Ya, even the first part of chapter 12, too. Maybe you'll change your mind.
Denk
'
s iwwer
(think it over)."
Then Jake climbed into the buggy and left, and the boys prepared to go fishing.
Andy was mulling over Joey's words in his mind.
 
Page 56
He was determined to find out what Johnny promised Joey if Joey won the bet.
Joey broke into his thoughts. "Come on, Andy, we need some worms if we expect to catch fish."
"I know where some big night crawlers are," Andy responded.
"Ya, where?"
"Under those old railroad ties behind the shop. The other day I moved one just a little, and there was the biggest worm I ever saw."
"Let's go dig them out. You got something to put them in?"
Andy hurried to the washhouse, where he found a tin can used to keep a bit of kerosene. Lizzie or the girls poured it from an open can when they started the fire to heat the wash water. It was safer that way.
Quickly Andy emptied its contents, grabbed an old rag, and wiped the can dry. He also went inside and got a bag of cookies. Hannah saw him but didn't try to stop him. She wanted no argument with her brother.
"What took you so long? Oh, I see. You brought something to eat. That's okay, if you share."
Andy didn't answer. He planned to eat all the cookies he wanted. After all,
his
mom had baked themnot Joey's mother.
Joey took the can that Andy handed him. "Ugh!" he exclaimed.
"Was waar drin
(what was in here)?"
"Kerosene. But I wiped it out good with a rag. The worms won't care."
"Maybe the worms won't, but the fish are not likely to go for a kerosene-coated worm."
"Okay! You go find something to put them in,"
BOOK: Andy
3.6Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

A Night Out with Burns by Robert Burns
Taken by Robert Crais
False colors by Powell, Richard, 1908-1999
The Thirteenth Apostle by Michel Benôit
The Velvet Glove by Mary Williams
Caretaker by L A Graf
Summer Kisses by Theresa Ragan, Katie Graykowski, Laurie Kellogg, Bev Pettersen, Lindsey Brookes, Diana Layne, Autumn Jordon, Jacie Floyd, Elizabeth Bemis, Lizzie Shane
Mourning Ruby by Helen Dunmore