The Falcon Street Club

Chapter 1: The Fire

It was early evening, and the boys sat around the guest room of Drew's house, talking about the day's find. "Do you think we should give Mr. Roberts back his trunk?" asked Jordie. "I think we should," replied Tim. "I would feel bad if somebody had my favorite things in the whole world and wouldn't give them back to me." Riley wasn't so sure he wanted to return anything to the man who had helped steal his money!

After a while, Drew announced, "Welp, I'm tired. I'm goin' to bed. I'll talk to you guys in the morning." He went to his own room while Jordie and Tim took the bunk bed, and Riley laid his sleeping bag out on the floor. Soon everyone drifted off to sleep…

A short time later, Riley awoke, freezing! He got up and took a folded blanket from the chair. As he began to fall back to sleep, he noticed a peculiar 'smoky' smell. Sniff, sniff, he sniffed around and took a deep breath. It definitely smelled like something was burning. "Hey, guys?" he shook Tim lightly. "Hey, Tim, wake up." Tim stirred awake. "What?" he said, rubbing his eyes. "Do you smell something burning?" asked Riley. Tim took a deep breath in. "Yes!" Tim sat up abruptly. "Somethin's burnin' for sure." They went to the window. "Maybe it's outside," said Riley, opening the sash. By now, Jordie had awakened. "What is that?" he asked, covering his nose.

Riley opened the door to the room, and the smell was even stronger in the hall. He ran to Drew's room and woke him up. "Drew. I think something's burning!" Jordie and Tim gathered in the hall with the others when Drew cried, "I gotta wake Dad."

Mr. Wasco was just coming into the hall as he had smelled the smoke too. "I'll call the Fire Department," he announced, trying not to panic. "You boys go out to the yard." The boys ran out the front door and noticed an orange glow reflecting against the trees. When they turned around, they spied flames leaping through the attic window. "Dad!" shouted Drew, "the attic's on fire!"

Mr. Wasco rushed out into the yard, coughing fiercely. They all looked on in horror as the beautiful farmhouse burned.

Chapter 2: Confession Time

The Fire Department arrived shortly and was able to put the fire out before it spread beyond the attic. "It's a good thing you woke up, Riley," cried Tim. The fire investigator talked to Drew's father for a long time. When he had finished, they both approached the boys.

"Drew, were you up in the attic this weekend?" asked Mr. Wasco. Dread washed over the boys as they remembered Drew lighting those matches. "Yeah, we were lookin' at stuff in my boxes," he said with fear in his voice. "Okay, boys," said the man opening his van door. Let's go in here where it's warm. I need to ask you a few questions."

The boys piled into the van and sat silently, avoiding eye contact. Jordie was shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the fear he was feeling at that moment. The investigator said that they were able to determine the fire was not started by faulty wiring or by an electrical source. "We were able to estimate when the fire started, so what I need from you boys is for you to tell me when you were in the attic and what you were doing up there." The boys sat silently as all eyes drifted towards Drew. The stillness was more than he could stand.

Suddenly, he burst into tears and confessed to the investigator that he had been striking the matches and dropped one when it burned his finger. "But it was burned out, I know it was," Drew protested. The investigator explained that the match may not have been completely extinguished, so when Drew dropped it, it landed on a source that allowed it to smolder for several hours before actually combusting. "That's why you didn't notice a fire right away. You were very lucky that someone woke up when they did," the man said sternly. "Now, I need you to tell your father what you just told me."

Drew was bawling as he left the van while the boys stayed inside. "I'm never touching another match again!" muttered Jordie. "Me neither,” said Riley. Playing with matches proved to be a hard lesson for all of the boys to learn, especially Drew.

Chapter 3: The Time Capsule

The next day, Mr. Wasco loaded the boys' bikes in his truck and drove Jordie, Tim and Riley home a day early. He wanted to explain to their parents what had happened at the house. Drew sat silent the entire ride while his father lectured him and the boys about how dangerous it was to play with matches.

They would have to sleep in the living room for several weeks until the attic and roof could be repaired. Luckily, the fire was contained enough that it didn't cause too much damage, but the lingering smell of smoke still permeated the second floor, and much of the area was drying out from all the water the firemen had sprayed.

When the boys reached Falcon Street, Jordie and Tim decided to walk Riley home while Mr. Wasco spoke with their parents. (Drew had to stay with him and apologize for playing with the matches that caused the fire.) "I'll be along to talk to your stepfather soon, Riley," said Mr. Wasco. "It looks like Drew will be grounded for a while.” The boys waved goodbye to Drew and walked down the street. "I told him he would get in trouble," murmured Tim.

The trio began to discuss the time capsule they had wanted to bury. "We can put it in my backyard," said Riley. When they arrived at his house, Riley's mother gave them a sturdy box from her sewing room. They decorated it with colorful shapes and designs, and Tim wrote "YOUR PRESENT IS OUR PAST" across the top in bright, red crayon. Next, Riley fetched a shovel from the garage and began to dig a big hole next to the back fence. "Once we're done here, we can help you look for things to put in the box. That's gonna be the fun part!" exclaimed Jordie.

Riley was able to find some interesting items to contribute. He found one of his baby pictures, a real, stuffed baby alligator his aunt had sent him from Florida, a postcard from his vacation in Vermont, and an old harmonica.

When the box was completely decorated, Tim said, "C'mon, guys, let's go back to my house now." They went and picked up the items that he wanted to donate. He decided to put a little stuffed bear in the box. "I used to sleep with this bear all the time," he said. "Yeah, like yesterday!" spouted Jordie. "No, sir!" whined Tim as they all giggled. He also collected some old coins, a few toy soldiers, and a bright, shiny whistle. Next, it was time to go to Jordie's house. "Bye, mom," said Tim, as they headed out the door. Tim's mom gave them some homemade beef jerky to take with them. "Mmm, thanks," the boys said all together.

As they walked to Jordie's house, they felt bad for Drew because nearly all of his belongings had burned up in the attic fire. "Oh, I think I have a few things of his at my house," said Jordie. "We can ask him if he wants us to put them in for him."

When the boys got to Jordie's, they piled into his room. He found a few things that Drew had left the last time he had spent the night. "Here's a yoyo, an old pocketknife and some sunglasses. That can be his donation." Jordie wasn't sure what he wanted to put in the box himself. He just couldn't seem to part with anything. He finally settled on a ratty, blue baseball cap and one of his old math books. "This stuff isn't very cool," he whined.

"Wait!" he exclaimed. "I have an idea. Shhh. Come on,” he whispered, putting his finger to his lips. They all followed Jordie as he slinked along the wall and peered into his sister's room. " ‘Coast is clear," he said.

The boys looked around Julie's room, adorned with lacy bed pillows and colorful perfume bottles displayed on a little vanity. "It's so girly in here," laughed Riley.

Jordie opened her closet and brought out a wig. "Is that Julie's?" asked Tim. Jordie nodded and grinned. "Yeah, it's her hair piece. Nobody's supposed to know about it! I'm gonna put this in the time capsule!" The boys all chuckled and returned to Riley's house. They reached Drew on the walkie-talkie, and he said they could put the things he'd left at Jordie's in the time capsule for him. "Hey, I'm gonna put this in there too," announced Riley, holding up a piece of his beef jerky. "Eww!" chuckled Jordie. "I'd like to see that in a hundred years!"

Chapter 4: Bad Dog

When the boys had collected everything, they laid it in the box and sealed it up, with each boy helping fill the hole with dirt.

Tuesday was back to school for all of them. Jordie sat in his classroom, listening to his teacher talk about the new lesson plans they would be learning. He really didn’t like school and couldn’t wait until the day ended. He listened half-heartedly with his head resting in his hands and as he listened, he began to drift off to sleep. Suddenly, he heard his name called.

“Jordie! Are you listening?” his teacher shouted. Embarrassed, he sat up straight and fiddled with his pencil. “Did you hear what I asked?” his teacher continued. Jordie shook his head slowly, “no, ma’am.” “I asked you to bring your old math book up here and put it in this box.” Jordie suddenly remembered he had buried it in the time capsule. “I-I don’t have it today.” “Well, be sure and bring it tomorrow or your parents will be charged a fee for its loss,” his teacher said.

When the boys got out of school, Jordie told them that he had to get that math book out of the box. They said goodbye to Drew and walked over to Riley’s house.

Jordie grabbed the book, now a bit scuffed and dirty, and Tim and Riley helped cover the box up again. After they’d washed up, they decided to go to Jordie’s and watch cartoons. Riley grabbed some snacks and sodas, and they walked the short distance to Falcon Street.

An hour had passed, and Tim stood up and stretched. “Well, I gotta go eat supper,” he said, as he yawned. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” As he looked out the window, something strange caught his eye. “What was that?” asked Tim. Jordie and Riley went to the window, but they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “Quick! Outside,” yelled Tim. They ran out to the front porch and stared in disbelief as they saw what looked like a dog with a wig on its head, running down the street! “What the heck?” yelled Tim. “It’s Pepper!” giggled Riley. “Pepper! Pepper, come here!” he shouted, trying not to laugh.

Pepper had smelled the beef jerky in the time capsule and began digging it up, and when he did, Julie’s wig must have gotten stuck to his head. The boys were laughing hysterically. It was quite a sight to see a little dog running down Falcon Street with long flowing hair! Other neighbors were outside, and they started laughing too.

Soon, Julie came out of the house. “What are you guys all laughing about?'' she asked sarcastically. Tim pointed to Pepper, unable to control himself. “My WIG!” Julie yelled. Her face turned beet red as she watched the dog sprinting between the yards. “Pepper!” shouted Julie. “No! Bad Dog!” The scene was so funny, it made the boys forget all about the time capsule and the fire.

Chapter 5. The Trunk

Time passed, and because of the wig mishap, Jordie had been grounded, at least for a week. Drew would be off of his grounding in a few days. The boys were anxious to get back to the clubhouse as they had a lot of matters to discuss, like Mr. Roberts' trunk.

Riley had told his folks about them finding it in Drew's cellar. He suggested to his stepfather that they hold it in exchange for information about Mr. Forsythe, but Riley's mother said that wouldn't be honorable. "Even though he wronged us, that doesn't make it right for us to do the same to him." It was a concept Riley didn't understand, but he knew in his heart his parents were right.

Drew's father was going to drive the trunk up to Mr. Roberts' house, but that was before he got busy with the after-fire cleanup. Now, he would need to revisit his plans. The boys had talked of riding their bikes up on their own one day to investigate because most of the children in town said Mr. Roberts' house was haunted.

The old man lived at the very top of a large hill on the outskirts of Colby. Jordie wasn't sure their bikes could make it all the way up, so he said they might have to leave them at the bottom of the hill and walk the rest of the way.

Chapter 6. A Haunted House?

Mr. Roberts' house was creepy looking, just the kind of house one would find in a scary movie or magazine. It was the ONE home nobody wanted to go to on Halloween, and IT wasn't even decorated.

It was a tall house with tall windows and fancy stickwork that gathered the cobwebs along the eaves. Three chimneys and a large, black stone raven stood at the top of the roof, keeping watch over the town. The front door was made of dark wood and iron bolts. It displayed a heavy, iron door knocker that looked like a horrible monster, eager to "bite" anyone who tried to use it. A black, wrought iron fence with sharp tips enclosed the yard, and the gate, which was falling down, hung wearily off its hinges. The yard was full of old, dead trees and brush.

"I don't know if I wanna go there," said Riley. "Are ya scared?" asked Tim. Riley didn't want to admit it, but he was a little frightened.

Mr. Wasco decided he would try and take the trunk up the following week.

Chapter 7: The Baking Contest

Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and the elementary school was having a baking contest to see who could make the best tasting, most attractive holiday desserts. The contest was being hosted by the school's sixth-grade Home Economics department, and those in grades four through six were eligible to enter. The first prize was a family trip to Hanzell's Candy Factory. The contest would be judged before Thanksgiving break so the cafeteria could organize a potluck and serve the dishes everyone had made.

Tim was excited about the contest. He loved to cook, but Jordie and the others weren't so sure. "It will give us extra credit if we participate," said Riley, "and I need all the extra credit I can get!" "Yeah, me too," agreed Drew. The rules allowed students to pair up, so Jordie agreed to be Tim's partner and Drew said he would team up with Riley.

Soon Sunday arrived, and Jordie, Tim and Riley hopped on their bikes and rode out to Drew's. By now, the roof and attic had been repaired, and the old farmhouse looked as good as new.

Tim had brought a few of his mom's recipe books so they could decide what everyone wanted to make. The photos of the food were beautiful, and every dish looked so good.

"Let's keep it simple," instructed Drew. "Sure. How 'bout salad?" quipped Tim. "Silly," it's gotta be a dessert. "We can make a delicious chocolate cake!" suggested Jordie. Tim agreed, and Drew and Riley decided on a Classic Vinegar Pie," a favorite dessert of my family's," said Riley proudly.

Chapter 8: Let the Baking Begin!

The contest was held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving break, and everyone had to have their desserts done before the deadline. The boys had stayed after school on Monday to get the instructions and a list of everything they would need for their own entries.

Thursday after school, the teams met in the cafeteria, where they were to set up and make their creations. The long lunchroom tables were arranged in a large square, and standing inside of them were a few of the sixth graders who would act as 'runners' for the teams. They were on hand to clean up spills, bring items, remove used dishes, and anything else the bakers might need. Tim and Jordie stood next to Drew and Riley.

The judges sat in folding chairs at the front of the cafeteria. "I'm nervous," Riley said, giving a quick smile to them as he set up his station. Drew began to move all of the ingredients they needed to make their Classic Vinegar Pie onto the table, and Jordie and Tim proceeded to do the same. Everyone had about an hour to make their desserts.

Mrs. Jameson, the Home Economics teacher, gave a quick speech. "Now, this is a contest, not a race, so take your time. It won't be a problem if your dessert takes a little longer than someone else's. We're looking more at the quality of your dessert, so you will be judged on taste, texture, and appearance.

There were a few ovens in the kitchen and a few more in the Home-Ec room down the hall. It appeared there were eight teams of bakers in all.

"So, if you are ready, you may begin," announced Mrs. Jameson.

Chapter 9: The Big Mistake

Jordie stood at the bowl and began to mix the dry ingredients for their chocolate cake as Tim cracked the eggs. He gently tapped one against the bowl, but it wouldn't break. He tapped a little harder and only managed to put a hairline split in the shell. "Here," said Jordie, taking the egg. "Lemme try." He smashed the egg against the bowl a bit too hard and when he did, the yellowish liquid oozed out between his fingers and into the bowl, along with most of the shell. The boys looked at each other. "Oops," whispered Jordie. "I'll just mix it up real good," said Tim.

Meanwhile, Drew and Riley were busy making the crust for their pie. The runners had set all of their ingredients in a neat line for them and did the same for Jordie and Tim. Tim handed Jordie their remaining ingredients one by one as Jordie continued to stir them in. They grabbed the water and dumped it into the batter. Once it was all stirred, they popped it into the oven.

Drew and Riley's pie was ready for baking as well. They put it on the oven rack and closed the door. The boys all took a seat at the back of the cafeteria and waited….

Soon, the desserts were baked, cooled and ready for the final touches. Jordie and Tim slathered on the chocolate frosting, and Riley cut little slits into his pie to allow the steam to escape. When the creations were finished, everyone put their desserts on the table for judging.

The judges moved along the lines with a knife and several forks to sample each dessert.

The tension rose as they approached Drew and Riley's pie. The judge cut a small slice and put it on a cake plate, where he took a small bite. "He chewed the food for a few seconds, swallowed and gave a quick nod while he wrote down his impressions on a card. "I think we did okay," winked Drew.

Next, it was Jordie and Tim's turn. The judge cut a slice of their cake and used another fork to sample their dish. He took a bite. As he chewed, his face began to make a terrible grimace as he scrunched up his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "Miss Hill, would you come here please?" he beckoned to another judge. She came over and took her fork out to sample some of the cake as well. As she took a bite, she puckered up her lips and blinked her eyes. "What's in this cake, boys?" she asked. "Just cocoa and sugar and…" "VINEGAR!" the judge interrupted. "That's what I taste too," replied Miss Hill." "And it's crunchy!" she added.

At that moment, the boys realized they had accidentally grabbed Drew and Riley's vinegar instead of their water. "I guess the crunchy bits were the eggshells," whispered Riley. When it was time to take the desserts to the potluck table, Jordie and Tim were asked to take their cake and place it in the trash can!

Chapter 10: The Trunk Delivery

It was time for Mr. Wasco to take the trunk up to Mr. Roberts. Drew asked if he could go with him. He was dying to find out once and for all if the house was haunted, and he'd have his dad there for protection in the event it was.

They drove the truck up the long, steep hill and parked in front of the weary gate. Drew helped his father drag the trunk to the porch. Mr. Wasco used the door knocker to announce their arrival, and as he knocked, a large crow watched from the bare branch of a tree.

The door creaked open slowly, and Mr. Roberts appeared - frail and disheveled. "Hello, Mr. Roberts," called Drew's father. "We have something for you." Suddenly, his pale, gray eyes brightened, and his hand began to tremble as he pointed to the trunk. "Is this? Is that my trunk?" he asked. "Yes," said Mr. Wasco. "It was in our cellar when we purchased our house. A smile grew across his parched, wrinkled face and a youthful sparkle filled his eyes.

"Come in," he said, welcoming Drew and his father into the house. They took the trunk in and set it down in the living area.

The inside of the house was as scary as the outside. It was dark and musty, and a large grandfather clock stood in the corner, ticking away the endless hours. The house was cluttered with piles upon piles of books and papers. There were several plants; most of them wilted and withered. Behind a glass cabinet stood various bottles of whiskey and dishware, covered in dust.

An old cat sprawled across a faded armchair. "Hello, kitty," whispered Drew. "Mraw," the cat answered in a gruff voice. Mr. Roberts didn't appear to have a television. Drew concluded that he probably spent his days reading or looking out his tall windows onto Main Street.

Mr. Wasco helped him open the trunk. The old man began to take the photographs out one by one, and as he looked at them, he clutched each one to his heart. "These must mean a lot to you," said Mr. Wasco. Mr. Roberts nodded silently. With each new item he retrieved from the trunk, he seemed to become more and more emotional. By the time it was empty, he was crying. As they left, Mr. Roberts patted Drew's dad on the back. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you so much."

Drew realized this old man that the town had seen as harsh and petty was really just a human being who was hurting and perhaps in need of a friend.

Chapter 11: Lonesome Holiday

When Drew returned to his house, he got on the walkie-talkie to tell the others about Mr. Roberts and his reaction to seeing his trunk again. Jordie asked him about the house. “I don’t think it’s haunted,” reported Drew, “but it is a little creepy.”

Before long, it was Thanksgiving Day, and everyone was looking forward to the wonderful feasts each family had prepared.

Tim’s house was always buzzing with people and even more so during the holidays. His grandparents had come from Iowa. He had offered to help his mother make a dessert, but after she had heard what happened at the school baking contest, she politely declined. “You can set the tables if you like,” his mother said. Tim obliged her, but he didn’t find that very fun.

Drew was going to his mother’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, and his father had been invited to go along. It was a nice change, having his entire family together once again. Jordie’s parents were having a quiet meal with just their family, and Riley and his folks had flown to Florida to visit his aunt.

As Thanksgiving got underway, Drew couldn’t help but think of poor Mr. Roberts, all alone in that big house. He didn’t have any children or family that anyone knew of, so he was probably spending his Thanksgiving as he had every other year - alone.

Chapter 12. The Invitation

“Hey, mom, do you think we could ask Mr. Roberts over for Thanksgiving?” “That is an excellent idea, Drew,” said his mother, “…and I’ll run you up there to ask him,” said Drew’s dad.

When they arrived at Mr. Roberts’ house, Drew ran to the porch. He dropped the heavy door knocker against the door several times, but there was no answer. “Oh well, maybe he did have some place to go after all,” said Mr. Wasco. They began to walk back to the car when they heard a faint cry…

“Help. Help me, please.”

Drew’s father stepped back onto the porch and looked in one of the windows. “Oh my gosh!” he gasped. Mr. Roberts was lying at the bottom of the stairs! They tried the door, but it was locked, so Drew ran around to the side of the house and found that one of the windows was broken. A ragged piece of cardboard covered the large, gaping hole. Drew’s father was able to reach up through the hole and unlock the latch, sliding the window open. Drew then climbed in and ran to open the door for his dad.

“I’m going to call an ambulance,” said Mr. Wasco. Drew felt helpless as he knelt next to the elderly man. His eyes briefly scanned his face and head for injuries. “His head is bleeding, dad,” cried Drew, pointing to a large cut on Mr. Roberts’ scalp. “Help is on the way, okay, Mr. Roberts?” said Drew’s father, trying to comfort him.

They didn’t know how far he had fallen and were afraid to move him for fear of injuring him more. Mr. Wasco looked around for something to prop his head up. “Hand me that pillow there, son,” he said. They were at least able to make him more comfortable until help arrived.

The ambulance soon came and moved Mr. Roberts onto a gurney. “Are you his son?” asked the driver. “No,” replied Mr. Wasco. “Just an acquaintance. I don’t know if he has any family.” “Well, that is unfortunate,” said the driver sympathetically.

Mr. Wasco gave them his name and number as a contact. “Don’t worry about things here,” he said as they wheeled the elderly man out the door. “We’ll come and feed the cat” “and we’ll water your plants if you want,” shouted Drew. “What about his Thanksgiving meal?” asked Drew with a frown. Mr. Wasco said they would freeze some food for him.

Mr. Roberts lifted his frail hand and tried to wave. “If you have a key, we can let ourselves in; otherwise, we’ll use the window,” Mr. Wasco called. Luckily, he found a key to the front door on a hook in the kitchen.

As they drove back down the long, winding hill, Drew thought about Mr. Roberts and how lonely he must have been all those years. How many Thanksgivings and Christmases he must have spent with no one to share them with. As Drew stared at the evening sky, he said a prayer of thanks for all the friends and family he was fortunate enough to have in his life.

Chapter 13: The Hospital Visit

The boys were on Thanksgiving break, which meant they could spend more time at the clubhouse. Riley had returned from Florida with souvenirs for Jordie, Tim and Drew. They each got a plastic cup that looked like an orange and pool toys in the shape of a pelican, alligator, and giant palm tree; however, it was hard for the boys to even imagine swimming on that cold, crisp autumn day.

As they sat in the clubhouse, they talked about their holiday and Mr. Roberts. He was still in the hospital. He had fallen and fractured his hip.

“Hey, boys, would any of you like to go visit Mr. Roberts with me today?” asked Drew’s dad. “A trip to the city? Sure!” said Tim. Jordie and Drew agreed to go too, but Riley wasn’t so sure. He thought if he did go, perhaps he could ask Mr. Roberts about Mr. Forsythe and his stolen money.

When they reached the hospital, they walked into Mr. Roberts’ room. There were tubes and hoses and beeping sounds coming from all sides of his bed. Poor Mr. Roberts, Tim thought. Jordie touched his hand, and his tired eyes opened ever-so-slowly.

“Hi, Mr. Roberts,” said Drew’s father. “I brought the boys of the Falcon Street Club with me!” Mr. Roberts was delighted. He had never had so much company before. He was anxious to talk to the boys, but because he was still weak, the nurse wouldn’t let them stay long. They agreed to come again or visit him when he returned to his home.

As they were leaving, a man and woman walked into his hospital room. They introduced themselves to Mr. Wasco. They were there to draw up Mr. Roberts’ living will, so Drew’s father said goodbye, and he and the boys headed for home.

Chapter 14: A Friend in Need

Several weeks had passed, and Mr. Roberts had returned home with a nurse who cared for him round-the-clock. He was no longer able to get out of bed. The boys had been up to see him a few times. He was so happy when they visited, and his nurse said he always looked forward to the weekends because he knew that they just might come by. He enjoyed them all sitting around his bed, him telling them war stories and endless tales of the “olden days.”

It was now winter, so the boys couldn’t ride their bikes over anymore. Drew’s father would have to drive them up the long, steep hill.

On one visit, Riley sat next to Mr. Roberts. Jordie and Tim were in the living room, looking through some old books and Drew and his father were fixing the broken window. The room was quiet, and all that could be heard was the clock ticking in the living room. “Mr. Roberts,” Riley whispered, leaning in close, “What happened to Mr. Forsythe and all of the money he took from us?”

Mr. Roberts began to sigh. He told Riley once Mr. Forsythe had gotten all of the information he needed, he simply vanished from his life.

Mr. Roberts had lost his job as a result, but the investigators came to the conclusion he was not liable for the actual crime of fraud and theft because he had no prior knowledge of Mr. Forsythe’s intentions. “I know I was wrong,” Mr. Roberts admitted. “I suppose I was just hurt and angry. I felt wronged by everyone, so I told them I did it for revenge. But the truth is, I just didn’t know what he was going to do with that information.”

His lips tightened, and he closed his eyes as a tear began to roll down his cheek. “I’m sorry. I truly am. I would never have misbehaved had I known what true friendships I would someday find in all of you.”

Riley was touched. He felt bad that everyone in town, including himself, had called him names and never took the time to see that he was hurting inside. Riley gave him a tender hug. “I’m glad we’re friends,” he said softly.

Chapter 15. The Rude Awakening

Another Christmas was soon approaching, and the Falcon Street Club had watched another year come and go.

Tim had supplied his cart with snow shovels to keep his business going throughout the season. One day, Jordie and Riley agreed to help him shovel. The snow was deep and heavy, and it took them a long time just to clear the path from Jordie’s door. “Let’s take a break,” begged Riley. “That sounds good,” agreed Tim. Jordie invited them in for a cup of hot chocolate.

When they got inside, they began to remove their coats and boots as Julie walked into the kitchen. “Did you hear the latest?” she asked. “The latest WHAT?" said Jordie, unconcerned, as he pulled his boot off. “Your friend, Mr. Roberts, died.” The boys all stood, dumbfounded. “It’s in the paper. Look.” Julie opened the Town Tattler to the small obituary section. There were only two people who had died that week in Colby, and Mr. Roberts was one of them.

Jordie ran to his walkie talkie to inform Drew. “I know,” Drew said. “My dad just got a call.” Mr. Roberts had developed pneumonia and passed away in his sleep. Everyone was deeply saddened by the news.

The next day at school, Drew told the others that Mr. Roberts had left them all something. “It was in his will,” said Drew. “My dad got a call from the lady who was at the hospital that day. Remember? They were there to write his will. My dad is going to pick up the stuff tomorrow.” “What is it?” Tim asked. “All I know is, it’s stuff from his trunk,” replied Drew.

Chapter 16: The Gifts

When Jordie, Tim and Riley got out of school, they all rode the bus home with Drew. His father was going to give them the items Mr. Roberts had left them in his will. As the bus drove away from the town, Mr. Roberts’ house looked sad and lonely atop the snowy hill. The black raven, which sat on the roof, watched dutifully for visitors that would never come again.

The four boys walked to Drew’s house and met his father in the front room. They sat down, and he proceeded to hand them each a box.

Drew opened his first. He received the large magnifying glass with a map that displayed every country Mr. Roberts had ever visited. Tim was handed a hat from Morocco, along with a little toy monkey on a string. Jordie received a box that contained Mr. Roberts’ war medals, and Riley was surprised to find an authentic photograph of Albert Einstein!

As for Mr. Wasco, he was blessed with “Harvey,” Mr. Roberts’ cat!

Chapter 17: No Sale

It was two days before Christmas, and Riley and his family had gone to the big city to shop. The warm, sweet fragrances of candy canes and hot apple cider permeated the air. The sounds of blades scraping the ice echoed from the rink while windows dressed in holly and ivy displayed the newest toys.

“Do you wanna go see Santa?” asked Riley’s mother in a baby voice. "Mo-hmm," Riley whined. “I’m too old for that.” His parents laughed and rubbed his head. “I guess you’re not getting any presents, then!”

Meanwhile, back in Colby, Jordie’s family listened to Christmas carols as they trimmed their tree. “You’re hanging all these ornaments wrong,” snapped Julie. “You need to put one gold one here instead of two. Here, watch. See? One red, one gold, then one red over here…” she continued around the tree. As she placed the ornaments in color-coordinated order, Jordie snuck around to the other side and messed them up again. “Now, wait a minute,” she barked. “I know I just fixed these.” Jordie snickered from behind the chair as Julie went ‘round and ‘round the tree, placing the ornaments by every other color.

Tim and Drew were at Tim’s house building an igloo. Drew’s dad had built them a few wooden frames in which to pack the snow. The blocks of ice came out smooth and clean, but they couldn’t figure out how the Eskimos got their igloos so round. By the time they were done building theirs, it looked more like an ice bunker.

Before Riley and his family went back to Colby, he wanted to get a frame for the photo Mr. Roberts had given him. They walked into an antique store. There were so many items it was hard to focus on just one. Riley’s mother admired the beautiful lamps while his stepdad browsed a shelf of vintage model airplanes. “How can I help you, young man,” asked the slim gentleman behind the counter. “I would like to buy a frame for this photo,” said Riley, taking the picture out of his pocket.

The man took the photo and held it up to the light. He stared, moved the picture slowly back and forth and stared again. “Young man,” he chanted, “do you realize what you have here? Where did you get this?” “It was left to me in a will,” replied Riley. “Do you know how much this item is worth?” the man said as he thumbed through a catalog of rare photographs.

Riley’s parents had returned to join him at the counter. “Let me show you something.” The man opened the catalog to a page and held Riley’s photo next to it. They were identical. “You have an original albumen paper piece here.” “How much is it worth?” Mr. Boyer asked. “Oh, considering the subject and pristine condition of this photo, I’d venture to say it can fetch up to ten thousand dollars or more. By chance, would you be interested in selling?”

Riley’s stepfather came alive with excitement. This was their chance to make back the money they had lost in the bond scheme. “What do you think, Riley?” “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the man chimed in.

Riley took and held the photo in his hand. He remembered his old friend, Mr. Roberts. He recalled the stories he told of the war and his childhood home, how he sang hymns for the boys from an old, green hymnbook and how happy he was to find the priceless friendship that Riley and the others had bestowed upon him.

“Well, Riley," his stepdad said. “What’s it gonna be? Let’s not keep the man waiting.”

Riley took the photo and held it to his heart in remembrance of Mr. Roberts. “I’m sorry,” he said as he stuck it back in his pocket. It’s not for sale.”

the end~

© Copyright 2023 mari' emeraude All rights reserved.