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Authors: Gary Paulsen
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look. “What’s all this about? I thought you said Grandma wanted us.”
Jason shrugged again. A little girl with long black hair pulled on Jeremy’s pants leg. “Is it really true that you just raced against a world champion skier and won?”
Jeremy’s face grew warm. He turned to his brother and mouthed the words, “I’m going to kill you.” Then he turned back to the small crowd, smiled, and bowed. “Thank you. Thank you. But no applause is necessary—just throw money.”
Immediately he was barraged with gloves, ski masks, and even a snow boot. He ducked as the boot came at him. It sailed past and wallopedJason right between the eyes, knocking him back a few steps.
Jeremy laughed. “Serves you right. Looks like your little joke backfired on you.”
Jason rubbed his forehead and grumbled. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. Next time …”
“Next time?” Jeremy picked up the boot and started for him.
Jason held up his hands and backed toward the door. “Hey, you know me. I was just kidding.” He slid through the door, leaving it open a crack.
The door slammed shut just as the boot smashed into it.
C HAPTER 2
The next day, the boys hurried through their morning routines and then went back to the house for a quick breakfast.
“Your grandfather is in one of his moods this morning.” A thin woman with gray-streaked hair pulled into a severe bun set a platter of bacon on the dining room table. “Your grandmother, poor thing, is in there now trying to calm him down.”
The boys could hear loud voices coming from their grandparents’ bedroom.
Jason scooped a large portion of bacon onto his plate. “What’s the problem this time, Lila?”
Lila had been hired a few months earlier by their grandmother as housekeeper and part-time nurse for their grandfather. Lila had already threatened to quit several times because of their grandfather’s outbursts. But each time, their gentle grandmother had persuaded her to stay, at least until Grandpa was well again.
Lila folded her hands and looked primly at Jason over the top of her horn-rimmed glasses. “It’s this place. Mr. Parsons is having some sort of financial trouble.” Then, as if she’d said too much, she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.
Jeremy slid out of his chair. “I’ll go back and see if there’s anything I can do.”
“Good idea.” Jason reached for the platter again. “And I’ll take care of your share of the bacon.”
Jeremy met his grandmother coming out of the bedroom. “Is everything okay?”
Grace Parsons sighed and moved a short strand of white hair out of her face. “His hip is bothering him. But it’s more than that. He claims that receipts are down and the lodge isn’t bringing in money the way it should.”
Jeremy frowned. “How can that be? We’re packed with customers. David even asked Jason and me if we’d take over teaching the beginners’ class because he’s swamped.”
“I know, dear. I tried to tell your grandfather. Maybe you can convince him not to worry.”
“I’ll do my best.” Jeremy knocked lightly on the bedroom door.
A voice from inside growled, “What do you want?”
“It’s me, Grandpa, Jeremy. Can I come in?”
“And why in the name of great Jehoshaphat couldn’t you come in? I won’t eat you, you know.”
Jeremy opened the door, poked his head in, and grinned. “Are you sure? Have you had breakfast yet?”
“Very funny. Get in here, Twin, and tell me what’s going on out there in the real world.”
Papers and account ledgers covered every available spot on the old-fashioned feather bed. The big man was propped up on several pillows and had obviously been going over the lodge’s record books. His glasses had slipped down his long, pointed nose. He pushed them up withone finger. “Pull up that chair over there, Twin.”
George Parsons had always been an athletic man. He was sixty-two and, until his accident, had still been able to beat most of the
Jason shrugged again. A little girl with long black hair pulled on Jeremy’s pants leg. “Is it really true that you just raced against a world champion skier and won?”
Jeremy’s face grew warm. He turned to his brother and mouthed the words, “I’m going to kill you.” Then he turned back to the small crowd, smiled, and bowed. “Thank you. Thank you. But no applause is necessary—just throw money.”
Immediately he was barraged with gloves, ski masks, and even a snow boot. He ducked as the boot came at him. It sailed past and wallopedJason right between the eyes, knocking him back a few steps.
Jeremy laughed. “Serves you right. Looks like your little joke backfired on you.”
Jason rubbed his forehead and grumbled. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. Next time …”
“Next time?” Jeremy picked up the boot and started for him.
Jason held up his hands and backed toward the door. “Hey, you know me. I was just kidding.” He slid through the door, leaving it open a crack.
The door slammed shut just as the boot smashed into it.
C HAPTER 2
The next day, the boys hurried through their morning routines and then went back to the house for a quick breakfast.
“Your grandfather is in one of his moods this morning.” A thin woman with gray-streaked hair pulled into a severe bun set a platter of bacon on the dining room table. “Your grandmother, poor thing, is in there now trying to calm him down.”
The boys could hear loud voices coming from their grandparents’ bedroom.
Jason scooped a large portion of bacon onto his plate. “What’s the problem this time, Lila?”
Lila had been hired a few months earlier by their grandmother as housekeeper and part-time nurse for their grandfather. Lila had already threatened to quit several times because of their grandfather’s outbursts. But each time, their gentle grandmother had persuaded her to stay, at least until Grandpa was well again.
Lila folded her hands and looked primly at Jason over the top of her horn-rimmed glasses. “It’s this place. Mr. Parsons is having some sort of financial trouble.” Then, as if she’d said too much, she turned on her heel and went back into the kitchen.
Jeremy slid out of his chair. “I’ll go back and see if there’s anything I can do.”
“Good idea.” Jason reached for the platter again. “And I’ll take care of your share of the bacon.”
Jeremy met his grandmother coming out of the bedroom. “Is everything okay?”
Grace Parsons sighed and moved a short strand of white hair out of her face. “His hip is bothering him. But it’s more than that. He claims that receipts are down and the lodge isn’t bringing in money the way it should.”
Jeremy frowned. “How can that be? We’re packed with customers. David even asked Jason and me if we’d take over teaching the beginners’ class because he’s swamped.”
“I know, dear. I tried to tell your grandfather. Maybe you can convince him not to worry.”
“I’ll do my best.” Jeremy knocked lightly on the bedroom door.
A voice from inside growled, “What do you want?”
“It’s me, Grandpa, Jeremy. Can I come in?”
“And why in the name of great Jehoshaphat couldn’t you come in? I won’t eat you, you know.”
Jeremy opened the door, poked his head in, and grinned. “Are you sure? Have you had breakfast yet?”
“Very funny. Get in here, Twin, and tell me what’s going on out there in the real world.”
Papers and account ledgers covered every available spot on the old-fashioned feather bed. The big man was propped up on several pillows and had obviously been going over the lodge’s record books. His glasses had slipped down his long, pointed nose. He pushed them up withone finger. “Pull up that chair over there, Twin.”
George Parsons had always been an athletic man. He was sixty-two and, until his accident, had still been able to beat most of the
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