No Small Victory (23 page)

“Yes, but it's very thin. There aren't many words in it.”

“Well, do the best you can. Perhaps I can find a dictionary to put in with the other books. Anyway, I'll be here the last day of June even though school is out, and if I haven't already found one for you, I will then. Just drop by sometime in the morning.”

“Golly, Miss Clarke, I'll be here. Thanks.”

Miss Clarke smiled and said, “You may take your seat now, Bonnie.”

“Oh, thank you, Miss Anderson,” Bonnie said in her excitement.

“Clarke. My name's Miss Clarke.”

“Sorry, Miss Clarke,” said Bonnie. She then floated to her seat in a daze of happiness. She'd finish Grades Five and Six next year—she was sure of it!

After school, Bonnie was plodding along home. She'd been so wrapped up in meeting the new teacher that she'd forgotten about everything at home. But as soon as she'd stepped out the door, it had all come rushing back to her.

“What do you think of the new teacher?” Archie asked. His sisters had taken the shortcut across the Hubbs' farm but he had decided to go by the long route.

“She's wonderful,” mumbled Bonnie.

“So why don't you sound so wonderful?” Archie asked.

“Oh, Archie! It's just terrible!” Bonnie gulped back her tears with a choking sob. “I killed the chickens!”

“Whaaat?”

“Well, it's almost the same thing. I guess I didn't fasten the chicken-coop door tight enough. And anyway, the pig got inside and scared the chickens and they were all piled up in a heap, crowded in the corner, and when I didn't tell Mum and Dad, they found them the next morning all suffocated, and now we don't have any money to buy more eggs to hatch and we won't have any all year,” she finished breathlessly.

“That
is
bad,” said Archie. “If only you'd told your Mum, she might have revived some of them. You could have even phoned me and I'd have come over to see what I could do.”

“No! It was during that terrible storm. You couldn't have come.”

“You're right. The Danfords' chicken coop fell over and their chicks were lost, too. Now folks are giving them a “bee” to build a new henhouse. The women are going to take eggs to start them up again. I'll tell my folks and the neighbours will do the same for you.”

“No! My mother would never stand for it—she's too proud. The Danfords are still grieving over Grace, so the neighbours are being extra kind. And anyway, everyone's busy making their own repairs after that storm. Dad's coop stood up fine. It was really
my
fault!”

“But the storm made it worse and—”

“No, Archie. Mum truly won't take anything from anybody. She says we have to earn our own way. I don't know what to do.”

Archie turned to go up the sharp hillside road. “Don't worry, Bonnie. I'll think of something. I promise!”

Bonnie gave Archie a wan smile as she waved goodbye.

TWENTY-ONE:
THE SOMETHING PROMISE

A few days later, Bonnie's father needed to have grain ground at the Lang mill, and Bonnie went along, taking her swimsuit just in case. By mid-June, the water was generally warm enough for a nice swim. And sure enough, Angela, Archie, and Marianne were already there. “You'll have lots of time for a swim,” said Dad. “Several wagons are lined up ahead of me.”

The sun shone brightly across the meadow on the west side of the dam, a few hundred feet from the mill. A big maple tree shaded two picnic tables between the mill and the Lang houses, farther west. People from Keene were going to have a picnic!

Angela, Archie, Marianne, and Bonnie watched from the east side of the river. “I just hope the Keene kids stay on
that
side,” grumbled Marianne.

Bonnie had butterflies in her stomach as she took one step onto the log bridge and looked down. On the left, clear water gushed over the dam and foamed where it hit the stones below. On her right, the water was dark and deep—no bottom in sight. She looked along the sturdy log bridge ahead. It had a double purpose for her, for one could easily cling to the side in the deep water. She'd keep coming back and cling to those logs for a rest. Having surveyed the spot, she stepped back onto the grassy side near her friends.

“How did you finally persuade your mum and dad to let you swim here where the river is so deep?” asked Archie. “I thought we'd have to go and help you do it.”

“Her mum knows we'll look out for Bonnie,” said Angela. A whistling sound came from behind them and everyone turned around.

Slinky and Tom were coming along the grassy path. Their full brown wool bathing suits slouched a little from narrow shoulder straps.

“Look!” said Bonnie, pointing at the new arrivals. “No towels or dry clothes!”

“They just run around in their bathing suits all day. Keeps them cool,” sighed Archie, looking back over his shoulder. “I can't say I blame them.” Archie was scratching a freckled shoulder, now peeling from a burn.

“No one seems to keep track of them much,” said Angela. She stepped onto the bridge with Marianne and Bonnie following. “I'm not waiting for them. Let's go.”

“Look over there at all those Keene kids,” said Bonnie.

“Most Saturday afternoons, some group has a picnic there,” said Angela. “Looks like their parents are here, too.”

“The boys are coming onto the bridge. Why don't they just swim over there?” asked Bonnie.

“I hope they don't think they're going to swim with us,” said Marianne. “Look at those awful bathing suits!”

“They've got no tops!” exclaimed Bonnie. She thought all bathing suits had tops. It was a little shocking to see them without.

The Keene boys were coming closer now. Angela and Bonnie backed off the bridge and onto the grass again. But Marianne stood still in the middle of the narrow bridge and eyed the boys warily.

“Well if it isn't the three Misses—Louse, Critter, and Cootie—coming for a swim!” shouted a loud boy with sandy hair flopping over his freckled nose. He wore a blue, silky bathing suit with a shirred waist. His chest was bare. Two others, with their dark brown hair lifting slightly in the breeze, were dressed the same.

“Go back and swim in Rice Lake,” yelled Archie, pushing past his sister to stand beside Marianne. Slinky and then Tom pounded past Bonnie and Angela and halted right behind Archie and Marianne.

“This here is our swimming hole,” said Slinky, his arms folded. He sauntered out in front of the Lang kids. “If you want us to share it, you better keep a civil tongue in your head! And go back to the other side of the river!”

“Bug Town doesn't own the river!” yelled one of the Keene boys. “Cootie Kids from Bug Town don't own no river!”

In one leap, Slinky bounded ahead and pushed the loudmouthed boy. But Slinky tottered and lost his balance. Into the deep river he shot with a mighty splash.

Tom came next and threw a punch at the other boy, who dodged. Tom went flying into the deep water.

Bonnie gasped.

“Don't worry,” said Angela. “They can all swim like fish. But they shouldn't fight in the water.
That
can be dangerous.”

“Yeah,” said Archie. “Look!” Two of them had jumped in after Slinky and were holding him underwater.

Archie dove for the spot and pulled at the nearest boy who held Slinky.

“Help! Help! Help!” screamed Angela. “They're drowning Slinky!”

Tom was now helping Archie, but the three Keene boys still had Slinky. They pulled him up once for air as he sputtered like a fountain, then pushed him under again.

“Let him go, Henry!” yelled two Keene men from across the river. One man came running along the log bridge and dove right in—clothes and all. The boys let Slinky go. He'd gone limp. The man grabbed him and held his head above water while Archie and Tom swam alongside. Then they helped to push Slinky up to the other Keene man, who laid Slinky on his stomach on the bridge.

Slinky coughed and choked and sputtered up water. At last, he sat up, looking pale, his eyes and nose running.

“That was scary,” Bonnie said.

“He'll be fine. He can hold his breath a long time,” said Archie. “And it's a good thing. I'd have been a goner.”

The nasty boys had all swum to their own side and were surrounded by women who were shouting angrily at them. One had a huge, wooden, ladling spoon, and she used it to hit one boy across the back. It was probably her own son, Bonnie thought. It was almost funny.

“Sorry,” said a Keene man. “The swimming spot is all yours—we won't let any of them back in today.”

Bonnie just shuddered. She didn't even want to go swimming now.

“That'll be their punishment,” the man added. “They'll get plenty of ribbing from the others, too. And they'll just have to take it!”

Bonnie didn't think that was enough punishment.

Tom, Archie, and Marianne had already jumped off the log bridge and into the water. Marianne held her nose as she hit the deep, dark water with a mighty splash.

Slinky blew his nose with his left hand and wiped water out of his eyes with the back of his other hand. He sat there, still on the log bridge, and let his feet dangle in the water.

“C'mon in, Bonnie,” said Marianne. “The water's great. It's so much easier to swim in deep water. It just holds you up. C'mon, Angela.”

Angela smiled, stood up, and clasped her hands over her head. She cut the water with a perfect smooth dive. It was just like Angela to do everything perfectly. Was there anything she couldn't do? Bonnie wondered.

Bonnie sat down next to Slinky. They were alone on the bridge now. “Are you all right, Slinky?” she asked softly.

“Sure,” he choked out in a hoarse voice.

Across the river, the adults were packing up their dishes and collecting their noisy children. Bonnie looked over anxiously.

“They won't come back now,” said Slinky. “Not after their parents took them over there. Why don't you go for a swim?”

Bonnie hesitated and then mumbled, “I like to swim where I can touch the bottom.”

“Don't worry,” said Slinky. “I'll get you if you need help.”

“But don't you need to rest some more?”

“No. I'll come back for you,” said Slinky. Then he stood and dove into the river. Children on both sides of the river watched as he swam, his arms cutting the water with smooth strokes. He silently sped up the river. He was showing off again. But Bonnie didn't mind at all when he swam swiftly back and held out his hand to her.

Gingerly, she slid off the log bridge and into the water. Angela had been right. It was easier swimming in deep water. Slinky kept right beside her, even when she turned around and headed for the bridge again.

Then he crawled up on the bridge and held out his hand. Smiling up at him, Bonnie took it and then shivering, she grabbed her towel from the bridge.

Archie suddenly rose from under the water and crawled up beside Bonnie and Slinky.

“I've got news for you, Bonnie,” he said. “Marianne says her dad's organizing a farewell for Mr. McDougall in the town hall. They'll be introducing the new teacher also. There'll be a real concert—with songs and recitations. The biggest event of all will be a spelling bee. And there'll be kids competing from the schools around.”

Bonnie turned to stare at Archie. “Really! Oh Archie! Are you sure? That's grand! About the spelling bee, I mean.” She could hardly believe such an event would be happening. Then she grabbed her towel and, throwing it around herself, she said, “But maybe it's just for the older kids, Archie.”

“Actually, there'll be a Junior
and
a Senior spelling bee.”

“You'll win, Bonnie,” said Slinky. “We'll show those Keene kids. I bet you could even beat the Peterborough kids!”

“It's just the country schools,” said Archie. “But Keene will be one of them. They always accept a challenge.”

“I'll think about it,” said Bonnie, as casually as she could. As she looked over to the road she saw Dad driving his team and wagon across the bridge from the mill. He had a fresh load of chop. “I better go,” she said. “Bye, Archie. Bye, Slinky.”

Bonnie ran off the bridge and bent to snatch her bag of clothes from the grass. Archie followed her. “Bonnie, wait! There's more. I haven't told you the best part yet. There'll be a cash prize!”

Bonnie spun around.
A cash prize?

“How much?” she asked breathlessly.

“I'm not sure. But I'd say at least twenty-five cents. Maybe more,” Archie replied.

“Small eggs are five cents a dozen. That could buy sixty small eggs or half that many big eggs!”

“You got it!”

Bonnie grinned widely at Archie and raced over to where her father was waiting.

Clambering up onto the wagon seat, she plunked down beside Dad. A spelling bee! That was right up her alley! Of course, she'd get picked for the Junior competition! Mr. McDougall didn't like her much, but he'd want his school to win. What luck! Maybe she'd be able to win some money yet. It wouldn't be enough, but it would be a start!