Rascal Page #3

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Oh, big as an ocean.

Deep blue color...

dark green pines

along the shore...

gulls hollering overhead...

the Apostle Islands

off in the distance.

A pretty wonderful place.

When you grow up,

it's a place for you to see.

Yes, sir. When I grow up.

Set the spark, will you, son?

Garth!

You leavin' already, Willard?

Yeah. I got a long way to go.

Remember, Sterling,

if anything comes up...

you hustle right over to Garth.

Yes, sir.

Be gone a week,

ten days at the most.

So long, partner.

-So long, Pa.

You want to stay over

at my place tonight, Sterling?

I'll be OK.

You know, Sterling,

one of these days...

he's gonna take you

along with him.

Yes, sir.

At suppertime that evening...

I thought about Pa

and his Apostle Islands...

and Lake Superior,

big as an ocean...

and I wished I was there

riding along with him.

Remembering

it all now, I realize...

it was the first time

I'd ever been left alone.

And I must say,

that big, rambling house...

felt kind of empty.

"Sterling, dear...

"I'll bet you're having

the time of your life now...

"with summer vacation

in full swing...

"and all the things

that Brailsford offers...

"a boy your age.

"Papa wrote you've solved

the housekeeper problem...

"but he didn't say how.

"I'm assuming

it's Mrs. Satterfield.

"I do feel

she's right for you.

"Busy as you are, you still

need someone around...

"to sit down to meals with...

"someone to talk

to and confide in.

"Papa's probably somewhere

over the horizon by now...

"and since I don't know

where to reach him...

"I'll ask you.

"How's Mrs. Satterfield

working out? "

"Dear Theo.

Nice to get your letter.

"Pa's off on one

of his trips again...

"and Rascal's

growing like a weed.

"Did you know a raccoon

could ride a bicycle?

"Well, not really.

"I do the steering

and the pumping...

"and all the hard work...

"and Rascal sits up front

and gives orders.

"You should see him.

He's a real speed demon.

"Keeps telling me

to go faster and faster."

"Dear Theo.

I suppose you knew...

"that raccoons can swim.

It comes kind of natural.

"I had Rascal

down to the creek today...

"and first time in

he took to the water...

"as though he had webbed feet.

"I think he could swim rings

around even Wowser...

"if he wanted to.

"Wowser sends his regards,

so does Rascal...

"and so do I.

"Your loving brother,

Sterling North."

"Sterling, dear,

do you read my letters?

"If you do, you must realize...

"that you still haven't

answered the question...

"I've asked several times now.

"How is Mrs. Satterfield

getting along? "

"Dear Theo.

"You should see how clever

Rascal is with his hands.

"You wouldnt believe it.

"Sometimes he seems

almost human.

"Last Sunday

at the fireman's picnic...

"I won

the pie-eating contest...

"at least I thought I had

until they disqualified me...

"because Rascal was helping.

"It was his idea, not mine.

What a gyp!

"You'd think they'd give us

a... a special prize...

"for best raccoon pie eater."

"Hooray for Rascal

and the fireman's picnic...

"and your canoe

and everything else.

"But what I'm really

interested in is...

"how is Mrs. Satterfield? "

"Dear Theo.

"Raccoons are

natural-born fishermen...

"and Rascal's one of the best.

"He sometimes catches

four or five crayfish...

"while I'm standing there

still waiting for a bite.

"It's a real kick

to watch him.

"Whenever I go into town

I take him with me...

"riding up front as always.

"I sometimes think he could

handle my bike alone."

"Sterling North,

how is Mrs. Satterfield?! "

Aah!

How are you, go Satterfield?

Fine. Just fine.

"Mrs. Satterfield's fine.

"Everybody's fine.

Pa's fine, too.

"Very finely yours, Sterling."

For some reason...

I couldn't seem

to make Theo understand...

that everything

was fine at home...

that she needn't

worry about us.

Rascal and I

had so many adventures...

I hardly had time to miss Pa.

We were always together,

partners and pals...

exploring the back roads,

wandering the woods...

and learning new things

every day.

I'll bet we knew every

bird nest and fox's den...

and rabbit burrow

for miles around.

Looking back now, I realize

that people worried about us.

But we didn't worry.

We were too busy.

The fact of the matter was...

it was turning into the most

wonderful summer of my life.

Summer sweet was green,

green grass there

Fields were wet

with morning dew

I'll meet you

on the road across there

Don't you be late,

you rascal, you

Every man's a boy

at heart there

Every boy, a little man

Skip a rock

across the pond for me

Barefoot boy

with cheek of tan

I'll trade my new suit

for your blue jeans

I'll take

your country road

And you can have

my city street

Just let me taste my youth

In sunshine once again

And take me back

to summer sweet

Summer sweet was green,

green grass there

Fields were wet

with morning dew

I'll meet you

on the road across there

Don't you be late,

you rascal, you

Lots of things

happened that summer.

I remember one morning

Garth gave Rascal and me...

a ride in his sulky.

You should have seen

Donnybrook go.

Garth said he was showing off

for his little friend.

Suddenly

Walt Dabbett came along...

in that noisy contraption

of his...

and it threw Donnybrook

all off stride.

Whoa! Whoa, boy! Whoa!

Whoa, Donnybrook!

Easy, easy, easy!

Dang fool!

And so that summer sped by...

Rascal getting fatter

and lazier...

I getting on with my canoe.

I had finally come up with

a great idea for the ribs...

the hoops from Mr. Pringle's

cheese boxes.

That summer, I might add...

I cornered the market

on empty cheese boxes...

and the canoe

was coming along nicely.

Meanwhile, it seemed...

Rascal had some schemes

of his own.

I don't know when

it came to his attention...

but somewhere

along the line...

he had made a little note

for future reference...

there was corn

growing next door.

Hey!

My cornfield! Go on!

Get out of there!

Get him, get him, get him, Ham!

Get out of here!

Get out of my cornfield!

You miserable varmint!

Get him, Ham!

Go on, get him!

Get him! Get him!

If I get my hands on you...

gotcha now!

I gotcha,

you miserable varmint!

Sorry, Mr. Jenkins.

I don't know what got into him.

My corn!

That's what got into him!

Ohh!

-Yes, sir.

Anybody else, they'd shoot him!

And that's just

what's gonna happen...

if you don't

do something about it!

Shoot him?

Mine ain't the only

corn patch in this town.

Now, you better just

straighten out that varmint.

Or get rid of him!

I didn't

realize it just then...

but my troubles

were only beginning.

Making Cy Jenkins mad at me

was bad enough...

but that afternoon a new

problem arrived in my life.

It was my teacher and the new

minister coming to call.

This is the house,

is it not, gice Whalen?

Uh, yes. Yes, it is.

I hope I made myself clear,

Miss Whalen.

Of course.

There's a difference between

unwarranted interference...

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