The X'ed-Out X-Ray (2 page)

Everyone in the audience stood up and started clapping as the star walked across the lawn toward the stage.

Penelope Gwinn was wearing a black-and-white outfit that sparkled. Her black hair was piled high on her head.

Hanging from a chain around her neck was a diamond penguin. The jewel glittered in the sun.

Penelope Gwinn climbed the stage steps, and the crowd settled down.

The tall man stood at the bottom of the steps with his muscular arms crossed.

On the stage, someone handed Penelope her violin. Then the group began to play.

After a few minutes, the band stopped and Penelope Gwinn played her violin. When she began to sing, the audience joined in.

Dink noticed that Josh was snapping his fingers. “Thought you didn’t like
violin music,” he whispered to Josh.

“I don’t, usually,” Josh said. “But I’ve never heard anyone play a violin like
this
before!”

Penelope played and sang for about forty-five minutes before she took a break. She handed her violin to a band member and took a deep bow. “Thank you!” she called to the cheering crowd. “I’ll be back in twenty minutes!”

The woman in front of Dink pulled her mask down over her face. Then she hurried toward the stage steps with her autograph book.

Josh pulled off his mask and stood up. He grinned down at Ruth Rose. “Those hot dogs smell
so
good!”

Mr. Hathaway handed Ruth Rose some bills. “Lunch is on me,” he said. “Meet me back here after intermission.”

The kids walked toward the food carts. They passed Presto Pizza and stopped at a cart with a picture of a hot dog on the side. A sign said,
FRANK’S FINEST FRANKS.

The man behind the cart was wearing a white jacket. The name “Frank” was stitched in black letters over the pocket.

“I’d like four hot dogs, please,” Ruth Rose said.

“Sorry, I’m closing for a few
minutes,” the man said. He needed a shave. Dark, curly hair grew on the back of his thick knuckles.

“But I’m starving!” Josh pleaded. He gestured at Dink and Ruth Rose. “My friends are, too.”

“Well, all right,” the man said. “But make it snappy.” He held up an autograph book. “I have to get PENGUIN to sign this for my daughter.”

The man pulled two rubber gloves
from a box on his counter. He slipped them over his hands, then plopped four hot dogs into buns and placed them on paper plates. “Drinks?” he asked.

“Three colas,” Ruth Rose said. She put her money on the counter.

The man traded the drinks for the bills and slapped down the change. “Mustard and stuff is on the counter!” he yelled as he dashed toward the stage.

“You should get her autograph, too, Ruth Rose,” Dink said as he squeezed mustard on his dog.

“I already have it,” Ruth Rose said. “When they sent me the tickets, there was a signed picture of PENGUIN in the envelope.”

“I hear circus music,” Josh said. He pointed toward some trees. “Let’s go check it out.”

They ate as they walked toward the tall trees.

“A carousel!” Ruth Rose said. “Want to take a ride? Dad gave me enough money.”

“No way,” Josh said around a mouthful of hot dog. “That’s for little kids.”

“Come on, Josh,” Dink said. “It’ll be fun. I haven’t been on a carousel for years. Besides, I see some kids our age riding it.”

Josh sighed. “Okay, but I’m not sitting on some baby lamb or puppy dog.”

The kids finished eating, dropped their trash in a barrel, and hurried to buy tickets. A minute later, the carousel stopped and a bunch of kids hopped off.

Ruth Rose climbed aboard a shiny black horse and sat in its golden saddle. She held on to the safety pole that went from the floor to the carousel’s roof.

Dink chose a green dragon with fake red flames shooting from its mouth.

Josh checked out each animal. Finally he chose a roaring lion.

The carousel operator circled the
platform. “Be sure to hold on to your poles,” she said. A minute later, the carousel started moving.

Dink held the pole as his dragon moved up and down. He laughed out loud when it suddenly roared and its tail swept back and forth.

He looked for Josh and Ruth Rose. They both waved at Dink.

“My lion is faster than your dragon!” Josh shouted at Dink.

Just then Dink heard yelling from over by the stage. He tried to see what was going on, but a crowd of people blocked his view.

The yelling continued, and Dink still couldn’t see. Holding on to his safety pole, he kneeled on the dragon’s back for a better view.

But the dragon was slippery, and Dink suddenly felt himself falling. He slid off, landing on the wooden platform.

“Ow!” Dink yelled.

The attendant hurried over. “Are you okay?” she asked, helping Dink to his feet.

“Yeah, but I scraped my arm,” he said. “It really hurts.”

“Stay right here!” the attendant said. She walked to her lever and stopped the carousel.

Josh and Ruth Rose jumped off their mounts and ran over. “What happened?” Ruth Rose asked.

“I heard someone yelling over by the stage,” Dink said. “I kneeled on my dragon to see better and I slipped off.”

Josh put his finger on a small swelling on Dink’s forehead. “You got a boo-boo,” he said, grinning.

“I’m getting my dad,” Ruth Rose said, and she took off running.

Just then the attendant came back with a pencil and a pad of paper in her hand. She felt Dink’s forehead. “You
bumped your head, too,” she said. “I’ll need your name and address. I have to report all accidents.”

While Dink told her, Ruth Rose came back with her father.

“You all right, Dink?” Mr. Hathaway asked.

Dink blushed. “My arm hurts,” he said.

Mr. Hathaway checked Dink’s arm, then looked at the bump on his head. “I think you’ll be fine,” he said, “but I’d feel better if you paid a visit to the first-aid tent.”

“Good idea,” the attendant said. She pointed to a sign:
DO NOT STAND ON OR LEAN OFF THE RIDES.
“Did you see that sign?”

Dink nodded. “I was trying to see what was going on over by the stage,” he said.

“Penelope Gwinn got robbed!” Ruth Rose said.

“What!?” Dink and Josh cried out at the exact same time.

“It’s true,” Ruth Rose’s father said.

As the foursome walked toward the first-aid tent, Josh nudged Dink. “Look at all the cops!” he said.

The stage where Penelope had been singing was surrounded by police officers. The mounted officer was talking to people in the audience. Two other officers were on the stage, standing with Penelope Gwinn. The tall man who had been her escort was nowhere to be seen.

“What did they take?” Dink asked.

“Her diamond penguin,” Ruth Rose said. “Someone in a mask snatched it right off her neck!”

Inside the tent, a man was handing a glass of water to a red-faced woman. A boy was standing next to the woman’s chair.

“Do you feel better, Mom?” the boy asked.

“Much better, Ronnie,” his mother said. “Thank you, Dr….”

“Fleming,” the man said, looking down at the tag pinned over the pocket on his white jacket.

She stood up. “Come on, Ronnie, let’s get some lemonade,” she said to her
son. “Thanks again, Dr. Fleming.”

“No problem,” the doctor said. He glanced up at Mr. Hathaway and the three kids. “Who’s the patient?” he asked.

“Me,” Dink said.

The doctor pointed to two folding chairs. “Have a seat, please.”

There were no other chairs in the tent. “We’ll wait outside,” Mr. Hathaway said. He guided Josh and Ruth Rose to the tent opening.

“Be a brave little man, Dink,” Josh teased.

Dink stuck his tongue out at Josh, then sat down.

“Your name is Dink?” the doctor asked. He pulled two thin rubber gloves from a box and slipped them onto his hands.

Dink nodded. “It’s a nickname,” he said. “My real name is Donald David Duncan.”

The doctor sat in the chair opposite Dink. He touched the small bump on Dink’s forehead. “How’d this happen?” he asked.

Dink told the doctor how he fell off the carousel and showed him the red scrape on his arm.

“Does it hurt?” the doctor asked.