Dipper stopped playing. The three boys stoppedsinging. Jack and Annie stopped drumming.
There was silence. They all crept to the opendoorway and stepped outside. The rain had stopped,and the wind had died down. The air felt clean andcool. Stars shone overhead. The pirate ghosts weregone.
"Whoa, that was something!" said Little Mack.
"What just happened?""Was it a dream?" asked Big Nose Sidney. "Werethose ghosts real?"100"I don't know," said Dipper. "But I'll tell you this:
you'll never, ever get me back in that shop again."Everyone laughed. Even Happy looked happy.
"Hey, Dipper, how'd you get so good on that horn?"he asked, grinning.
"I practiced for two years at the Waif's Home," saidDipper. "That's how.""You got to blow that horn while we sing!" said BigNose Sidney. "Come with us now! We really do havean important gig tonight on a riverboat!""A riverboat?" Jack and Annie said together. Theylooked at each other. Their research book said thatLouis Armstrong developed his musical talentsperforming on riverboats!
"That's right," said Little Mack.
"Oh, wow, Dipper, you have to go with them!" saidAnnie.
"Yeah, man!" said Jack.
But Dipper just shook his head. "Sorry, folks, but Ican't play tonight. I have to get up early in themorning to haul coal.""Aww, Dipper," said Little Mack.
101"Aww, Dipper," said Jack.
"Don't y'all worry about me," said Dipper. "Have agood time on the boat, fellas. Hang on to that smile,Happy.""I'll try," said Happy.
"See you later," said Big Nose Sidney.
"So long to y'all, too," Little Mack said to Jack andAnnie.
"Bye," said Jack.
"Good luck on your gig," said Annie. The threeboys waved and took off.
Dipper looked after them for a long moment. Thenhe turned to Jack and Annie.
"Here's your horn back," he said. "Thanks for lettingme play it." He handed the trumpet to Annie.
"Do you want to keep it?" she said.
"No, thanks. I have my own horn back at my house,a cornet they gave me at the Waif's Home," saidDipper. "Someday when I'm grown, maybe I'll bring itout again.""I think you should have gone with the fellas,102Dipper," said Jack, "to share your musical gifts--""I know, I know," said Dipper, "to share my musicalgifts with the world." He shook his head as if he wereshaking off the thought. Then he beamed a big smileat Jack and Annie. "Hey! Weren't we talking aboutdessert a little while back? That's a gig I can getbehind and still get some sleep. Come on!"As Dipper led Jack and Annie down the rain-slickedstreet, the wet sidewalks glistened like silver. Life hadreturned to the French Quarter. Horses and mulessplashed through puddles. Streetlamps burnedbrightly outside dance halls and restaurants. Waiterscarried tables and chairs back outside.
When Dipper, Jack, and Annie came to JacksonSquare, they found kids playing music again. A bandwas playing a song Jack knew: "When the Saints GoMarching In." A few people in costumes werewandering about.
Dipper led Jack and Annie to the back door of103the River Café. "The cook here is a friend of mine.
So don't worry about the waiters," he said with awink. "Be back in a minute." He slipped into the cafékitchen.
As Jack and Annie waited for Dipper, they couldhear the jazzy music coming from the square:
Oh, when the saints go marching in,Oh, when the saints go marching in.
"Teddy was right. I love New Orleans," said Annie.
"Me too," said Jack. "But how are we ever going toaccomplish our mission for Merlin? Dipper seems likehe's never going to change his mind about makingmusic.""I know," said Annie. "In fact, I was just thinkingthat we might have to do something really drastic.""What's that?" said Jack.
"Show him our research book," said Annie.
104"Whoa!" said Jack. "Do you really think--"Before Jack could finish, Dipper came back outside.
"Mmm-mmm! Talk about something good!" he said.
He clutched a greasy napkin filled with freshly madedoughnuts. "Follow me."As Jack and Annie followed Dipper to the river,Jack's mind was racing. Shouldthey show Dipper theresearch book? It would prove they'd come from thefuture. What would Dipper say? What would hethink? It's too weird, Jack thought.
"Let's just try talking to him first," Jack whisperedto Annie. She nodded.
Dipper led them to a bench near the water. Jack andAnnie sat on the wet wood on either side of him.
Dipper unwrapped the doughnuts and handed one toJack and one to Annie and kept one for himself.
"Careful," Dipper said. "The sugar will get all overy'all."Jack lifted the warm, sticky doughnut to his mouthand took a big bite. Powdered sugar, flour,105butter, vanilla--all melted in his mouth. It wasmighty good.
Nobody talked while they ate their doughnuts.
When they were finished, they all wiped their stickyfingers on their shirts and pants. By now, Jack'sclothes were soaked with rainwater, coal dust,kitchen grease, sweat, and grime. A little powderedsugar and butter won't make a bit of difference, hethought.
"So, Dipper," said Annie. "You know you're a reallygreat musician, don't you?"Dipper smiled at her.
"Actually, you're a creative genius," added Jack.
Dipper laughed out loud. "And y'all know who youare, don't you?""Yup, the biggest potato heads you ever met,"finished Jack.
"But thistime we're right,"said Annie.
"Nope, sorry," said Dipper. "I'm definitely nogenius. The truth is I never got past elementary106school. I don't even know how to read music.""But don't you love to playmusic?" said Annie.
"Yeah, sure, I do. Somehow I've got music in mybones," said Dipper. "Sad to say, allI really ever wantto do is blow my horn.""Then why don't you?" said Jack. He felt desperate.
Even without their mission for Merlin, it seemedincredibly sad that Dipper had turned his back on hismusic.
"Yeah, why don't you go play on the riverboat withthe fellas?" said Annie. "It wouldn't hurt you to miss afew hours' sleep."Dipper took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"When I was twelve years old, I got too rowdy onetime," he said. "It was New Year's Eve. I was singingwith the fellas, and I got carried away and fired off agun ... just into the air. I wasn't trying to hurtanybody. But I got caught and I got sentenced to twoyears in the Waif's Home. I just got out a little whileago. I feel really bad for letting my family down likethat. So right now, all I want107to do is help them by keeping a steady job.""But what about a job playing music?" said Jack.
"Great musicians can make a lot of money and helptheir families.""Not playing the music Iwant to play," said Dipper.
"At least I haven't met any. Have you?""Yes. Actually, we have," said Annie. She turnedand looked at Jack. "We have to do it."Jack sighed, then nodded slowly. Annie was right.
He reached into his bag and pulled out their researchbook. |