LITTLE
APPLE
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The
Littles and the Big Storm By John Peterson Pictures by
Roberta Carter Clark
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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
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
in
whole or in part, or stored
form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written
permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc.,
555 Broadway,
New York, NY
10012.
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<%'
:>^^^
then
Just
they
"PSSSSSSSTT!"
It
heard
came
loud
a
from
the
kitchen.
"Hildy angry."
is
spitting," said
Lucy. "She's
Lucy stood up on the couch
trying to see into the kitchen.
The
cat
gave
a
loud
"MEE-
down
off the
OOOWWW!!" The couch.
tiny children slid
They ran
to the kitchen.
Hildy was trying to get refrigerator.
enough
paw
The
behind the
wasn't
large
She kept sticking her
for her.
in
space
in
between
the
wall
and
the
refrigerator.
"What
is
it,
girl?"
Tom
asked.
He
turned to Lucy. "There must be something back there." "Let's not "It
go back there," said Lucy.
might be an animal or something."
"We'd
better
tell
Mother and Dad,"
Tom. Lucy pointed to the floor. "Look!" There was a small blue feather lying
said
at her feet.
1 he
electricity
and Lucy
was on again before
Tom
got back to the apartment.
what had happened. "Something strange happened in the kitchen this morning too," said Uncle
They
told everyone
Pete. "I thought
but
now
my
was
it
"He
told
imagination,
how he had
seen
something rurming. "It
seems
we have
a mystery on our
hands," said Mr. Little.
"Oh dear," said Mrs. her hand to her head. going
to
Mysteries
get
a
"I
She held
hope I'm not
headache
make me
"Now, Mother,
Little.
over
this.
nervous."
don't get upset," said
Tom. 53
"I
hope
it's
not mice,'' Lucy said.
"Mice!" said Mrs.
"Where
"He's
Little.
"Oh
Little.
Amos?"
is
asked
good
awfully
at
dear!"
Granny solving
mysteries."
"Oh, he's taking a nap," said Uncle Pete.
"He
says the sound of the rain on
the roof makes
him
sleepy."
"What your mother said Mr. Little to
we
said reminds me,"
Tom and
Lucy, "that
are almost finished with our aspirin
tablet.
With the Biggs away,
it's
a good
time for you to get another one."
"Okay, Dad," said Tom. Lucy."
He
started for
stopped. "Should
we
the
take a
"Come door,
on,
then
weapon with
You know, because of the mystery?" "Oh those nasty weapons!" said
us?
Granny
Little.
"Must we get them out?
Someone's going to get hurt." "No, Tom," said Mr.
Little.
"I
don t
think we've seen anything that shows
we need
to
be too worried. Just be care-
ful, that's all."
54
The two
tiny children
walked through
the wall passageways that led to the
One
bathroom.
of the tiles in the bath-
really a secret door for tiny
room was people. The children opened the door and climbed through
bathroom
to the
counter.
Tom
found the aspirin on the counter
along with toothbrushes, shaving cream,
and other
things.
"We're lucky
"Remember
this
the time
time,"
Tom
we had
said.
to climb
into the drawer?" "It's "I'll
my get
turn to open it
it,"
said Lucy.
into the right position," said
Tom. 55
The tin
tiny
boy pushed the
flat aspirin
next to a jar of cold cream. Lucy
climbed up on top of the
"Now be place," said "I
know,
Tom, I
jar.
and land on the
sure
"or
it
right
won't open."
know," said Lucy. "Golly,
you don't have
to tell
me how
to
open an
aspirin tin."
Lucy stood of the jar
lid.
landed on the
moment on the edge Then she jumped. She
for a
tin
where
it
said press to
The other end of the aspirin tip popped up. "Good," said Tom. He picked up one open.'
of the aspirin tablets.
He
counter like a wheel. the sink.
The
It
rolled
it
on the
toward
rolled
aspirin tablet ran into a
puddle of water and began to
dissolve.
"Oops!" said Tom. "We'll have to get another one."
"YouVe made a mess, Lucy. The tiny
girl
"Hey
a
—
there's
walked mess
Tom,"
said
to the sink.
here
already.
There's water in the sink and puddles
all
over the counter."
"Water walked
in
the sink?" said
Tom. He I saw
over. "That's impossible.
Mrs. Bigg check the bathroom just before they in
it
left.
There wasn't any water
then."
Lucy opened her mouth to say something. A huge clap of thunder stopped her. At the same time the bathroom was filled
with the bright flash of lightning.
"Wow!" busted
my
said
Tom.
"That
almost
eardrums. Let's get up to the
apartment and
tell
everyone about the
latest mystery."
57
^;
C)
N^
1 he big storm had come
at last.
The sky
darkened; the wind screamed; the rain beat hard against the windows; hghtning
The Biggs* house creaked under the full power of flashed and thunder crashed.
the storm.
Uncle Pete came up from the cellar. "She s flooding fast," he said. "The sump
pump
is
not working."
"Not working?" Mr.
Little said.
"How
could that be?"
Tom and Lucy came in with the aspirin tablet. "We Ve found another mystery," said
58
Tom.
"Later,
more
Tom," said Mr.
Little.
"WeVe
serious things to take care of."
"I'd better take a look at that
pump,"
said
bedroom.
"I
Bigg had
it
about
it."
put in, so I know something The old man smiled and
at
the children. "At least this
winked storm
sump
Grandpa coming in from his was watching when George
has
cooked up
finally
a
little
excitement," he said.
Grandpa
"Now,
down
— you
be
careful
in that cellar," said Mrs. Little.
"Let him go," Granny Little whispered Mrs.
to
Little.
"This
is
what he
just
needs to perk him up. He's showing an interest in
something for a change."
suppose
"I Little.
that's
Mrs.
Little said:
to cry.
"Our
tin-can elevator
lands in the cellar near the
We
said
She hurried from the room when
Baby Betsy began Mr.
right,"
sump pump.
should be able to get at
it
from
there."
59
"
"Hold on
Uncle Pete.
there, Will," said
"The flood has covered that up.
We can't
go down that way." Mrs. Little came back into the room.
She was carrying the baby.
"Good heavens!" said Mr. Little. "The water is up that high already? We've got to
do something
in a hurry or
it
will ruin
the furnace. "Well,
isn't
water?" asked Mrs.
"Of course,
"
pump under
the
the
Little.
Mr. Little
said.
"It's
in
a shallow pit below the level of the cellar floor. That's
how
the water before
it's
it
"How can you pump then?" said
out
cellar."
to
the
his shoulders.
"I'll
possibly
to
pump
up the
Mrs.
Mr. Little shrugged
have to dive down
able to
fills
it,
get
Little.
I
suppose," he
said.
"The water
is
muddy,
Will,"
said
Uncle Pete. "You won't see much." "I'll feel around then," said Mr. Litde. "That
60
may
tell
me
something."
"Now, Will
Little
— you
me,"
listen to
"Don't you do anything
said Mrs. Little.
only a furnace you're trying
foolish. It's
to save."
Grandpa patted Mrs. spoke
softly.
Little's
hand.
"We're going down
look over the problem, and that's
"We'll need said float
Mr.
—
some kind
Little.
He
there to all."
of boat or raft,"
"Something that
will
to get across the cellar floor to
the pump."
"Henry Bigg's in
his
sailboat
said
closet,"
is
Tom.
on the shelf "It's
a keen
boat."
Mr. Little shook
his head.
"No
— by
we get that heavy boat off the and down the cellar stairs," he said,
the time shelf "it
might be too
late to save the furnace
and the hot-water heater." "Isn't
around
there in
"Something
"Umph!"
— you've
a piece
of
wood
said
lying
Grandpa.
the
cellar?"
we
could use for a raft?"
said Uncle Pete.
forgotten
"Grandpa
what a neat man
61
George Bigg around
There's nothing lying
is.
his cellar floor."
wood
"Well, there's
out back," said Mr. "I
know
in the
workshop
Little.
something," Lucy said.
"Just a minute, Lucy," said Mr.
Little.
"Don't interrupt now. We're trying to solve a difficult problem."
"But
have an ideal" Lucy
I
said.
could use Henry's Lincoln logs to a
"We make
raft."
"Lucy
—
Grandpa. piece spot."
that's
"We
a
good
by piece and put
He
have to
idea!"
said
can drag the logs there it
together on the
thought for a moment. "We'll
tie
the logs together."
"Use rubber bands. Grandpa," said
Tom.
"Just like
marine
you did with your sub-
raft."
;i
^'m "I
wish you wouldn't bring up that
Tom," said Grandpa.
mistake,
because of that invention wrecked. But
I
yes — rubber
was
"It
was
ship-
bands
will
do the job quickly." "All right, then," said Mr. Little.
— you
and your
sister get
"Tom
some rubber
bands from the Biggs' desk. The
rest of
us will begin carrying the Lincoln logs
down
wiir ng i
the cellar
>i|
i
stairs. Let's
hurry!"
All
of the Littles set to
work on the
raft
Grandpa was in charge. He pointed out which Lincoln logs and planks were needed. Tom and Lucy project.
went looking
The logs
for
rubber bands.
rest of the tiny
people carried the
and planks from Henry
Bigg's closet
They piled them on the bottom step. Baby Betsy was awake. So Mrs. Little had to carry her in a sling on her back. The baby seemed to enjoy the to the cellar.
bouncing around.
When
everything was finally in place,
the raft was put together. At each point
where a log rested
across another log
they were held together with a rubber 64
band. After a square of logs was put together, the planks
them
were
on top of
set
a floor. Larger rubber bands
like
were used
to hold the
planked floor
in
place.
While
this
was going
on, Mrs. Little
She found
went
to the Biggs' kitchen.
some
plastic spoons to use as paddles.
At
last
the raft was in the water.
By
this
time the water was high enough to cover the bottom step. "All aboard!
"Not so
"
fast,
said Lucy.
Lucy," said Mr.
"There's not enough
aboard "/
room
this raft."
never intended to go,
Little.
"Betsy and
I
said Mrs.
raft are
said Mr. Little. "Grandpa, I
"
will wait here."
"Three people on the
and
Little.
everyone
for
enough,"
Uncle Pete,
will go."
The cellar lights blinked off and on. The thunder rumbled outside. Tom was disappointed about not going on the raft. But he didn't make a fuss.
65
Lucy was angry, though. fair!"
was
"That's not
she said, with tears in her eyes. "It
my idea to use
be allowed
"Lucy
Lincobi logs.
I
should
to go."
— we don't have time
temper tantrums," said Mr.
for
your
Little.
He
hopped aboard the raft. Grandpa sat down in the middle of the raft. Mr. Little and Uncle Pete paddled with the
moved
plastic spoons.
The
slowly out into the flooded
raft
cellar.
It
headed "I
for the other side of the room.
hope they don t take any chances,"
said Mrs.
Little.
"It's
just
not
all
that
important."
"We have of the house said
Granny
"Oh, Little.
•^*-#>-
I
to
do our best
when
to take care
the Biggs are away,"
Little.
suppose you re
right," said Mrs.
r
.^•-'y^
\ V':
"If
gear,"
get
only
we had some
Tom
said.
down
to the
Lucy was
still
scuba-diving
"Dad would be able sump pump easily." angry over being
to
left
behind. She stood apart from the others.
As she looked around the the
many
cellar,
she saw
pipes near the ceiling and on
They criss-crossed One of them was a fat
over the
the walls.
all
cellar.
hot-air pipe
connected to the furnace.
a«sssiai-;
It
came very
close to the top of the cellar stairs.
Suddenly Lucy knew could see what the
just
men on
how
she
the raft were
doing.
Slowly the tiny
girl
backed away from
the others. She quickly climbed to the
top of the
stairs.
68 L.
tMi-iri>iiii'
mrf-Tlr"'!
-'—
Now
the hot-air pipe was only an inch
away. Lucy jumped from the
to
stairs
the pipe.
She made her way along the pipe
toward the furnace cellar.
in the center of the
The pipe was
large
enough
a tiny person could walk on
When
At
down from
easily.
the ceiling.
Lucy
it
slid
the pipe.
Lucy was standing on
this point
the pipe where
She
so that
the pipe got near the furnace,
slanted
down
it
was
flooded
it
about
entered the furnace. five
feet
above
the
Lucy could see Below and ahead of her was At the far wall of the cellar
cellar
floor.
everything.
the
raft.
Lucy could
see the electric fuse box. It
was near a black
coming out
plastic pipe
was where the pump was, Lucy knew that. Behind her, at the of the water. That
bottom of the
Lucy saw the Good! They hadn't
cellar stairs,
rest of the Littles.
even missed her.
But what was that moving of the stairs?
Lucy
tried
at the top
hard to
see.
Just then the lightning flashed. The
thunder
exploded
sounded
like
bomb
a
same time the
right
lights
Lucy jumped
afterward.
going
went
off.
It
At the
out.
at the sound.
She
lost
her balance in the dark. Her foot slipped.
She reached out to catch
herself,
there was nothing to get hold
"DADDY!" screamed Lucy from the pipe.
but
of.
as she fell
Mr.
on the
Little stood
into the blackness.
he
"Wasnt "It
came from above
us/'
"How could Pete. "We left
that be?"
Lucy
that
sounded
said.
yelling?"
raft trying to see
as
if
it
asked Uncle
her back on the cellar
stairs."
was Mrs.
"Will! Will!" It
across the water.
"Lucy
Little calling
isn't
here! She's
disappeared."
"Great Scott!" said Uncle Pete. "It was
Lucy!
What on
earth
was she screaming
for?"
"Lucy!
"Where
No
Lucy!"
called
Mr.
Little.
are you?"
answer.
71
Mr. Little shouted over to the others. "Stay where you are.
move
around."
on the
some
raft:
Then he
"We
candles.
It's
too dark to
said to the
men
should have brought
Why
didn't
we
think of
that?" "Let's
pray for the
lights to
come back
on," said Grandpa. "I can't see a
thing" said Mr.
"I've never felt so helpless in
72
Little.
my
life."
was Mrs.
"Will! She's here!" It
Little
again. "She's here!"
"Thank heavens," said Mr.
Little.
"Get Grandpa over here, Will," called Mrs.
Little. "There's
a surprise here for
Grandpa."
"What did she say?" asked Grandpa. "Says there's a surprise for you," Uncle
Pete said.
"Keep
yelling," said
paddle
"We'll
Little.
Mr. Little to Mrs.
toward
your
voices."
By now
the
men on
the raft were be-
ginning to see dimly in the dark
The people on
cellar.
the cellar steps kept
up
a steady yelling to guide them.
Mr.
Little laughed. "That's
racket," "I
he
an awful
said.
hear a man's voice over there, don't
I?" asked
Grandpa.
"Impossible," said Uncle Pete. "There's
no man
When
there."
they were almost to the steps,
the lights
came on
again.
"Hurrah!" yelled everyone. 73
Mr.
There
blinked from the bright
Little
He
light.
looked toward the cellar
were
three
other
tiny
stairs.
people
standing there with his family.
One was too
large
a
tall
for
man wearing
him.
There
overalls
were two
children standing next to the man.
were dressed
in green.
They
One was wearing
a green hat with a blue feather. The other child had on the same kind of hat
but no feather.
"Oh my goodness be
here.
My
—
this is too
good
to
Grandpa. "Look who's
said
true!"
good friends the Brook Tinies
have come
to visit."
Grandpa jumped off the raft. He hugged the children. Then he said to the man: "Mr. Beck how did you know I was dying to see Purl and Dewey?"
—
"Because they were dying to see you," said the children's father.
"Ever since
coming home from being shipwrecked, they have talked
my
ear off about
visit-
ing you."
Dewey
Beck,
who seemed about
ten
years old, said: "We've been wandering
around
this
big house for a couple of
days looking for you."
"And they found us just in time," said Little. "Just when Lucy fell from
Mrs.
the furnace into the water."
"Thank heavens!" said Granny Purl
Beck,
pointed to the top of the
were up
there," she said,
Lucy on the
Little.
about twelve years
hot-air
stairs.
old,
"We
"when we saw
pipe.
When
the 75
"
went
lights
the splash.
out, she screamed.
Dad
We heard
dived in and pulled her
out."
"In the darkl" said "I didn't
Lucy
said,
Tom.
know who was "and
I
helping me,
didn't even care."
Purl said: "House Tinies live in strange places.
It's
nothing like a cave, and
it's
not like the tree-stump house. Did you
know It
there's a
huge
cat in this house?
chased us." "That's Hildy, our friend," said
"Hey — were
you
behind
the
Tom. refrig-
erator in the kitchen hiding from the cat?
Did you
lose a feather?"
"Refrigerator?" said
Dewey. "What's
that? Where's the feather?"
He
felt his
hat for the missing feather.
The
Littles laughed.
"I think
we were
in the kitchen
when
that fierce animal growled at us," said
Mr. Beck. "Weren't we, children?" "Yes," Purl said.
munks."
76
"We
ran like chip-
Uncle
"Then
when he
with
roared
Pete
laughter.
was you I saw running away turned on the garbage disposal,"
it
I
said.
"Garbage disposal?" Mr. Beck
He
scratched his head.
about house
lot to learn
Granny
"We
Little
said.
sure have a
living."
was looking
closely at
Mr. Beck. "Where did you get those Mr. Beck?" she asked.
overalls,
"These?" said Mr. Beck looking at his dripping overalls.
very well, do they?
I
down
"They don't
found them
fit
at the
top room in the house the other day
when we were
searching for you.
them on because
I
badly on a nail in the wall."
"You know
I
put
my clothes He laughed.
had ripped
— when
you get a Brook
Tiny away from the water he can be clumsy."
"Oh, that reminds mystery," said
ming
in the
"We
me
of part of the
Tom. "Were you swim-
bathroom sink?"
did find a nice place to swim,"
77
Mr.
said
Beck.
bathroom.
I
"I
was the
guess
it
didn't
do anything
hope we
wrong."
"W^ would have emptied the water when we were through," said Tom. "So the Biggs wouldn't know," added
Lucy. "Ah, you see learn," said
is
do have a
lot to
Mr. Beck.
"Anyway," mystery
— we
Mr.
solved.
Little
And
"the
said,
we're thankful for
your help in saving Lucy."
"And we need some more
He
help," said Grandpa.
the
flooded
cellar
your
of
pointed across
and explained the
problem.
"What can we do?" asked Mr. Beck. "Just before the lights went out I saw what was wrong," Grandpa went on.
"How could you?" "The pump is under "It
asked Mr.
Little.
water."
wasn't hard to figure out," said
Grandpa. "The cord wasn't plugged
"Oh my goodness!" "Mr. 78
Beck
and
in."
said Mr. Little.
the
children
are
excellent swimmers,"
"They can dive
and get
it
up it
it
off
to the outlet by the fuse
belongs."
"Very good," said Mr.
be wonderful
on.
the water
for us. We'll dry
and find the plug box where
Grandpa went
down under
if
we
Little. "It
would
could get the cellar
dry again before the Biggs get back."
"Do you
want
really
to dry this
up?"
asked Mr. Beck. "What a shame. This place
is
The
beautiful just the
way
it
is."
Littles laughed.
"Spoken
like a true
Brook Tiny," said
Grandpa.
By the next day the storm was over. The Littles and the Becks spent the morning afternoon
visiting
with each other. That
Cousin
Dinky,
and
Delia,
Uncle Nick came back from Trash City. Uncle Nick made a sour
face.
"We
had three very boring days," he
just
said.
"The mice disappeared when the storm came."
"And the storm was no problem
at the 79
dump,
either," Delia said.
"That
city
so
is
made,"
well
said
Cousin Dinky, "that the water runs off as easily as
does off a duck's back."
it
"You should have stayed home," said
Tom and Lucy. Tom. "We had a
He winked
Grandpa. "Yeah!"
said
at
mystery."
"And a flood!" "And lots and
said Uncle Pete. lots of exciting things
happened," said Lucy. "It
was a
She smiled
Two
blessing," said at her
Granny
Little.
husband.
days later the Bigg family came
home. Mr. Bigg looked quickly through the house.
"It's
amazing!" he said to his
wife. "There are
You know, when
storm. tree
knocked
thought right.
.
.
bone!"
.
down
I first
in
the
saw
that
yard,
but everything inside
is
I
all
Not a broken window or a leak
anywhere.
80
no problems from the
And
the cellar
is
as dry as a
"You kids better
stay off that roof,"
Uncle Pete warned. "The wind in a big storm can blow you away." "Its nothing like that, Uncle Pete," said
of
Tom. "Really Just
rain. Lots
it."
"It'll
Mr.
And
get worse, Tom," said
Little.
the
storm
is
wind does get worse! The big coming! As the Littles prepare
for the storm, they
have a few adven-
tures and even solve a mystery!
i78073"00275"'
7
ISBN n-STD-M527b-b
Scholastic Inc
RL3 007-010