The Littles and the Big Storm

LITTLE

APPLE

^

r

The

Littles and the Big Storm By John Peterson Pictures by

Roberta Carter Clark

Cover illustration

fey

Jacqueline Rogers

A LITTLE

APPLE

PAPERBACK

SCHOLASTIC INC. New

York

Toronto

London

Auckland

Sydney

No

part of this publication

may be reproduced

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ISBN 0-590-42276-6 Text copyright

©

1979 by John Peterson.

Illustrations copyright

© by

Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

16 15

14

13

12

11

10 9 8 7

Printed in the U.S.A.

8 9/9

40

To Roberta, for always picturing the Littles just as they are,

and

what might happen in a big storm.

for suggesting

to

them

1

om and Lucy

Little

were on the Biggs'

roof before anyone else in the family. "If

they don't get up here soon," said

Tom, "they'll miss seeing Cousin Dinky land the glider." ten-year-old

''Delia

is

going to land the glider," said

eight-year-old Lucy.

"She

is?"

asked Tom. "You're kidding."

"She told

me

she was," said Lucy.

"Cousin Dinky does she does

all

all

the take offs and

the landings."

"But landing

is

harder]"

said

Tom.

"Especially on a roof."

"So what?" said Lucy. "Dinky's a better pilot,"

"He

is

not!" said Lucy.

Tom

said.

"He's flown lots longer than Delia,"

Tom went

on.

Lucy shrugged. "So what?" she "Golly, Lucy,

is

that

all

said.

you can say

—

Tom.

*So what?' " said

Lucy was standing on the highest part of the roof near the chimney.

they

are!"

she

shouted.

"There the

"There's

glider."

"Where?"

Tom

looked

"See?" Lucy said.

more

around.

all

"Near the

tall

syca-

by the pond." nodded. "I see them now."

tree

Tom

"They're coming awfully

fast,

'

said

Lucy. "It's

Tom

the

wind from the big

storm,"

said.

Lucy looked up

at the sky. "I don't

see the storm," she said. "I thought

it

come tomorrow." "The wind always comes up like this before a big storm," said Tom. Lucy yelled into the wind, "Hooray for Cousin Dinky and Delia!" was supposed

to

^^^ "what are you yelling for?" asked Tom. "They can t hear you. The wind is blowing

way."

this

"I like to yell,"

are on vacation.

we

Lucy

We

said.

can

"The Biggs

yell as

loud as

want."

"Hey,

When or seen

Biggs

the

had

Littles

right,"

that's

Then he began

grinned.

to

said

Tom.

He

to yell too.

were

home,

the

worry about being heard

by them. That was because both

families lived in the house, but the Biggs

didn't

know

it.

The

Littles

biggest Little

They were

were a tiny family. (The

was

just six inches tall.)

so tiny that the

whole family

could live secretly inside the walls of the

house owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bigg.

There were nine

Tom and

Littles in the family:

Lucy; their parents, Mr. and

Mrs. William T. Little; their baby

sister,

Granny and Grandpa Little; and two uncles. The Littles' ten-room apartment was comfortable, with plenty of

Betsy;

room

for everybody.

There were many other tiny families living in the

Big Valley.

Many

houses just as the Littles did. in

hoUowed-out

underground

MRb.

LITTLE

trees.

lived in

Some

lived

Others lived in

burrows.

BAbY BETSY

Some,

called

GRANNY

UNCLE PETE

Brook

Tinies, lived near the stream that

passed by the Biggs' house. there were the Trash Tinies, their

own

city

Not one

And finally, who lived in

under the town dump.

had ever

of these tiny people

been seen by a regular-sized person. The tiny people

would have looked strange

an ordinary person. The tiny people

to

were not only very

The

hang by them

But they were handsome tiny people kept

The

other often.

tails.

wag them.

tails,

AND

and the

them brushed.

They

other.

mail.

DELL A

or

tiny families didn't visit

from each

by

had

weren't useful. Tiny people

tails

couldn't

small, they

lived

one an-

too far

So they kept

in

away touch

Cousin Dinky pilot

was the

Little

glider

He and his up and down the Big carrying the mail and having

who

delivered the mail.

wife, Delia, flew

Valley,

adventures.

Usually they dropped the

Littles*

mail

into a net stretched across the chimney.

But today was not Mail Day. The two adventurers were landing on the roof,

And when

wind blew they sometimes needed help hard, getting the glider tied down. Tom and Lucy knew what to do if they were not flying by.

the

needed.

The blue and white the Biggs' roof.

ped open behind brake to slow

10

it

Two it.

glider

drew near

parachutes snap-

They acted

down.

like a

At the same time, a fish-hook anchor

was dropped from the cockpit. The anchor was tied to a piece of twine. The glider bounced to a landing on the roof. The fish hook caught on a shingle andj pulled the glider to a halt.

Tom

and Lucy ran forward. They jumped onto the wing tips of the ghder to hold

them down.

Cousin Dinky leaped out of the cocl pit

and

tied the glider to the roof.

"That was a beautiful landing," Delia said,

"even

While

if

do say so myself."

I

was happening, the

this

rest of

the Littles got to the roof. All except

He was

Grandpa.

now

just

climbing

through the secret shingle-door.

"You missed the landing, Amos," said

Granny

The

Little to her

husband.

man shrugged

old

"Someone has

to

be

his shoulders.

last,"

he

said.

Uncle Pete shook hands with Cousin Dinky.

"You

Dinky,"

he

were

as

great,

usual.

was a beautiful

"It

said.

landing."

Cousin Dinky pointed to Delia,

was

still

was

flying the glider.

sitting

in

who

the cockpit. "Delia

Uncle Pete," he

said.

"Oh?" said Uncle Pete. Delia.

"Not bad," he

He

said.

looked at

"Not bad

at

all."

"Uncle

Nick!"

said

Delia

climbed from the cockpit. splendid!"

12

as

she

"You look

Uncle Nick was dressed

He was

uniform.

medals.

The

tiny

in his best

wearing soldier

all

of

his

was once a

Mouse Force Brigade. Major Nick had recently retired after

major

in

serving

the

thirty

years

fighting

mice

in

Trash City. That was the tiny people's

town

in the city

dump.

"Uncle Nick," said Mr.

Little.

"Do you

think you should wear your best uni-

form? Aren't you afraid

you'll tear

it

or

something?" "I I

always wear

go into

soon as

I

battle,"

my

best uniform

Uncle Nick

began poHshing

be

"As

heard there were more mice

than usual in the town I

when

said.

called

into

my

dump

medals.

active

this spring, I

duty

knew for

I'd

the

emergency."

13

"You look very handsome," said Mrs. Little, who was holding Baby Betsy in her arms.

"We d

better get going. Uncle Nick,"

He was

said Cousin Dinky.

the sky. "The weather report

may

storm

get

here

looking at is

bad.

sooner

The than

expected."

"The storm has already Mr.

Little said.

strong

"The radio says

ever and

as

hit the coast,"

still

it's

heading

as

this

way."

"What a poor time take a vacation," said feel sorry for them. I

for the Biggs to

Granny wonder

Little. "I if they'll

be coming back because of the storm." "I

don't

Little.

think they will," said

any damage to the house "Well,

it's

rest of us

"Oh,

Mr.

"We'll have to be ready to repair

a

little

—

if

we

can."

excitement for the

anyway," said Grandpa.

Grandpa!"

said

Mrs.

Little.

"What a thing for you to say! You just came back from an exploring trip after being shipwrecked for two years. How 14

much

should

excitement

person

a

of

eighty-four have?"

know —

"You

Grandpa.

get!" said

he can

"All

I

think

you

actually

miss being on that island," Mrs. Little

went

on.

misses," said

Tinies

young

those

"It's

Granny

of his

friends Little.

he

"The Brook with him."

who were shipwrecked

"All aboard, everyone!" said Delia.

She

climbed back into the cockpit. "Good-bye, Nick," said Uncle Pete. "Give those mice the devil for me." Uncle Nick and Cousin Dinky took their seats in the glider. "It's

off to

an exciting adventure for

the three of them," said Uncle Pete, "and the same dull stay-at-home

life for

the

rest of us."

"Fasten your seat belts," Cousin Dinky called out. Then: "All set!"

With

that,

Mr.

unhooked the

Little

and Uncle Pete

fish-hook

anchors

that

held the glider in place.

The

glider

began

to

roll

down

the 15

picked up speed quickly. Just as

roof. It

the glider got to the edge of the roof.

Cousin Dinky raised the wing glider rose into the

It

air.

flaps.

The

zoomed out

over the Biggs' yard.

"Hurrah!" yelled the Littles on the roof.

"Hurrah!"

the

yelled

in

Littles

the

glider.

"They're

"God

said

off!"

Granny

Little.

bless them."

The tiny blue and white glider away from the house. It circled,

sailed

riding

the breezes higher and higher. Finally,

when

it

was above the

Dinky turned the

glider

trees,

Cousin

back toward

the house.

As

it

passed high overhead, the tiny

people on the roof could see the three adventurers waving

few moments the on

16

its

way

down

glider

to the

to them. In a

was out of

town dump.

sight

O:-*'

Ihe

next morning

Tom

and Lucy ran

into the living room. "It's

here!" said

Tom. "The storm

is

here." "It's

not so much," said Lucy, disap-

pointed. "I thought

Mr. sitting

it

would be

were and Granny the living room with Uncle

Little in

terrible."

Little

Pete.

Uncle Pete wagged

his finger at the

children.

"You kids better stay off that roof," he warned. "The wind in a big storm can

blow you away." "It's

said

nothing like that, Uncle Pete,"

Tom.

"Really. Just rain. Lots of

it."

17

"It'll

get worse,

Tom," said Mr.

"What you were looking

at

is

Little.

just the

edge of the storm." "Is that all we're

going to get?" Lucy

asked. "Just the edge of the storm?"

"No," said Mr. say

we re

Little.

"Im

sorry to

going to get the whole thing.

turned on the Biggs' radio

The

storm, they say,

gest,

and

it's

is

this

I

morning.

one of the big-

going to go right over us."

Tom and Lucy hugged one another and jumped up and down.

"Oh good!" "It's

said Lucy.

and dumping

slowly

traveling

water," Mr. Little went on. Lucy clapped her hands. She looked

lots of

up.

"Tom

—

it's

going right over us,"

she said.

Granny

deep breath.

Little took a

wish the Biggs were here," she

"I

said.

"Did you children see anything of Jimmy Rodgers when you were on the roof?" Mr. Little asked.

Tom

shook his head.

"I

see

didn't

him," he said.

"Nope," said Lucy.

"That boy

Mr.

just isn't responsible," said

Little.

"When George Bigg

hired him,

said

I

was a mistake, said Uncle Pete. "They've been on vacation for three days now and the kid hasn't shown up." it

"

Grandpa

came

into

the

room.

heard what you were saying," he

"I

said.

"What's the boy supposed to do?"

19

"Feed Hildy, the

cat,

while the Biggs

are gone," Mr. Little said. "The food

he has to do

is

supposed to and do

it.

in the refrigerator. All

come

when

in

he's

is

Mr. Bigg gave him a key."

"Why gested

don't

we

let

Hildy out?" sug-

Tom. "She can find her own

food/*

"Do you mean mice?"

said

Lucy.

"Yuk!"

"Why

not open the refrigerator and

get the cat food?" said Grandpa.

"Grandpa!" said Uncle Pete. that

"With

heavy door?"

"Oh,

can be done,

it

Grandpa.

He

sat

I

think," said

down and

closed his

eyes.

"Shhhh!" said Granny

Grandpa Grandpa opened is

Little.

"Your

thinking." his eyes

and stood

up. "Hildy can open the door herself," said Grandpa. "First, tie a strong piece of twine to the cat.

end

20

Then

tie

the other

to the door of the refrigerator."

Tom

(Tom had tamed

shook his head.

Hildy and he was the family's cat "She

pert.)

he

my

dig

if

I

think

do things

pull the door open,"

on her back and

I sit

— but you his

hand

Tom. "Tie another piece catnip mouse. Place the floor in the next

room

old

man

to silence

of string to her

mouse on the

— near the door,

but where Hildy can't see

The

can't get cats

like that."

Grandpa held up

around

strong

She's

her.

into

heels

enough, to

wont

"Even

said.

ex-

stopped.

it,

"

he

He

said.

looked

at everyone.

Tom

began

to grin as the idea

came

to him.

"Lucy

will

be hiding on the other side

of the door opening,"

"At the right nip ".

moment

Grandpa went she'll pull

on.

the cat-

mouse across the door jamb!" .

.

and Hildy jumps

yanking the door open,"

Lucy leaped to her Tom!" she said.

for the

Tom

mouse,

finished.

feet. "Let's

do

it,

21

"Grandpa," said Tom.

"Why don t you

come with us?" "Yes,

Granny

Amos, why don't you?" said Little.

"You wanted something

exciting to happen.

Here

it

is."

Grandpa leaned back in his chair. he said. "I don t see anything exciting about doing it. The problem has been solved." The old man stretched his

"No,"

arms and yawned.

1 om and Lucy were Hildy the

cat.

in the kitchen with

Tom was

sitting

high up

on Hildy s back. Everything had been

Grandpa suggested. There was a small cardboard box on

up

set

the

as

floor

meant

to

near

the

refrigerator.

jam the box

ing as soon as Hildy opened **Are

Tom

in the door open-

you ready, Lucy?"

it.

Tom

called.

answered Lucy. She stood behind the door to the living room. She "All set,"

held the string that was tied to the catnip mouse.

"Now!" said Tom.

Lucy pulled the

string with

all

her

might. 23

The

catnip

mouse scooted

across the

door opening.

At the same time, hard

Tom dug

his heelj

into Hildy's back.

The

cat sprang forward,

pulHng

at the

twine.

The door opened

Tom

sHpped

off

sHghtly!

the cat's back.

Hef

stuffed the cardboard box into the doori

opening. "It worked!" he yelled. "Hey,

Lucy!

It

worked!"

Lucy came running

up. "Oh, Tom,"

she said, "that was neat!" |

Tom

untied the twine that held Hildy

to the refrigerator door.

^V|..

25

m>/'

Lucy peeked

"How

can

we

into

the

refrigerator.

give Hildy her milk?" she

how large those containers Should we poke a hole in one?"

asked. "Look are.

"No," said Tom. "The cat food will be

enough. She can drink water."

The two

children

climbed into the

They searched the lower shelf. There was an orange, half a can of apricots, and some leftover potato refrigerator.

salad.

cold in here," said Lucy.

"It's

"We

should have worn our coats/*

They climbed Behind

and

eggs

the

second

the

to

next

to

shelf.

some

mustard sauce they found the cat food. It

was covered with then

Just

noise. It

plastic

heard

they

was somewhere

wrap. scratching

a

in the house.

"What's that?" asked Lucy.

Tom

"Sounds

listened.

like

a key in

a lock," he said. Then: "Oh, oh! Let's get out of here."

Too

Someone was

late.

"Here,

kitty!

was a boy's

Come

in the kitchen.

here,

Hildy!"

It

voice.

"Jimmy Rodgers!" whispered Tom.

"Tom

—

"We

can't

what'll

we

do?" said Lucy.

go out there," said Tom.

"He'll see us."

"Hey,

there

you

are,"

said

Jimmy.

"Are you hungry?"

"Meow!"

Jimmy "What's

said Hildy.

saw this

the

doing

refrigerator

open?"

he

door. said.

27

Then:

"This

is

in

here."

jammed

There's

nutty.

He

a

box

pulled the box

from the door opening.

Tom

and Lucy were frightened. They

stood next to the cat food, wondering

what

to do.

"I'll

get your food, Hildy," said

Jimmy

Rodgers.

Tom and Lucy hid eggplant. When Tom

behind a purple

peeked

out,

he

saw a huge hand coming toward him. Scared, he backed up and fell into a bowl of

jello.

Jimmy picked up It

the dish of cat food.

went pitch black

inside the refrig-

erator as the door closed.

lorn!

Where

are you?" It

was Lucy

calling.

"Over here!

I fell in

some

"Yuk!" said Lucy. She in

felt

the dark, following Tom's

"This way, Lucy,"

The bowl wobbly, but

"Tom,

it's

happened "It

said

The

of jello

Tom

Tom was

jello."

way

her

voice.

called.

slippery

finally got out of

terribly

dark in here.

and it.

What

to the light?"

goes out

when

the door

okay —

candle from his pocket. candle with

the

shut,"

have a candle."

I Tom. "It's boy took the stub

tiny

is

of a birthday

He

lighted the

one small match he

always carried. 29

Lucy looked around. "Tom," she We're locked

"this is awful.

said,

in."

"We're not exactly locked

in,"

said

Tom. "This refrigerator door is held shut by magnets." "Can we open it?" "Probably not," said Tom. "The magnets are too strong for tiny people." "I

wish

we were

get out of here," "If

be

in

big kids so

Lucy

we were big kids we here," Tom said. "We'll

to wait until

we

could

said.

wouldn't just

have

is

gone,

Jimmy Rodgers

then we'll try and push the door open."

"Oh, Tom!" said Lucy. "What'll if

we

can't get the door

we do

open?"

Tom. "Someone come to get us out."

"Don't worry," said will miss us. They'll

"Will they

know

we're here?"

Tom, trying to talk bravely. "Where else would we be? Dad knows we went to feed Hildy." "Sure,"

said

"But when he sees Hildy's been fed,"

30

we

said Lucy, *Tiell think

did

it,

and

we're someplace else playing, won't he?"

Tom.

"Golly, that's right," said "I

we

guess

Jimmy

should yell for

Rodgers to open the door," said Lucy.

Tom

shook his head.

he

that,"

said.

see a tiny person.

Tom!"

"But,

"We

It's

Lucy

began

cry.

to

we?

don't

I

to die."

Tom he

do

a law!"

"We'll die in here, won't

want

can't

"No big person must ever

don't

Then

stared long at the candle.

said:

"I

get

Jimmy

to help us,

never get out of here. Let's

The two

we we may

guess you're right.

children

If

yell."

began

to

shout.

"Help! We're in the refrigerator! Let us out! Help!"

They kept on shouting

for

a

few

minutes.

Nothing happened. The door didn't open.

"He

can't hear us,"

Tom

said.

31

"Why

not?"

"The doors on these things are made to

keep the cold

Tom.

said

in

—

guess

"I

they're insulated,"

keeps the noise

it

in too."

"I'm freezing, Tom," said Lucy. She

held her hands over the candle flame. "Careful of that candle, Lucy," said

Tom. "I

"I don't

wish

I'd

The two

have another match."

worn

coat,"

children sat

Tom

glass shelf.

my

Lucy

down on

said.

the

fixed the candle to the

He

shelf in front of them.

put his arm

around Lucy to keep her warm. Lucy's teeth chattered. After a while they tried to push the

door open.

"What

He the

It

are

wouldn't budge.

we

doing?" shouted Tom.

leaned forward quickly and blew candle

out.

"I'm

crazy!

I

just

remembered."

"What did you do Lucy.

32

"It's

dark again."

that for?" asked

"The

oxygen in the "What's

air,"

wrong

Lucy. "Don't

all

"Sure," said

wont be

Tom with

candles

When

in

asked

that?"

bum

the

oxygen?"

there's

only

in

this

up,

we

air

used

it's

the

said.

Tom. "But

much oxygen

so

refrigerator.

up

burning

was

flame

able to breathe."

Lucy began to cry softly. So did Tom. They sat in the cold and dark holding onto each other and crying. They sat there for a long time.

Suddenly the door opened and the

came on

light

in the refrigerator.

"Tom! Lucy!" you

It

was Mr.

Little.

"Are

in there?"

"Daddy!" yelled Lucy. "We're here. Dad," said Tom, quickly drying his eyes.

When tor

they were out of the refrigera-

and on the kitchen

"How

did you

floor,

Tom

know we were

said:

in there,

Dad?"

33

saw Jimmy Rodgers coming

"I

in the

house," said Mr. Little. "Uncle Pete and I

came down

We

to see

what was going

got here just in time to see

the box out of the door.

were

I

him

on.

pull

knew you

in there."

"We would

have got you out sooner,"

said Uncle Pete, "but

that cat

away from

we

couldn't get

the cat food."

"Then how did you get the door opened?" asked Lucy.

"We

used

Uncle Pete. ruler

this

He

by the

wooden

ruler,"

said

pointed to a twelve-inch

refrigerator door.

.W'Ajlll>i»

ro i«»,i

>y

(gt>.

ii

ii«*l

"We Little.

was

pried the door open," said Mr.

"We

used the ruler

like

a lever.

It

surprisingly easy."

"Daddy," said Lucy, hugging her

was so scared." know, sweetheart," Mr.

fa-

ther. "I

"I "It's

all

Little said.

over now."

"And, Daddy," Lucy went on, "do you

know what happens when the refrigerator door is shut? The light goes out, that's

what!"

IV'. i

\

!-

4

Ihe

The wind grew That afternoon two groups of

rain fell all day.

stronger.

looked

Littles

around

damage. They met

the

house

for

in the Littles' living

room.

Uncle Pete

said:

"Tom and

I

found a

leak in the roof." "There's water getting into the attic,"

Tom "Is

added. it

something

we

can fix?" Mr.

Little asked. "I

hope

so,"

Uncle Pete

where the chimney goes

said.

"It's

into the roof.

There's a hole at the seam and the water is

36

getting through."

Grandpa,

mumbled "What

who was

dozing in his chair,

something.

did you say, Amos?" asked Granny Little. "Speak a little louder. You know I'm hard of hearing." Grandpa opened one eye. "Use bubble

gum

"Good

to

the hole," he said.

fill

idea," said

"Tom and

Uncle Pete.

know where Henry Bigg

I

has some," said Lucy. a big hole,"

Tom

"It

will

take at least half a piece of bubble

gum

"It's

to

fill

it.

Who's going

to

said.

chew

all

that

gumi^

it

Grandpa opened the other eye. "Take up on the roof to soften it in the

rain,"

he

on

to get

it

"Oh

"Then jump up and down

said.

dear,"

get that sticky

"Take

off

chewy' enough."

it

said

Mrs.

gum

all

when

"You'll

over your shoes."

your shoes," said Grandpa.

He closed his eyes. Tom nodded his sticky

Little.

it's

head.

only a

"And gum little

is

wet," he

37

said.

to

"With

all

that rain,

worry about "Can't

we chew

selves?*' said

you don't have

Mother."

that,

a

little

piece our-

Lucy. "Golly!"

Uncle Pete, Mr.

Little,

Tom, and Lucy

climbed out on the roof to repair the leak. Mrs. Little

and Granny

to the attic to see

went what they could do Little

about the water there.

Grandpa in his chair.

The

he would snooze

Little said

That

is,

if

no one minded.

project didn't look very interesting

to him.

Mrs. Little and Granny found water

on the

was

attic floor

still

near the chimney.

dripping from the ceiling. They

got a dish and shoved

The

It

tiny

it

under the

women began

the water on the floor.

leak.

sopping up They used old

rags that Mrs. Bigg tic

had put

in a plas-

bag.

"I

Mrs. Bigg wants these rags

know

used to do jobs Little,

"because

sorted

them

I

like

this,"

Mrs.

said

watched her when she

out."

"Hold that one!" Granny Little said. She stopped Mrs. Little from using one of the rags. "That's a nice piece of cloth. I

can cover a chair with

Granny laid

Little

in a

it

it,"

she said.

folded the cloth and

dry place.

As they worked, Granny kept finding pieces of cloth that she needed for other

would make a nice dress for Lucy," she said, and "Now wouldn't this make a dandy shirt for Tom," and "I things. "This

know from

Peter would love a bathrobe

made

this."

She folded each piece of cloth and placed

it

with the others in a neat

pile.

She found a pair of overalls that had been on one of Henry Bigg's GI Joe dolls.

(Henry

was

the

Biggs'

only

"

She held the overalls up

child.)

I

to look

"With a tuck here and there

at them.

can shorten these for Amos," she

They went on the At about a noise. the

this

time Mrs. Little heard

came from the

It

said.

pile.

other end of

attic.

"I don't

hear

it,"

said

Granny

Little.

She cupped her ear and hstened. "But then, I don't hear

"There

it

is

much anyway."

again," said Mrs. Little,

lowering her voice.

"It

sounds

like

some-

one or something moving around over there." "It

must be one of the family," Granny

Little said. "Shall

we

give

them a

call?"

"Everyone's on the roof," said Mrs. Little,

"except Grandpa.

"And he's sleeping in the living room," said Granny Little, who was whispering now.

"What should we do?" asked Mrs. Little.

"Tell the others," said

40

Granny

Little.

Mrs. Little was already walking away. In

dark she didn't see the coat

the

hangers scattered about the

She

tripped her up.

making a loud

fell

They

the floor,

to

The

noise.

floor.

noise at the

other end of the attic stopped suddenly.

The two women secret

shingle-door

had

just

in

Mr.

climbed through. others

tiptoed toward the

the

They and the

roof.

Little

finished repairing the

hole in the roof.

When

they heard what had happened,

everyone went to the

attic.

They looked

everywhere, but they didn't hear the noise,

and they couldn't find anything

that might have

made

Suddenly Granny

it.

Little called:

"Come

here, everyone!"

came running from every Granny pointed to the place where she had piled the pieces of

The

Littles

part of the

attic.

cloth.

They were gone!

41

Ihe Mr.

next day Little

was

was

it

went

still

raining hard.

what

to the roof to see

happening

outside.

Uncle

Pete

looked around inside.

Tom and Lucy

to

They had just came back. right up to the top

of

Mrs. Little asked take out the trash.

when Mr.

Little

"The pond its

banks,"

creek

is

is

Mr.

left

overflowing.

of the storm isn't

And

"Water

in.

ning to trickle into the

"I

cellar,"

is

begin-

he

said.

dear!" said Mrs. Little.

thought that would happen sooner

or later with

42

the full force

even here yet!"

Uncle Pete came

"Oh

"The

reported.

Little

all

this

rain,"

Mr. Litde

"Whenever

said.

there's a

three or four days,

George Bigg s

into

hard rain for

some water comes

cellar."

"This storm shows no sign of stopping," said Uncle Pete.

"Don't worry," said Mr.

much pump

water gets in the starts

Little. "If too

sump and pumps it

cellar,

automatically

the

out."

"A flood would make a mess on the cellar floor," said Mrs. Little.

"And

added Uncle

ruin the furnace,"

Pete.

"Yes," said Mr. as the in,

water

there

is

will

Little.

pumped

"But as long

out as

comes

it

be no damage

to

the

furnace or the hot-water heater."

Granny

Little

was Hstening. She

said:

"Just the same, I dearly wish the Biggs

were home. Td it if

feel a lot better

about

they were."

"They must have heard the news of the storm," said Mr. Little. "Perhaps they are already on their way."

43

Uncle Pete looked around. "Where are the children?" he asked. "They should be told to stay

away from

the roof and the

cellar."

"They're taking out the trash," said

Mrs.

"They went

Little.

came

before you

"Upstairs!" forgotten.

Mr.

They

upstairs

just

in."

Little

"YouVe

said.

shouldn't take out the

way when

trash in the usual

the Biggs

aren't here."

"Oh,

that's

"They love sorry. "I'll

He

I

to

said

right,"

do

it

Mrs.

the usual way. I'm

wasn't thinking."

take care of

it,"

Uncle Pete

started for the door. "Just

enough

Little.

said.

be kind

to

have a cup of hot coffee

waiting for

me when I get back." Tom and Lucy were under

Meanwhile

the floorboards of the second floor, walking on the downstairs ceiling.

They were

carrying the trash in two plastic film containers. (Mr. Bigg used a lot of film to take pictures.

44

He

always threw the

away

containers

and

saved them.)

Littles

the

When

they got to a spot over the kitchen

— and over — they stopped. directly

the sink

"Me

said Lucy.

first!"

"Fd rather be said. "I I

Tom

can aim better after

down on

got

He

knees.

the

Tom

floor

looked

hole. Six feet

the

there

his

pulled a plug out

(which

really the kitchen

see

Tom

what you do."

see

of

last,"

was

ceiling).

through

the

below he could

kitchen sink.

was the

target!

And The

garbage-disposal hole in the sink.

"Okay, Lucy," said Tom.

"Bombs away!"

W-_

Lucy emptied her

film container full

of trash into the plug-hole.

watched

it

The

children

tumble through the

air.

It

landed right in the center of the garbagedisposal hole. "Bull's-eye!" said the children as the

trash disappeared

down

the hole in the

sink. "I

Tom

said, 'liow

where

to cut this

always wondered,"

Grandpa knew

exactly

hole."

"How

did

he,

Tom?" asked Lucy.

"iVe forgotten."

"He

says he'll explain

it

to

me when

I'm older," said Tom. "It has something to

do with mathematics,

I think."

"Anyway, Grandpa invented a good

way

to get rid of the trash," said Lucy.

"It's

fun."

"He

didn't

"It's just

do

it

for fun,"

Tom

said.

smart not to take chances where

the Biggs might see you."

A

few minutes

later the children

gone, and Uncle Pete

46

were

was standing on

the kitchen counter.

He went

to the sink

and found the switch that turned on the garbage-disposal unit.

He

There was a loud noise trash

turned

it

on.

as the Littles'

was ground up.

"Sometimes that sounds

like a fierce

growling animal," thought Uncle Pete. Just then,

out of the comer of his

eye, Uncle Pete thought he saw some-

thing running on the kitchen floor.

He wondered

if

it

was

only

his

imagination.

'

I

ii

.

i

1 hat afternoon

Tom and Lucy went room

the Biggs' hving sion.

to

to look at televi-

They turned the

set

on and

sat to-

gether on the huge couch.

\

It

was a

treat for the Little children

to get this close to the

the Biggs were

nearby

if

home

TV

set.

When

they had to hide

they wanted to watch.

And

they had to look at the programs the Biggs chose.

Today

Tom and Lucy

their favorite afternoon

a series of stories

were two children

48

program.

It

was

about a family. There

—a

and they hved with an uncle.

were watching

girl

their

—

and a boy parents and

Tom

During a commercial,

TV

climbed

and turned the dial. some sad-looking were Suddenly there

up

to the

set

people talking about operations, auto-

mobile

crashes,

and dying. "That's a

soap opera," said Tom.

"What's a soap opera? "I

thought an opera was

asked Lucy.

"

when people

sang the story."

"You can always

Tom went turn

it

on

tell

a soap opera,"

on, "because

whenever you

something terribly sad

is

going on."

"Tom a

TV

— remember the time they had

show about

tiny people?"

asked.

Lucy

"Boy

— was

that

even have

tails,"

said

"Yeah," said Tom. awful!"

"They

didn't

Lucy.

"And they added Tom.

talked

to

big

people,"

"That could never happen in real said Lucy.

life,"

Tom

turned the

TV

back to the other

program. They sat looking for a while.

Then,

went

all

of a sudden, the television set

off.

"That must be from the storm," said

Tom.

"I

guess the electricity got knocked

Maybe The two

out.

itll

come

right

back on."

They

children sat quietly.

listened to the sounds of the storm outside. it's

After a while

not the storm.

Lucy

Maybe

said:

"Maybe

there's

some-

wrong with the TV." "I'll check and see if the lights go on," said Tom. He climbed up on the back of the sofa. He reached up and turned thing

the wall light switch on. "It's

No

lights.

Tom

the electricity for sure,"

said.

*;^r'j •* ''^JM^^kmrri .1

v^\, >";.

U

s