He laughed. “No, Sydney. You’ve already done so much for me. Andrew told me about the Camp Club Girls. Between your work and your prayers, you guys saved my career. So you owe me nothing for this. I’m just happy that you’re happy.”
“Happy!” Sydney’s eyes filled with tears. “Next to being in the Junior Olympics, this is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
She kept talking about what a wonderful experience this was going to be, but Kate hardly heard a word. She was far too excited just watching Sydney’s face, and she could hardly wait to tell the other Camp Club Girls!
“Oh, speaking of great things…” Kate snapped her fingers as another of her brilliant beyond brilliant ideas occurred. “Mr. Smith…”
“Tony,” he said with a grin.
“Tony, can you stay a few more minutes? My dad and I have something in the basement we need to show you.”
She looked at her father for support, and he nodded as he said, “I think the timing is finally right.”
“Sounds like a mystery,” Tony said. “But I’m happy to take a look. I’m curious.” He followed as they all clambered down the stairs and into the basement. Kate turned on the light and Tony looked around in wonder. “You have a lot of really cool things down here,” he said.
“Thanks,” Kate and her dad said in unison.
“But there’s one thing we really have to show you,” Kate explained. She reached for the Robo-Brace. “It’s something my dad and I have been working on…together.”
Tony looked at it curiously. “What’s this, Kate?”
“Well, it’s for children with muscular dystrophy. To help them move their arms and hands. We call it Robo-Brace.”
His eyes grew wide with excitement. “Really? Show me how it works.”
She did just that and Biscuit began to jump up and down, trying to get in on the fun. He went Yap, yap, yap! as she moved her arms this way and that way.
Tony watched with an expression of awe. “That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. And now that the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation has asked me to continue working as a spokesperson, I’m in a great position to help you get the news out on this.”
“I’m hoping to get it patented soon,” Kate’s dad explained.
“I’m sure you will!” Tony nodded. “It’s going to help so many people!”
“I’m so glad everyone has figured out what a great guy my dad is,” Andrew said. “It was really hard to hear the mean things people were saying, especially when I knew none of them were true! That James Kenner needs to go to jail for a long, long time!”
“God will handle all of that,” Tony said. “I’ve already prayed and forgiven James Kenner. What he did was wrong, but I have to forgive him anyway.”
Kate sighed. What a good man Tony Smith was! And now everyone would know it!
They all spent a little more time looking at Robo-Brace and some of her father’s other inventions, and then the adults went back upstairs to have some coffee. That left Kate, Sydney, and Andrew in the basement alone.
“I really wonder why James Kenner decided to use such a mean way to pick on your dad,” Sydney said. “Those rumors he started could’ve ruined his career.”
“I know,” Andrew said. “But the police explained it to us. James Kenner said that rumors were what ruined his brother’s chances to get in the pros, and he wanted the same thing to happen to the man who took his place.”
“Wow! See what happens when rumors get started?” Kate said. She paused a moment then thought of something. “Oh! Our rumor box! It’s still upstairs with those two rumors in it. What do we do with it?”
“Hmm.” Andrew shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, all of that stuff about Tony not liking to play for the Phillies was definitely a rumor,” Sydney said. “So it can stay in the box. But I think I’d better take out the one about Kate Oliver being the smartest girl in the world—especially now! That’s no rumor. It’s the truth!”
Kate laughed. “Trust me, that one’s not true either. I’m sure there are millions of smarter people than me. But as long as we’re starting good rumors, how about I start one about you?”
“Me?” Sydney shrugged. “What sort of rumor?”
“Well…” Kate thought about it for a minute. “I think you know more about sports than any other girl. And even though you always try to win whatever game you’re playing, you’re always nice to others. You play fair. And you work hard to be the best you can be!”
“That’s not a rumor either.” Andrew laughed. “That’s just the plain, simple truth.”
Kate thought about that for a moment. “I guess you’re right. Maybe we don’t need a rumor box at all. Maybe God just wants to remind us to be really careful every time we hear someone say something about someone else—careful to make sure it’s the truth before we spread it around to others.”
“Exactly!” Sydney said.
“And we also have to remember that our words have power,” Kate said thoughtfully. “Whether it’s a rumor…or mean words or even nice words. Our words make a difference to others.”
“The Bible says the power of life and death is in the tongue,” Sydney said. “I read that just last week. Our words will either build others up or tear them down.”
“Well, I’m going to be a builder-upper, then!” Kate said with a smile. “I’m gonna watch every word that comes out of my mouth so that others won’t be hurt.”
Sydney nodded. “I’m going to do the same. And we can send an email to Bailey and McKenzie and the others to let them know we’re going to be a rumor-free group!”
“Ooh! Maybe we should print up some T-shirts!” Kate said. “They could say ‘You and Me, Rumor Free’!”
Sydney laughed. “Great idea!”
As they made their way up the stairs to join the adults, all three chanted in unison, “Rumor Free! You and Me!”
Supersleuths Forever!
On the morning after Sydney tossed the opening pitch at the Phillies game, Kate’s mother drove the girls to the train station. All along the way they laughed and talked, reliving all of the fun they’d had over the past two weeks. Kate could hardly believe so much had happened…and in such a short time. It felt like months had flown by, not weeks!
“Remember when you thought bases were place mats?” Sydney asked.
“Yes.” Kate gave her a sheepish grin.
“And you thought the field was a court?” Sydney continued.
“I remember, I remember.” Kate groaned, feeling more embarrassed than ever. “I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t know anything about baseball back then.”
“But you sure do now! And you were a lot of fun at last night’s game. You even cheered in the right places!” Sydney said. After a pause, she gave Kate a funny look and asked, “So…do you like it?”
“Like it? Like what?” Kate asked.
“Like baseball!” Sydney laughed. “Are you starting to like the game?”
“Are you kidding?” Kate giggled. “I’m already thinking of an article I can add to our Phillies site. I’m going to keep it going, you know. And the Camp Club Girls will help.” Her heart swelled with excitement. “I can’t believe I actually like a sport.” She laughed. “How funny is that?”
“Pretty funny!” her mother said from the front seat. “But it might interest you to know that I played tennis in college.”
“What?” Kate sat straight up in her seat. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about that?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” her mother said with a shrug. “Just never came up, I guess. I was also on the swim team in high school. I’ve always enjoyed sports.”
“Well, go figure!” Kate said. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” She got tickled by that statement and started laughing. Before long, she and Sydney were all giggles…until they arrived at the train station. Then their laughter quickly turned to sadness.
“I can’t believe you have to go back home,
” Kate said, giving her friend a hug. “I don’t want you to leave! I’m going to miss you so much!”
“I know,” Sydney agreed. “Me too! But I need to get home to my mom. It’s not easy on her, now that my dad’s not there.”
“I know.” Kate gave her friend another hug. “Oh, but promise me we’ll see each other again really soon. Promise?”
“Promise!” Sydney said, flashing a broad smile. “We’re the Camp Club Girls, remember!”
“Supersleuths forever!” Kate shouted with glee.
“Supersleuths forever!” Sydney echoed.
She then looked at Kate with a twinkle in her eyes, and together they added one last line, just for fun! “Rumor Free! You and Me!”
Camp Club Girls: Kate’s Vermont Venture
Three Blind Mice
“Ahhh!” Kate Oliver screamed as she ran from the Mad River Creamery. Her heart raced a hundred miles an hour. “Wait, Sydney!”
Her friend half-turned with a frantic look on her face. She kept running, nearly slipping on the icy pavement. “We can’t stop! N–not yet!”
“B–but…you’re too fast! I can’t keep up!” Kate paused to catch a few breaths. Then she ran again. The sooner she could get away from what she’d just seen…the better!
From behind, she heard others crying out as they ran from the building. She’d never seen so many people move so fast! Kate had a feeling none of them would ever visit the Mad River Creamery again!
Whoosh! Kate’s feet hit the slippery patch of ice. She began to slip and slide all over the place.
“Nooooooo!” she hollered as her tennis shoes sailed out from underneath her. She slid a few more feet, finally plopping onto her bottom on the icy pavement. Her tiny video camera flew up in the air. Thankfully Kate caught it before it hit the ground. When she screamed, Sydney finally stopped running and turned around.
“What are you doing?” her friend asked, sprinting her way. “We’ve got to get out of here! I can’t stand…” Sydney’s voice began to shake. “I can’t stand…rats!”
Kate shuddered and the memories flooded back. Not just one but three jumbo-sized rats had raced across the floor of the creamery during their tour. One had scampered across her toes! Kate shivered—partly from the cold Vermont air, and partly from remembering the sight of those horrible, ugly creatures! Oh, how sick! And—just in case no one believed them—she’d caught the whole thing on video!
Sydney’s hand trembled as she helped Kate up. “Let’s go, Kate. I’m never coming back here. Never!” Sydney’s dark braids bobbed back and forth as she shook her head. Kate saw the fear in her friend’s eyes.
“But I have to come back,” Kate argued as she brushed ice off her backside. “My school report! We’ll only be in Mad River Valley a week. I have to get it written! I’ll never get an A in science if I don’t finish it.”
“Just choose a different topic. Your teacher won’t care—especially if you tell her what happened!” Sydney said as they started walking. “Vermont has lots of great things you could write about. Why don’t you write your essay on your aunt’s inn? Or about the ski lifts? They’re the coolest I’ve ever seen!”
Kate shrugged, still feeling sore from falling. “I don’t know anything about skiing, remember? You know I’m not into sports. And nothing is scientific about my aunt’s inn. This is supposed to be a science paper not a What I did on my Christmas vacation essay!”
“Well then, what about the Winter Festival?” Sydney suggested. “I read about it in the paper at the inn, and I even saw a poster advertising it. They’re having all sorts of races and prizes. Maybe you can write about competition from a scientific angle.”
Kate groaned. “I guess, but none of that is as exciting as the creamery. I had so many ideas for my paper, and now…” She sighed. “Now I probably won’t even get to go back in there.”
“The Mad River Creamery is exciting, all right!” Sydney agreed. “Just wait till your teacher finds out about rats in their cheese! She’ll tell her students and they’ll tell their parents! Before long, supermarkets won’t even carry Mad River Valley products anymore.”
“I guess you’re right,” Kate said with a shrug.
Sydney laughed. “If you do go back, you should get extra credit for this paper, that’s all I’ve got to say!” Her eyes lit up. “I know! Show your teacher that video! That will get you some bonus points!”
Kate sighed. “It does creep me out to think about going back in the creamery, but I wanted to write about all the electronic gizmos they use to turn milk into cheese. It’s so…fascinating!”
“Yes,” Sydney agreed, “but rats are not fascinating.” She squeezed her eyes shut. Opening them again, she said, “They’re awful, disgusting creatures! I hope I never see another one as long as I live.”
Kate laughed as she trudged along on the snow-packed sidewalk. “I’ve never seen you scared of anything, Sydney. You’re the bravest person I know.”
“Just because I’m athletic doesn’t mean I like rats and snakes and stuff.” Sydney shook her head. “No thank you! I’ll scale the highest heights. Ski down the biggest mountain…but don’t ask me to look at a rat! Ugh!” Her hands began to tremble.
Kate looked at her friend curiously. “Why do rats scare you so much, anyway?”
Sydney’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe I never told you! A couple of years ago at summer sports camp, one of the boys put a mouse in my lunch sack.”
“No way!”
“Yes. I opened the bag, and the rodent stared at me with his beady eyes.” Sydney’s voice shook. “I threw the bag halfway across the room.”
“Aw.” Kate giggled. “Was the mouse okay?”
“Was the mouse okay?” Sydney looked at her with a stunned expression. “What about me? Why aren’t you asking if I was okay? It scared me to death! Seriously!”
“Still, it’s kinda funny,” Kate said, trying not to smile.
“Well, not to me. I’ve never liked mice…or rats … since. And especially not in a creamery.” Sydney shook her head. “Not that the creamery will be open for long. I’ll bet the health inspector’s going to come and shut the place down permanently. That’s what I’d do, anyway.”
“That’s just so sad!” Kate sighed. “For the owners, I mean. I’d hate to be in their shoes right now!”
“Me too!” Sydney said. “’Cause their shoes…and their feet…are still inside that awful creamery!”
Kate finally started to relax as they walked together the three blocks to her aunt and uncle’s inn—the Valley View Bed and Breakfast. When they drew close to the building, Kate saw her brother Dexter outside building a snowman. “Just wait till Dex hears about the rats!”
“Hey, Dex!” Sydney hollered. “Do we have a story for you!”
The nine-year-old rose and brushed snow off his wet knees. Then he jogged toward them, his cheeks bright red from playing in the cold. “What’s up?”
“We saw rats at the creamery!” Sydney began to tell the story with great animation. Before long, Dexter’s eyes grew so wide they looked like they might pop out.
“No joke? Rats! Ooo, that’s so cool!” He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s go back. I want to see them. Do you think they’ll let me keep one? It’s been ages since I’ve had a pet rat!” He rattled on about how much fun it would be to share his room with a rat.
Kate shuddered. “This isn’t the day to ask. They’ve closed the creamery for the afternoon. I bet they won’t even be open tomorrow.”
“And besides…those weren’t pet rats.” Sydney squeezed her eyes shut and shivered. “They’re probably disease-carrying rats.”
Dex scrunched up his nose and said, “Sick! Never mind, then!”
A voice rang out from the front of the inn, and Kate saw Aunt Molly at the front door, waving. Then Uncle Ollie joined her.
“Come inside, kids. Lunchtime!” Uncle Ollie hollered.
“I’ve made homemade vegetable soup!” Aunt Molly added. “P
erfect for a cold day like this. And we have apple pie for dessert!”
“Everyone in Mad River Valley knows your Aunt Molly bakes the best apple pies around!” Uncle Ollie said with a wink.
Kate smiled at her uncle. He looked so much like her father they could almost pass for twins. Uncle Ollie was older. And mostly bald. But she still saw the family resemblance. How funny that Uncle Ollie had just married a woman named Molly! Kate still giggled when she thought about it. Ollie and Molly Oliver. Their names just tripped across her tongue.
“Apple pie!” Dexter began to run toward the house. “My favorite!”
“Mmm!” Kate smacked her lips. Aunt Molly’s great cooking would surely take her mind off of what had just happened…unless she served cheese on top of the pie!
Inside, Kate and Sydney pulled off their mittens and scarves, snow falling on the front rug. Kate’s dog, Biscuit, jumped up and down, excited to see them. Then he licked up the little puddles of water from the melting snow.
“Sorry about the mess, Aunt Molly.” Kate sighed.
“Never apologize for falling snow, honey,” Aunt Molly said. “I always say snowflakes are kisses from heaven. So I don’t mind a little mess. You girls have just left kisses on my floor!”
“You’re so sweet.” Kate hugged her aunt, noticing the familiar smell of her aunt’s tea rose perfume.
“So…” Aunt Molly flashed a warm smile as she helped Sydney with her jacket. “What do you think of Mad River Valley? Did you kids find anything exciting in our little town?”
“Oh, more than you know!” Kate shrugged off her heavy winter coat. She explained what had happened, then added, “I don’t know if I can ever look at Mad River Cheddar Cheese the same way again.”
Kate Page 11
