Chapter 5

 

 

Tuesday, February 15, 1983

 

    Mr. Maypenny knocked on Dan’s door to get him up for school.  Dan was already up and dressed in new jeans, a button down shirt and a blue sweater.  The clothes fit pretty well, but the only shoes in the bag had been a pair of gym shoes, obviously earmarked for the school locker room, since they had been with the embossed SJ-SHS t-shirt and shorts.  Dan slid on his black boots, gathered his meager supplies and went out to the kitchen.

 

    Mr. Maypenny was obviously not in a good mood.  He grunted, “Morning,” to Dan and set breakfast on the table.  They ate in silence, then Dan cleared the table.

 

    “Time to go, lad.”  Mr. Maypenny said, adjusting his shirt collar, “I don’t want to miss the durned bus.”

 

    Silently, Dan gathered his things and followed the older man out of the cabin and down the road.  The bus had just arrived as Dan and Mr. Maypenny reached the bend in the road.  Dan watched the students happily climbing onto the bus with a growing feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.  These must be the rich kids his uncle worried he might corrupt.  He started to slow his pace, but Mr. Maypenny urged him to hurry.

    The bus driver saw them coming and held open the doors.  Slowly  Dan climbed the steps.  He felt his street mask fall into place, and he quickly scanned the bus, checking out the other riders.  A sudden movement in the back caught his eye, and he swung his attention to three girls in the back.  One was insanely pretty, with dark, dark hair.  The second was sweet faced and smiled shyly at him, but the third one - a perky looking blond - looked him up, looked him down and leaned over to whisper something to the brown haired girl.  “About me, no doubt, and probably not flattering,” he thought.  Dan caught her bright blue eyes with his dark ones and glared at her.  She turned bright red, and tossed her short blonde curls, looking surprised when Maypenny climbed aboard.  Both she and the sweet faced girl smiled and waved at Maypenny, but he merely nodded at them and told Dan to sit down.  Mr. Maypenny sat next to Dan in the front seat, his hands clenched tightly for the whole trip.

 

    When the bus reached the school, Dan followed Mr. Maypenny off the bus and into the office.  Principal Stratton looked him up, looked him down and said, “We don’t allow hats to be worn inside the building.  Make sure it stays in your locker.”

 

    “Yes, sir,”  Dan replied, removing his leather cap.

 

    “Good.  Now have a seat out here while Mr. Maypenny and I go over your paperwork.”

    

    “Yes, sir,” Dan said again, sitting as directed.  He continued to sit, watching the comings and goings of the office.  He noticed the students staring at him curiously, and sighed to himself.  In this small town, it was quickly becoming apparent that he was an anomaly.  They weren’t going to give him a chance.  Resentment surged through him.

 

    “Hi.  I’m Mart Belden.”  Dan looked up to see a blond boy about his age holding out his hand.  “Mr. Stratton and Mr. Maypenny asked me to show you around.  We have four classes together.”

 

    “I’m Dan.  Dan Mangan.”  Dan rose and shook hands with the blond boy.

 

    “I’m going home now, Daniel,” Mr. Maypenny said.  “Mart here is going to show you around.  You’ll do fine.  I’ll see you at home.”  He walked away, leaving Dan with Mart.

 

    “C’mon Dan,”  Mart said. “We have Mrs. Franck for homeroom.  She’s pretty nice, but she’s a stickler for being on time.” Dan  nodded and followed Mart down the hall.

 

 

 

    Thomas Maypenny waited at the curb for Tom Delanoy to arrive.  Finally, the station wagon pulled up and he climbed in.

 

    “What happened to the sedan?”  Maypenny asked.

 

    “It was missing so bad I didn’t think it was drivable.”  Tom told him, “Dan, your new helper, thinks it’s fouled plugs.  I sure wish he had time to give me a hand.  I’m swamped right now.”

 

    “Why wouldn’t he have time?”

 

    “Regan said he would be too busy helping you.”

 

    Maypenny shook his head in disgust.  “I swear, Tom, Regan is going to sabotage himself.  He couldn’t even take time to bring the boy to school.”  A thought struck him.  “I bet he doesn’t even know that today is Daniel’s birthday.”

 

    “Is it really?  Today?”

 

    “Yes.”  Maypenny sighed.  “Would you mind making a couple of unplanned stops while we’re in town?  I’m all dressed up for visiting, and Lord knows I won’t be back in Sleepyside proper for a while if I can help it.”

 

---

 

 

    Dan followed Mart Belden from class to class.  Each new teacher gave him the same once over, taking in the too-long hair, the city shoes and the leather jacket.  The slightly sullen look didn’t help, but to Dan, it felt safe.  He felt so out of place among these clean-cut, fresh scrubbed kids.  He was pretty sure none of them knew what it was like to sleep in a stairwell or under a cardboard box.  They all looked so well fed and clean; none of them forced to steal to survive, or be at the mercy of a relative who clearly didn’t want them, and couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge their existence.  The resentment burned in his belly.  He tried to force it down and concentrate on the lessons.  He was behind.  How could he get so far behind so quickly?  Dan looked down at his notebook.  The rest of the class was working on completing a week old English assignment.  He had been told to skip it.   He planned on it.  This whole stupid experiment was not going to work.  He didn’t want it to work.  Pulling out a clean sheet of paper, Dan started writing a letter:   Dear Luke ... .

 

---

 

 

    Lunch came right after English.  Dan once again trailed after Mart Belden.  He was unwillingly beginning to appreciate the blond boy’s sense of humor and his use of obscure and very large words.   He followed Mart to a table filled with faces familiar from the bus:   A dark haired boy, and the three girls from the back of the bus.

 

    “Hi family and such,” Mart was saying. “This is Dan Mangan.  Dan,  here are some of the characters you’ll have to put up with in Sleepyside High.  This is my brother, Brian.”

 

    The dark-haired boy rose, extending his hand.  Dan shook it.  “Welcome to Sleepyside, Dan,” the boy said. “I hope you’ll be happy here.”

 

    Dan managed a smile, and an honest, “Hi.  Nice to meet you.”

 

    “And these are the girls,”  Mart continued, “Diana Lynch.” the beauty smiled at him with admiration; “Honey Wheeler,” her smile was sweet, but all Dan could think was, Boss’ daughter:  Beware! “And my sister Trixie.”  

 

    “Great, the little blonde I had the glaring contest with this morning,” Dan thought.  She didn’t look any friendlier now.  Dan nodded stiffly at all three girls, and followed Mart to the food line.

 

    “Listen Mart,” he said quietly.  “I appreciate you taking me around and all, but I don’t want to crowd your friends.  Maybe you could introduce me to some other kids?”  Dan cast a quick glance around, looking for anyone even vaguely familiar.  His eye landed on a big kid who had bully written all over his face.  Dan thought the guy was the same one who had admired his jacket during homeroom.  “How about them?  Over there.”  He gestured to the table near the window.

 

    “Lloyd Flannegan?”  Mart was dubious. “He and his group tend to get in a lot of trouble.  I think it’s great to get to know other people, but are you sure they are the ones?”

 

    “I can handle them,”  Dan said with more confidence than he really felt.  “Introduce me.”

 

    “Okay.  If that’s what you want.”  Mart shrugged, and led Dan over to the table.  “Lloyd Flannegan, Mark Kravitz, Ted Littlefield.  This is Dan Mangan.  He just started today.”

 

    “Sit down, Mangan.”  Lloyd spoke for the group,.  “Where did you move from?”

 

    “The City,”  Dan said, taking a seat.  He watched Mart walk away to join his friends, then turned back to the boys at his own table.  They were looking at him with curiosity.  Dan figured that if he was going to make an impression, he might as well make it good.  “Most recently Spofford House,” he finished casually, taking a bite of his salisbury steak.

 

    “Isn’t that juvie?”  The boy named Mark was wide-eyed.

 

    “Yeah.”  Dan chewed on a peach slice and opened his milk. “I got arrested in a gang fight.”

 

    “Were you really in a gang?”

 

    “Sure,” he said nonchalantly.  “I helped start our club.  Nobody tells us what to do around our neighborhood.  We take care of that.”

 

    “Do you carry knives and stuff?  You know, switchblades?”

 

    “Switch blades?  Not us!  The cops get tough when they find ‘em on you.  We don’t need stuff like that.”  Dan slammed his right fist into his left palm.  “Pow!  That’s all we need to be tough.”

 

    A part of Dan felt ashamed.  He was not only bragging, he was lying through his teeth.  Still, the admiring looks from his three companions encouraged him to continue.  The disapproving looks from the snippy little Belden blonde didn’t hurt so much either.  Turning his attention back to the boys at his table, he kept spinning his tales until the bell rang.

 

---

 

 

    “Hey Mangan!”  Dan turned to see Lloyd Flannegan waving at him.

 

    “Yeah?”  Dan let the bigger boy catch up with him. “Whaddya want, Lloyd?  I need to catch the bus.”  He gestured to the school bus loading area.  “I have a job, you know.”

 

    “I thought you might want to hang out after school for a while.  Me and the guys are gonna get some burgers over at Wimpy’s and chill.”  Seeing Dan hesitate, he added, “My brother Darren has a car.  He’ll drop you off down Glen Road after.  You should get there maybe a half hour late.”

 

    “Let me call the old man and check.” Dan said, “I’d hate to lose the job before I’m ready.  Gimme a minute.”  He swaggered over to the pay phone and dialed the number scribbled on the inside of his binder.  When Mr. Maypenny answered, Dan changed his tone and said, “Mr. Maypenny?  This is Dan.  I was invited to grab a bite to eat with some guys from school.  They said they can get me back, and I won’t be more than a half hour later than the bus.  Would it be okay?”

 

    There was a pause, then Mr. Maypenny replied, “I think that will be fine.  Are you going to be with the Bob Whites?”

 

    “The what?”

 

    “Mart Belden and his group.  They call themselves the Bob Whites.”

 

    “Oh.  No.  I met them earlier though.”  Dan searched his brain. “Brian, Diana, Honey and Trixie right?”

 

    “Yes.  And Jim Frayne.  He’s Honey’s brother, but he’s away right now.”

 

    “Oh.  Well, these are some guys from my home room.  Lloyd and Ted.  Lloyd’s brother has a car, and he said he’d bring me back.  Can I go?”

 

    “I don’t see why not.  I’m glad you’re making friends.  Do me a favor and check the snare line on your way home.”

 

    “I will.”  Dan hesitated a moment, then added, “Thanks.  And thanks for the salary advance.  It’s nice to have some money in my wallet.”

 

    “I’m sure it is.”  There was a slight chuckle, then Maypenny signed off, “Have fun, young one.  I’ll expect you for dinner.”

 

    Dan hung up the phone and sauntered back to Lloyd and his buddies.  “All set,” he said. “So what’s hot in Hicksville?”

 

    The other boys laughed, and they all  sauntered out into the street.

 

 

Chapter 6

 

 

 

    Dan struggled up the hill leading to the cabin.  His new found friends had let him off at the edge of Glen Road and the preserve trail.  Now,with a load of school books in his arms, he was slipping and sliding in the snow.  A backpack would be a help, but for now, all he had were his arms.  His hands were freezing, and he still had traps to check and at least a couple of hours of homework to do.  He was starting to regret the time he had spent out with Lloyd and his gang.  All they had done was waste time and shoot some bull.  The guys messed up the table for the waitress, and then played pass the glass before dropping the tip in it.  Dan had bused tables before, and was disgusted by that bit of meanness.  He’d laughed with the others, but he found their antics tiresome, and himself anxious to leave.  He hadn’t been able to relax around them.  He’d been constantly on guard.

 

    Dan heard a strange pounding noise behind him and turned around.  A horse,  a large, black horse was thundering towards him.  Two horses actually, as another, smaller black horse joined the other.  Great.  The boss’ daughter and her little friend.  He frowned, and stepped off the trail to let them pass.

 

    They didn’t pass.  Honey Wheeler pulled up beside him and laughed.  “How about a lift?  Those boots are too slippery for the snow!  Climb on behind.  We’re on our way to see Mr.  Maypenny.”

 

    Dan looked up at her and considered it.  It had been years since he’d been on a horse, and it would certainly be easier than walking.  But there were still the traps to check.  He frowned again, and said, “I can make it okay.  I don’t need a lift.”

 

    Honey smiled gently.  Dan was reminded of another smile, another someone who wanted to help him.  He frowned harder, pushing aside the memory.  “But there’s no need of your walking when we’re going to the same place,” Honey was saying.  “If you’d rather ride alone, Trix and I can double up and you can take Starlight, here.  He’s very gentle.”

 

    Dan looked at Trixie, glaring smugly at him from her mount.  Anger flared.  “I told you I don’t want to ride,” he said loudly, his scowl deepening.  “You can’t give me orders, even if I do work for your pa.”  

 

    Dan watched Honey flinch as if he had slapped her directly in the face with his words.  She flushed and pain flashed in her eyes.  Dan regretted his words, and was about to apologize when Trixie spoke up.  “If you ask me, Hon, he just doesn’t dare try to ride.  He’s afraid!”

 

    Apologies forgotten, Dan turned his anger on the blonde girl.  “Oh yeah?” he snarled, “Big talk, freckles.  Climb down and I’ll show you.”  He set his pile of books down on a rock as Trixie slid out of the saddle.

 

    “Be sure you know which side to get on.  Susie’s particular.”  She handed the reins to Dan with a half smirk.  Dan swung himself up into the saddle, grasping for a saddle horn and grabbing horse mane instead.  Susie laid back her ears and snorted.  Dan  adjusted his position and was just about to adjust the stirrups when Trixie chimed in again, “Take it easy, cowboy.  Maybe you’d better lengthen the stirrups.  I keep them pretty short.”

 

    Dan stopped himself from touching the stirrups.  He wouldn’t give Trixie Belden the satisfaction.  He glared at her and asked, “Who’s riding?” He slapped the reins a little harder than he had intended against the horse’s neck as he said, “Come on, move!”

    Susie moved.  She bucked, and Dan tried to rein her in.  Raised up too high due to the shortened stirrups, his feet slipped, and the horse bolted toward the trees.  Dan tried again to rein her in, but the mare wasn’t having any of that, and with his knees stuck in such an awkward position, Dan couldn’t stop her.  He saw the low hanging branch approaching, and his last conscious thought was, “That’s going to leave a mark.”

 

 

---

 

 

    It was cold and dark, and there was pain.  In the distance he heard voices, and out of habit he held himself very still.  Play dead and maybe they won’t hit you anymore.  It was lesson Dan had learned the hard way.

 

    “Maybe one of us should sit here with him, while the other brings Mr. Maypenny.”  Honey Wheeler’s voice.  She sounded worried, and Dan decided it was safe to  move.  With a moan he rolled onto his back and tried to sit up,  unsuccessfully.  He held his aching head gingerly in his hands and lay back down.

 

    “Guess there’s nothing broken after all.”  

 

    The words, accompanied by an exaggerated sigh, came from Trixie.  Probably disappointed, Dan thought angrily.  He was angry at the little blonde for goading him, and angrier still at himself for letting her get to him.  He was also embarrassed to have been knocked off a horse in front of them  They’d probably go running off to tell the world, especially smug Trixie.  He’d be a laughingstock before he knew it. Great!  He threw down his hands and scowled at the girls.

 

    “Hi!  How do you feel?”  Honey spoke quickly and gently.

 

    Dan touched his head.  Bad idea.  The lump felt the size of a golf ball.  “What happened?” he asked.

 

    “Susie brushed you off on a tree limb.  I hope you aren’t hurt?”  Honey sounded genuinely concerned.

 

    “Nah!”  Dan got to his feet, wanting to reassure this girl who seemed so sweet.  He swayed dizzily, but tried to smile as he he told her, “I’m okay.”

 

    “You don’t look it,”  Trixie told him bluntly.  She smiled smugly at him and said in a know-it-all voice, “You should have lengthened those stirrups and you would have had better control of Susie.  I guess you don’t know very much about riding.”

 

    Fury flared instantly.  What was it about this girl that enraged him so?  Dan didn’t have an answer, so he glared, “But you know all the answers, don’t you, freckles?” Dan felt his temper reach a near boil, “And  now I suppose you’ll run and tell old Maypenny I tried to break your horse’s leg or something.”

 

    “I will not!”  Dan was pleased to see that his words had struck a nerve in Trixie, as her eyes flashed. “And you  ought to be ashamed to speak about your grandfather so disrespectfully!”

 

    “My which?”  Dan was nearly dumbstruck.  She really had no clue as to whom he was related.  Regan’s plan was working.  He laughed harshly. “That old square from squaresville?  He’s no relation of mine, and quit saying so!”  Dusting the snow from his clothes, Dan’s fingers snagged on a tear in the sleeve of his jacket.  He had torn his father’s jacket.  For better or worse, the last vestige of his past was now in tatters. His anger drained, replaced by sadness.  He pulled the edges of the long tear together, trying to find a fix.

 

    “If you’d like, I can mend that for you so it won’t even show.  I’ll get a needle and black thread from Mr. Maypenny.” Honey spoke eagerly, a warm smile on her face.

 

    For a moment, Dan considered taking her up on her offer.  The girl seemed so honest and genuine.  Then he saw the look on Trixie’s face as she stared critically at him.  He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he spat, “Don’t bother.  I don’t need anybody’s help.”  With some regret, he again saw Honey flinch, as if he had slapped her.  Again, he thought of apologizing, but Trixie struck first.

 

    “You could at least say thanks!” she yelled. “You’re just lucky if Honey doesn’t tell Mr. Maypenny that you tried to ride one of her horses and you didn’t know how and it was a wonder you didn’t break it’s neck!”

 

    “Go on, tell him!”Dan yelled back, including Honey in his surge of anger. “And you can tell your rich pa, too, while you’re at it!  I won’t be stuck in this hick town long enough for it to make any difference to me!” He grabbed his books and stomped off, slipping and sliding in the snow.  As soon as he reached a passable spot, he slipped off the path and into the woods.

    He wasn’t cold anymore.  The rage he was feeling had heated his whole body.  Stomping along the jackrabbit trap line skirting the cabin, Dan made a quick check of each trap.  In the last trap he found a small brown bunny.  It was alive, caught by the rope around one leg.  Dan dropped his books on a rock and approached the rabbit cautiously.  He should kill it.  Put it out of it’s misery and into Mr. Maypenny’s stew pot.  But there was something that stopped him.  Maybe it was the desperation in the rabbit’s big brown eyes, or maybe the way it strained against the rope, striving to break free, unwilling to surrender.  He couldn’t do it.  Gently, Dan loosened the trap, releasing the rabbit.  The creature stared at him for a moment, then hopped away.  Dan sat down next to his books.  His anger receded, and sadness returned.  

 

    Trixie had been right, loath as he was to admit it.  He should have been more careful with the horse.  He’d let his anger and his pride overrule his sense.  His uncle was going to kill him as soon as he found out.  Dan had no doubt that Regan would find out.  Shivering with more than the cold, Dan collected his books and headed down to the cabin.

 

    Mr. Maypenny was in the kitchen when Dan entered the cabin.  Dan answered the older man’s greeting, then took his things to his room.  He changed out of his wet clothes and into some sweats, before returning to the kitchen.  He took plates and silver from the cabinets, and set the table.

 

    “What’s for dinner?” he asked, “Because it smells good.”

 

    “Venison roast, potatoes, and some winter squash.  I’ve got some hot chocolate with cinnamon for you as.... Holy cow, Daniel!  What happened to your head?”

 

    “I rode a horse into a tree,”  Dan said.  “Didn’t those girls tell you?”

 

    “Trixie and Honey?  They didn’t mention a thing.”  Mr.  Maypenny wrapped some ice in a dishcloth and handed it to Dan. “Put some ice on that lump.  There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom.  I’ll fix you up after dinner.”

 

    Dan took the ice gratefully.  He waited for the lecture, but it didn’t come.  Instead, the two sat down to a delicious meal.  When the food was gone and the table cleared,  Mr. Maypenny asked Dan to stay seated at the table.  Dan, figuring he was going to get bandages, did as requested.

    

    “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday, Dear Daniel, Happy Birthday to you.”  Mr. Maypenny sang in a deep, only slightly off-key voice.

    Dan looked up in surprise.  His house mate stood in front of him holding a chocolate cake and several brightly wrapped packages.  Dan was speechless.  Maypenny set the cake down in front of the boy and lit the fifteen candles.  “Go ahead and blow them out, lad.  Make a wish and all that.”  

 

    Dan took a deep breath and blew out the flames.  He didn’t actually make a wish.  He was trying to keep his emotions in check.  Someone had remembered his birthday.  This man he had known for less than three days had remembered.  He smiled shakily, and said, “Thanks.  This is nice.”

 

    “Pshaw.  It’s just a bakery cake, but it looked pretty tasty.  Now you open your gifts while I cut us some cake.”

 

    “I can’t believe you got me presents.”  Dan reached for one and unwrapped it.  “Gloves!  Wow.  I was just thinking today that I needed some.”

 

    The next package yielded a Jansport black backpack, the third a gift certificate for the Sleepyside bookstore, and the last and largest a pair of work boots.

 

    “I noticed you just have the one pair of boots.” Maypenny explained, “They’re fine for school, but if you’re patrolling out in the preserve, you need better shoes.”

 

    “I ... Thank you.”  Dan didn't trust himself to say more.  Fortunately, Mr. Maypenny didn’t need any more than that.

 

    He grinned from ear to ear and nodded.  “My pleasure lad.  Everyone deserves recognition on their birthday.  Now eat your cake.  Do you have homework?”

 

    “Yes, sir,”  Dan took a bite.  “I can’t believe how far behind I am.”

 

    “I’m sure you will catch up. You’re a bright one.” Maypenny finished his cake, “Why don’t you go get started?  I’ll tidy up in here.”

 

    “Are you sure?”  Dan asked.  “I don’t want to just leave you with all the clean up.”

 

    “It’s not a problem.  You go.  I’ll let you clean up tomorrow night.”

 

    “That’s a deal.”  Dan gathered his presents.  “And Mr. Maypenny?  Thank you again.”

 

    “Good night lad.  You are very welcome.”  Thomas Maypenny watched the boy leave the room, pleased that his morning efforts had paid off so well.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7

 

 

    Dan’s dreaded meeting with his uncle came with the sunrise.  Regan, looking grim as usual, showed up while Dan was eating his pancakes.  Mr. Maypenny issued his standard invitation, “Pull up a chair, Regan, there’s plenty.”

 

    “No, thank you.”  Regan’s response was terse. “I need to speak to Dan.”

 

    Dan stopped, a forkful of pancakes half way to his lips.  “Yeah?”

 

    Regan’s face became even more grim.  “You have no business on the Wheeler horses when you don’t even know how to ride.”

 

    “I do know how to ride,”  Dan blurted.

 

    “Obviously not.” Regan looked pointedly at the scrape on Dan’s forehead. “Look at you, and poor Susie is even more scraped up than you are.”

 

    “I should have known you’d care more about the horse than me,”  Dan muttered under his breath.

 

    “What?”

 

    “I need to get to school.”  Dan said sullenly, “So if you are finished with the lecture...”

 

    “As a matter of fact, I’m not finished!”  Regan was beginning to lose his temper.  “So just sit down and lose the attitude!” Regan was pacing now.  Dan sprawled back in his chair, his eyes warily following his uncle’s movements.  “You’ve got a chance here, Daniel.  I don’t want you blowing it with your temper and your bad attitude.  You stay off the horses until I get a chance to teach you how to ride.”

 

    “I do know how to ride!  I told you that!  It was the saddle that...”  Dan caught himself up on his feet, mid yell.  Regan turned on him and Dan’s whole body tensed.  Suddenly Maypenny was between them, his voice calm.

 

    “Sit down, the two of you.  This isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

 

    Reluctantly, they sat, glaring at each other.  “Now Daniel, what were you saying about the saddle?” Mr. Maypenny asked.

 

    For a moment, Dan considered not answering.  Then he looked at his new backpack sitting on the hearth.  Taking a deep breath, he explained, “I learned to ride when we lived in Texas.  I know how.  But the saddle was weird.  It didn’t have a horn, and it was way small.  I knew I should have adjusted the stirrups, but I didn’t have a chance because I spooked the horse.”  Finished, he sat back and waited.

 

    “You learned to ride Western.”  Regan stated.

 

    “I guess.”  Dan shrugged. “I learned in the West.”

 

    “Western is a type of saddle.” Regan explained, “English is the type of saddle we mainly use around here.  I suppose it would be a bit difficult if you hadn’t ridden English before.”  He chewed on his lip.  “I spoke with Miss Trask.  I thought you might like to have a horse to ride out on patrol.”

 

    “A horse?”  Dan was incredulous.  “Really?”

 

    “Yes really.”  Regan hesitantly smiled at his nephew’s barely concealed excitement.  “Spartan is a bit on the older side, but he’s still very active.  I haven’t had time to work much with him lately, so if you’re willing to take a few lessons from me on an English saddle, Spartan can live here for you to use.”

 

    Dan looked at Maypenny.  “Is that okay?”

 

    The older man nodded.  “Brownie will like the company.  But you’re going to have to build a new stall for your horse, young one.”

 

    “I can do that.”  Dan said, looking at the clock, “But I do need to go.  I’m going to miss the bus.”

 

    “Tom’s waiting outside.”  Regan told him, “He said he’d take you to school, if you’d like.”

 

    “Okay.”  Dan grabbed his things.  “I’ll see you tonight, Mr. M.”  In a flash he was out the door.  He climbed into the front seat of the station wagon.  Tom’s cheerful greeting made him smile, and they drove off discussing engines and cars.

 

---

 

 

    The rest of the week passed quickly for Dan.  He caught the earlier bus , and he stayed away from the boss’ kids.  Jim Frayne had returned from his trip and had introduced himself to Dan.  Dan had shaken his hand soberly, then proceeded to ignore the whole group as much as possible.  Each afternoon, he had had a brief English style riding lesson on Spartan.  Regan was quickly convinced that Dan could, indeed ride.

    Now, Friday  had rolled around.  His first week was nearly done.  He sat at the lunch table with Lloyd and Ted, regaling them once again with his tales of city life.  They asked about his arrest, and he lied through his teeth.  He was weary though, of the constant need to be “on”  He felt pressured to keep entertaining them,  and he wondered how long he could continue making up stuff.  If he told them the truth, they’d walk away.  This group needed the glamour of the bad boy.  Dan knew that the glamour was overrated.  Still, he had his new reputation to maintain.  Sneering, he started a new tale, telling how he mouthed off to the police captain while being fingerprinted.  His mouth kept moving, but his mind was back at the cabin, planning Spartan’s new stall.

 

---

 

    “Mangan!”  Lloyd called out as Dan was loading his bag.  “We’re going to go cow tipping tonight.  Want to come?”

    

    Dan hefted his bag onto his shoulder and shook his head.  “Nope.  I’ve got to work tonight.  Besides, torturing livestock is not cool.”  He started toward the bus, Lloyd hot on his heels.

 

    “Hey!  Wait up.”  Dan stopped.  Lloyd was lighting a cigarette.  He held one out to Dan.  Dan shook his head, stepping back.

 

    “I don’t smoke, Lloyd,” he said, “But I do need to get on that bus.  I’ll see you Monday.”  He spun on his heel and got on the bus, leaving Lloyd glaring at him from the sidewalk.

 

---

 

 

    Mr. Maypenny was out when Dan arrived at the cabin.  A note on the table told Dan he was out checking the feeding stations.  Dan grabbed two apples and headed out to the barn.   Spartan stood in Brownie’s stall.  Dan rubbed his nose and fed him chunks of apple.  He stood there for a few minutes, whispering to his new pet, then he turned to  job ahead of him.  The lumber was neatly stacked against the wall, and detailed instructions were pinned above it.   Dan picked up a rough-hewn board and a paint brush.  In a few minutes he was nailing the finished nameplate over the place where he would build the stall.  “What do you think, Spartan?” he asked.  “Now you belong.”  The horse whinnied softly, and Dan started to whistle as he began to work.

    The stall didn’t go as quickly as Dan would have liked, but Mr. Maypenny had been very happy with what had been completed.  Saturday morning, they took the horses out to clear the closest trails, then Mr. Maypenny sent Dan back to work on the stall while he finished checking the feeding stations.

    Dan was about halfway back to the cabin when a small, figure in a blue snowsuit and red knit cap literally tumbled onto the path in front of him.  He reined in Spartan and dismounted.  The figure, a little boy who looked to be about six, looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

 

    “Are you hurt?” Dan asked, kneeling beside the child.

 

    The boy thought for a minute, then shook his head.   His cap fell to the ground, exposing his curly blond hair.  “No.  I just thought you were going to run me over with Spartan.”

 

    “You know Spartan?”

 

    “ ‘Course I do.  Sometimes Regan lets me ride him, but only when he leads me.”

 

    “You know Regan too?  Who are you?”  Dan asked.

 

    “I’m Bobby Belden.   I’m six and I live at Crabapple Farm.  Regan is my bestest friend.  Hey!  Have you seen a kitty cat?”

 

    “No.  Did you lose one?”

 

    “I haven’t got it yet to lose it,”  Bobby replied with perfect six year old logic.  “But once I find it, then I’ll have it, and I won’t lose it.  I’ll take real good care of it.  But I have to get it first.”

 

    Dan shook his head, unsure now what to say.  He settled for, “I’ll let you know if I see a kitty.  Do you need a ride home?”

 

    Bobby shook his blond head and pulled his red stocking cap back down over his ears.  “It’s just down the hill.  I gotta go before Trixie tries to find me.”  He wrinkled his nose.  “She’ll yell.  Bye!”  With that, he disappeared through the underbrush, leaving Dan still a little perplexed.  The kid was cute, but very confusing.  Dan wondered if that was a side effect of having Trixie Belden as a sister.  Grinning to himself, he remounted Spartan and continued back to the cabin.

 

    Spartan had been curried, fed and stabled in Brownie’s stall.  Dan hung his jacket and hat on the wall hook and got back to work on the new stall.  He was whistling happily as he hammered, when he spotted Honey Wheeler and Trixie Belden watching him from the doorway.  He cut off his whistle midstream and turned to them, frowning slightly.  “Maypenny ain’t here.  He’s out checking the feeding stations.”

 

    “Oh.”  Trixie Belden plastered a big, fake smile on her face and said, “We thought that was you we saw out there a few minutes ago in the oak grove.”

 

    Dan shook his head.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I’ve been right around here ever since I got home from school last night.”

 

    Trixie frowned. “It didn’t look like Mr. Maypenny.”

 

    Dan felt his temper flare.  “Meaning you think I’m lying?” he asked.

 

    “Trixie didn’t mean any such thing,”  Honey said in a calm voice.  “She meant that whoever it was that we saw was wearing a black jacket and cap.  We know that Mr. Maypenny always wears a turtleneck sweater and funny-looking wool knickers and a red cap and looks quaint.”

 

    Dan felt a cold lump of fear slide into his stomach.  “You saw somebody wearing a black jacket and a cap?” he asked, his voice deadly serious.

 

    “Of course we did,” Trixie said, “And you saw us too.  You were looking right at us when we waved.  And I don’t know why you’re trying to say it wasn’t you.”

 

    “Because it wasn’t!”  Dan snapped.  “Either it was old Maypenny you saw or some tramp.” He bit down on his lip, trying to organize his thoughts.  

 

    His attention snapped back when he heard Honey say, “unless Mr. Maypenny has borrowed your jacket and cap.”

 

    “Nope,” Dan said flatly, pointing to the other wall.  “There’s my stuff.”  He laughed nervously, “You two better get yourselves some eyeglasses.  You’ve been seeing things.”  He turned away, and started hammering.  He heard Trixie start to talk, and Honey soothing her.  When he turned around, they were gone.  Under the guise of patting Spartan, he peeked out the door.  The girls were well and truly gone.  

    Dan sat down next to Spartan and chewed on his knuckle.  Another person in a black jacket and cap.  It could be anyone, right?  “Right, Danny,” he told himself, “Who else did you send a letter too?  It’s Luke.  It’s got to be.”  He suddenly felt sick to his stomach.  When he had written the letter he had still been angry with his uncle and with the whole situation.  He wasn’t sure when his opinions had started to change, but he realized right now that Luke Clevik was the very last person he wanted roaming around his new home.  Home.  He realized, with a startled smile,  that he had begun to think of the cabin as his home.  He wasn’t sure when that had happened either.

    Spartan whinnied softly, and Dan stood up to pet him, burying his face in the horse’s mane.  There was nothing he could do tonight;  it was already getting dark.  Tomorrow morning he would get up early and start looking for Luke.  He didn’t know what he was going to say to Luke, but he knew he wasn’t going to let him ruin things again.  Grimly, Dan turned away from his horse and went back to work.  No matter what happened tomorrow, Spartan would have his new stall finished tonight.

 

 

Chapter 8

 

 

    Dan was up and out before the sun rose.  He crept through the cabin, his boots in hand, so as not to wake Mr. Maypenny.  The snores coming from behind the master bedroom door let him know that his extra caution was not necessary.  

 

    He considered saddling Spartan, knowing that he could cover more ground on horseback.  In the end he decided to hoof it, realizing that Luke would probably be holed up somewhere off the beaten path.  Dan wasn’t sure what he was going to do once he found Luke, but he knew he had to try to get the gang leader out of Sleepyside, no matter what it cost him.

 

    Three hours later, Dan was hungry, half frozen and completely out of sorts.  He had searched close to half of the preserve without finding even a hint of Luke’s presence.  Now as he headed back to the cabin he didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried.  The fact that he couldn’t decide made him very worried, indeed.

 

    He could smell doughnuts frying as he entered the kitchen door.  As he came in, he tossed his cap toward the peg on the wall, watching as it landed perfectly.  That was when he noticed the two girls sitting at the table eating cinnamon doughnuts.

 

    “Oh, here you are!”  Mr. Maypenny dumped another batch of hot doughnuts onto the plate. “The girls have come for Honey’s watch.”

 

    “For what ?” Dan stiffened and turned his angry eyes on Honey.

 

    She flushed and looked uncomfortable.  “Why, my watch.  The one you picked up this morning at the trail crossing.”

 

    “I haven’t seen your watch.  And I haven’t been anywhere near the trail crossing.”  Dan let his frustration and anger boil up as he stared at both Trixie and Honey.

 

    “But we saw your boot tracks all around.   “Trixie flung the accusation at him. “You must have been there.”

 

    Dan’s eyes blazed as he faced yet another false accusation.  He turned the full force of his anger on the two girls, yelling, “First I’m a liar because you saw me someplace yesterday where I wasn’t.  Now you’re calling me a thief!  You two are just looking for trouble, and if you keep on, you’re going to get it!”

 

    Suddenly, Maypenny was in his face, shouting, “Daniel! That’s enough of that kind of talk.  Are you forgetting --?”  Dan’s whole body stiffened, preparing for an expected blow.  Maypenny suddenly broke off, moving behind him and gently squeezing Dan’s shoulder and continuing in a milder tone, “Calm down, boy.  It’s a misunderstanding.  Honey and Trixie, tell Dan about the watch.”

 

    Dan snarled.  “I don’t know as I want to hear.  It’s nothing to me.”  He was shaking with anger and trying to hide it.

 

    “I’m sorry, Dan.  Nobody meant to accuse you of stealing a thing.”  Honey said gently.  “It’s just that when we got back to the trail crossing, and we saw where my watch had been, and then we saw the boot prints -- well, you’re the only one we know who has boots like that.  So we were hoping madly that you’d found it!”

 

    “Well, I didn’t,” Dan muttered.  He looked at Honey, who looked sad, and then at Trixie, who looked as if she didn’t believe him.  Glaring at Trixie, he said, “Even though certain parties would like to say so!”  He shrugged off Maypenny’s hand and grabbed his cap before stomping outside and slamming the door behind him.

 

    Dan ran through the packed snow, thankful for the work boots Maypenny had given him.  He was still angry, but at least he now had a direction.  There was no doubt in his mind:  Luke had found Honey’s watch.  He headed toward the trail crossing, hoping for a clue to where Luke was hiding.

 

---

 

 

    Dan found himself wishing he’d taken some of Maypenny’s doughnuts with him when he’d run from the cabin.  His stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself.  He smiled, thinking how easy it was to get used to eating three meals every day.  He hadn’t had much luck in his search for Luke.  He’d found boot prints and the remnants of a small campfire, but no Luke.  Sighing, he headed home;  Luke would show himself when he chose to.  That was the way he worked, and Dan knew it would probably be when he least expected it.

 

    It was beginning to get dark when Dan nervously opened the cabin door.  Maypenny was sitting in his big chair, in front of the fire.  Dan moved in front of him and sat down on the hearth.  Taking a deep breath, he said, “I’m sorry I lost my temper.  I shouldn’t have yelled, I just don’t like being accused of stuff I didn’t do.”

 

    “It’s happened a lot to you, hasn’t it boy?”

 

    “Yes, sir.  But I still should have kept my temper.  I am sorry.”

 

    “Did you think I would hit you?”  Maypenny’s voice was calm, but his words were tense.

 

    Dan didn’t answer.  He had thought that the old man was going to hit him, but he was afraid to admit it.  He stayed silent.

 

    “Because I won’t.”  Mr. Maypenny continued, “I would defend myself, if I needed to, but I would never strike you because I was angry.  Others have though, haven’t they?”

 

    “Yeah.  A few.” Dan shrugged.  “No big deal.  I survived.”

 

    “Yes you have.”  The older man looked at him kindly.  “But you shouldn’t have had to survive like that.  For what it is worth lad...” His words were interrupted by a loud knock on the front door.  Maypenny rose from his chair to answer the door.  As he opened the door an incensed Regan stormed into the cabin.

 

    “What do you think you are doing, stealing Honey’s watch and pawning it?” he shouted.

 

    “I didn’t ...” Dan started to defend himself, but Regan was having none of it.

 

    “I saw your footprints all around the place where the watch was lost, so don’t bother lying to me.  I also talked to Lytell, and he gave me a pretty good description of you.”

 

    “It wasn’t me!  I ...”

 

    “Just shut up and listen to me!  Dark-faced, skinny boy in a black leather jacket.  That’s how Lytell described the lying little con who pawned a solid silver watch for ten bucks.  What do you have to say for yourself?”  Regan reached out and grabbed Dan by the front of his shirt and shook him until his teeth rattled.  “Do you have any idea how much I put on the line to bring you here?  You ungrateful little punk!  I’m calling the judge tonight!  You can rot in jail for all I care!”

 

    “Let him be, Regan.”  Maypenny’s voice was stern as he grasped the big man’s wrist.  “Let him go and calm yourself.  This won’t get you anywhere.”

 

    Regan dropped Dan like he was a hot potato.  Dan stumbled as his feet hit the ground again, and Maypenny caught him before he fell.  Steadying himself, Dan glared at his uncle with fiery eyes.  “I didn’t steal anything!”he exclaimed, “And I’ve never even been in that store, nor met anybody named Lytell.”  He pulled his lip back and sneered, “Not that I expect you to believe me anyway.  Go ahead and send me away.  It’s what you’ve wanted since the beginning, ain’t it?” Dan spun on his heel and ran out the kitchen door.

 

    “I believe him.”  Maypenny spoke quietly.

 

    “I don’t.”

 

    “That doesn’t surprise me.  Tell me, son, were you raised by wolves?”

 

    “What?”  Regan turned on the older man, confused by the question.

 

    “I told you once before that the boy has a lot of fear in him.  I don’t know why you can’t see that.  Did you look at him while you were manhandling him?  Did you actually expect him to admit something while you were shaking his brain?”  Maypenny shook his head, “You are always on the attack, Regan.  I hate to see the boy go, but it isn’t ever going to work this way.  You go talk to the judge, but you be sure to tell him that I’m willing to keep Daniel here, whether you are or not.  Now go home and do some thinking.  I’m going to try and find the boy and see if I can repair some of the damage you just did.”  Maypenny nearly shoved Regan back out into the snow, shutting the door firmly behind him.  Then he went for his coat.  He was pretty sure where he would find Daniel.

 

    Dan left the cabin at a full run.  By the time he reached the barn, his eyes were burning with unshed tears.  Opening the  doors, he made his way to Spartan’s stall.  The old horse was lying down.  Dan sat next to him, stroking his neck.  Spartan blew air through his nose, and Dan choked out a half laugh-half sob.  Burying his face in Spartan’s mane, he let his tears flow.  Dan had always known in the back of his mind, that his uncle’s “experiment” was doomed to failure.; yet he had started to let himself hope that maybe it would work out.  Now he knew that it wouldn’t.  His uncle was sending him away.  Dan knew that he didn’t want to go to reform school; his only chance was to run away before they came for him.  Maybe his future did lie with Luke.  He just didn’t know.

 

    “Daniel?”  It was Maypenny’s voice, calling from the door.

 

    Dan wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and answered, “Over here.”

 

    “I thought as much.”  Maypenny crossed to the stall carrying a lantern.  “I wanted to tell you, lad, that I believe you.  Now come on in and have some supper.  We can talk about it if you want.”

 

    Dan rose.  “I don’t think I have anything left to say.”  He hated the way his voice sounded, all weak and forlorn.

 

    “Then we won’t talk.”  Maypenny patted Dan’s back.  “Now let’s go home.”

 

    “Did my uncle leave?” Dan asked.

 

    “I showed him the door and gave him a piece of my mind to chew on,”  Maypenny replied.  “Now, are you coming?”

 

    “Yes, sir.”  Dan followed the old man out of the barn. “I am a little hungry.”