It’s got to be here some where,” Jessie muttered to herself. She took everything out of her knapsack. But the petition wasn’t there. “How can this be?” she said to herself. “I never lose things.”
Jessie searched everywhere in the garage. Maybe the petition had fallen out somehow. But it was nowhere to be found.
Jessie ran back into the firehouse to tell the others.
“What do you mean the petition’s missing?” asked Henry. “Didn’t you have it in your knapsack?”
“Yes,” said Jessie. “But now I can’t find it.”
The Aldens could see how upset their sister was. “Let’s go out to the garage and take another look,” said Violet. “Maybe you just misplaced it somehow.”
But, back in the garage, the others had no better luck than Jessie.
“Where was the knapsack?” Henry asked.
“Right here,” said Jessie, pointing to the floor at her feet.
Henry looked at the wide-open garage doors. “So your knapsack was sitting out in the garage all morning while we were inside painting?”
“Yes,” Jessie said.
“I hate to say this,” Henry began. “But . . . I wonder if someone took the petition.”
“You think someone stole it?” asked Benny.
“I can’t think of any other explanation,” Henry said as they went back inside the firehouse.
“But who do you think would have taken it?” asked Jessie.
“I don’t know,” said Henry. “But probably the same person who’s been doing the other things to harm the firehouse. Without that petition, the town council won’t know how many people want to save this place.”
“Well, there’s just one thing to do,” said Jessie. “Tomorrow I’ll go out and get all those signatures again. The petition was my responsibility, and so it’s my fault it’s gone.”
“We’ll all help get signatures,” said Henry. “Whoever’s trying to stop us from saving the firehouse doesn’t know one important thing about the Aldens.”
“What’s that?” asked Violet.
“We don’t give up!” said Henry.
Just then they heard Sparky barking and the door opened. It was Rebecca Wright, carrying her sketch pad and a big bag.
After greeting the Aldens, she turned to Steve, who had come to help them paint. “Mind if I take another look around?” she asked.
“Of course not,” Steve replied. “You can leave your things here on the couch if you’d like.”
The Aldens watched as Rebecca put down her bag. Then, sketch pad in hand, she began to walk around. She paused in front of the antique silver pieces for several minutes, a thoughtful look on her face.
“Is anything wrong?” Henry asked, seeing how closely she was studying them.
Rebecca didn’t answer.
“Rebecca?” Jessie said.
She jumped. “What — oh, I’m sorry, I was just thinking. Did you ask me something?”
“I just wondered if anything was wrong,” Henry said.
Rebecca didn’t answer for a moment. She looked again at the silver pieces. “No, no, I guess not,” she said at last.
Rebecca headed upstairs just as the Aldens had finished packing up the supplies to bring up there.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired of painting,” said Benny, putting down his brush and sitting down on the couch. “I wanted to learn about firefighting, not painting.”
“I wouldn’t mind taking a break myself,” said Violet.
“That’s fine,” said Jessie. “Henry and I will take the supplies upstairs and start getting ready to paint.”
Steve rolled up beside Benny and Violet. “Well, if you’re going to be firefighters, then you need to know the five most important safety rules,” he said. “What do you think the most important rule is?”
“Never play with matches?” asked Violet.
“That’s right. Lots of fires start that way,” Steve told them. “Stay away from open flames, like barbecue grills. Last night, when you were making the chili, I was glad that you asked me for help before you turned on the stove. You should never use the stove without an adult’s help.”
“We always ask Grandfather or Mrs. McGregor or Aunt Jane to help us,” said Violet.
“Now for the next rule. What should you do if you think there’s a fire in the house?” asked Steve.
“Call the fire department?” asked Benny.
“Even before that,” said Steve.
“Get out?” Violet asked.
“Yes,” Steve said. “Get out quickly. If it’s smoky crawl low on the ground. Don’t go back in even if you’ve forgotten something. Wait until an adult tells you it’s safe.”
“Why do you crawl?” Benny wanted to know.
“Because it’s very dangerous to breathe smoke,” Steve explained. “Since smoke rises, the clearest air is near the ground.”
“I get it,” said Benny.
Steve went on, “Make sure you know at least two ways out. You should even have some practice fire drills with your family.”
“Then do you call the fire department?” asked Benny.
“Yes, that’s the next rule. As soon as you’re safe, call the fire department right away,” said Steve. “In many towns you can just dial 9-1-1 for any kind of emergency. Make sure the emergency numbers are taped to the phone.”
“What about ‘stop, drop, and roll’?” asked Violet.
“What’s that?” asked Benny. “Sounds like a new dance!”
Steve laughed. “That’s rule number four, and it’s what you do if your clothes catch on fire. You should never run, because that will only make the fire burn more. Violet, why don’t you show Benny?” Violet stood up.
“First you stop,” said Steve. Violet stood very still.
“Then you drop,” he said. Violet dropped to the floor and lay down.
“Then you roll,” he finished, as Violet rolled on the floor. “Rolling on the ground will put out the flames. Be sure to cover your face with your hands.”
“Now I get it,” said Benny, as he rolled on the floor next to Violet.
“And the last rule is, make sure your Grandfather changes the batteries in your smoke alarms every year,” said Steve. “Now, can you kids repeat those rules back to me?”
One by one, Violet and Benny recited each rule.
“You’re good students. Now how about a cup of hot cocoa?” Steve asked.
“That sounds great,” said Benny, going with Steve into the kitchen. “I’ll get one for you, Violet.”
A few minutes later, Benny returned with two steaming mugs of cocoa.
“Benny,” Violet whispered, her voice tense. “Come here, quick.”
Benny looked at his sister. She was sitting on the couch staring at Rebecca Wright’s bag. “What is it?” Benny asked, hurrying over to her. “Why are you acting so strange?”
“Look what’s sticking out of Rebecca’s bag,” said Violet.
“What do you mean?” Benny asked.
“Just look,” said Violet. “Quick, before she comes back downstairs.
Benny looked, and his eyes grew big and round. He saw immediately why his sister was behaving so oddly. Sticking up out of Rebecca’s bag was a folded piece of paper. On the paper he could see Violet’s handwriting at the top and a long column of signatures underneath. It was the petition! “What’s that doing in there?” he asked.
“Shhhh! She’ll hear you,” Violet said, her voice hushed.
“What’s that doing in there?” Benny repeated in a whisper.
“That’s just what I was wondering,” Violet whispered back.
“Rebecca must have taken it,” said Benny. “But why?”
“That doesn’t matter right now,” said Violet. “What matters is, how are we going to get it back?”
“I think we should just ask her for it,” said Benny. “After all, it’s ours, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but — ” Violet started to say. But it was too late. Rebecca had come down the stairs, and she was heading right for them. |