After the Aldens unpacked, Ken showed them around the farm. He led them past chickens, goats, horses, even a llama.
The llama was white with tan spots. He had a long, graceful neck, thin legs, and curious brown eyes.
Ken went over and stroked the llama’s neck. “This is Sunny,” Ken said with a smile. “He’s very gentle. Would you kids like to pet him?”
“Sure,” Violet said right away. The Aldens crowded around Ken and reached out to pet the llama.
Sunny seemed to enjoy the attention.
“His fur feels like wool,” Benny said. His hand was buried in the thick fur.
“It is wool,” Ken replied. “You can use llama wool for knitting or weaving. During the festival on Saturday, we’ll even show people how to do that.”
“I’d love to try knitting,” said Violet. She enjoyed working with her hands.
“We’ll also have hayrides and pony rides and games,” Ken said.
“What kind of games?” Grandfather asked.
“Horseshoe and some relay races. And we’ll set up a mini maze with bales of straw for the younger children. Maybe you all would like to help with that?”
“We’d love to help,” Jessie said. “This festival sounds fun.”
“It is fun. And of course there will be the usual ‘all you can eat’ corn-on-the-cob, too.”
“All you can eat?” Benny’s eyes lit up. “Oh, boy! This is my kind of festival!”
Everyone laughed.
Jack Sweeney came around behind the barn. “I’m finished cleaning up, so I suppose those kids can go in the maze now.” He eyed the children warily.
“Thanks, Jack,” Ken said. Then he turned to the Aldens. “What do you say? Would you like to explore the maze?”
“Oh, yes!” they exclaimed.
“Can we, Grandfather?” Violet asked.
“Sure,” Grandfather replied.
They all walked back around the barn. Ken pulled down the tape that was blocking the entrance. Then he grabbed a tall stick with a white cloth tied to the end of it and handed it to Jessie.
“James and I will watch you from that lookout over there.” With his cane, he pointed to a wooden structure that looked like a clubhouse with stairs. “If you run into trouble or you need help finding your way out, raise your stick and I’ll direct you.”
“Okay,” Jessie said.
Ken handed Henry a sheet of paper. “Here’s a map of the maze,” he said.
Benny stood on tiptoe to see the map. “It looks like an eagle!”
Ken smiled proudly. “Yes, all my mazes form a picture. This year’s picture is of an eagle.”
“That’s neat,” said Violet.
Henry folded up the map and tucked it in his back pocket. “We’ll try and find our way without the map first,” he said.
The other Aldens nodded in agreement.
“We’re good at solving mazes,” Jessie said.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Ken said.
“Have fun!” Grandfather called as the children hurried over to the maze entrance.
“We will!” Benny waved. But his smile faded when he noticed Mr. Sweeney scowling at them from over by the barn.
The sun felt warm beating down on the children’s backs as they went deeper into the maze. The ground was rock-hard beneath their feet. Rich green cornstalks towered over them. The stalks were as wide around as small tree trunks. They were so close together that not even Benny could sneak between the rows. Each stalk had several silky ears of corn sticking out like small arms.
“Mmm! The corn is so fresh you can almost smell it growing,” Violet said as they turned a corner.
Jessie stepped forward and sniffed an ear of corn. “I think you’re right, Violet,” she laughed.
“Which way should we go?” Benny asked when they came to a fork in the path.
“This way.” Violet pointed. She started off down the path that led to the right. The others stuck close to her heels. But that path soon turned out to be a dead end, so they turned around. When they arrived back at the fork, Violet and Benny started to turn to the left.
“Are you sure that’s the right way?” Henry scratched his head. “I think that way leads back to the maze entrance.”
Jessie rested her stick in the crook of her arm and looked first one direction, then the other. “Yes, we turned right when we turned off this main path. But then we turned around, so now we have to go right again.”
For the next hour, the Aldens followed path after path. Some of the paths led into large open areas. Others ended abruptly in dead ends.
The children noticed a few leftover bits of toilet paper stuck to some of the plants. Henry grabbed one of the larger pieces and peered at it. “I wonder if we can use this to figure out who toilet-papered the maze?”
“How?” Benny asked. “It’s just plain old toilet paper. Everybody has toilet paper.”
“Yes, but not all toilet paper is the same,” Jessie pointed out.
Violet looked closely at the piece. “That’s true. See all the dots that are pressed into it? They form a swirly design.”
“You’re right, Violet,” Jessie said. “I bet every brand of toilet paper has its own design.”
“This piece could be an important clue,” Henry said as he stuffed the toilet paper into his pocket.
The Aldens kept walking. They didn’t find any other clues, but they enjoyed winding through the maze. A few minutes later, they reached the exit. Grandfather and Ken were waiting for them.
“You did it!” Grandfather clapped his hands together. “You found your way out.”
“Did you need the map?” Ken asked as Jessie handed him her stick.
Henry patted his back pocket, where he’d put Ken’s map. “Nope. We never took it out once.”
“You kids are very good at solving mazes indeed!” Ken said with a smile. “Shall we go in the house and see what we can put together for supper?”
“Oh, yes!” said Benny. The children were eager to wash up and help make supper.
“So, how do you build a corn maze, Ken?” Henry asked as they started across the yard.
“Well, the first step is to figure out what picture I want the maze to form. Then I use a computer to help me draw it out. When the corn is about six inches tall, I cut the maze paths. Then it’s just a matter of maintaining the field and waiting for the visitors to come.”
“That’s really interesting,” Violet said. “I’d like to plan a maze.”
“Maybe one day you will,” Ken said. “Hey, it looks like we’ve got company.” The Aldens’ van was now parked between a rusty blue pickup and a sparkling-clean gray sedan.
The children clattered up the back porch steps. Jessie held the door for Ken.
“David? Kurt? Are you here?” Ken called. His cane tapped against the linoleum floor as he turned into the kitchen. The Aldens followed.
A dark-haired, thirty-five-year-old man dressed in a business suit and tie was reading a financial magazine at the kitchen table.
An older man with curly white hair stood by the stove stirring something in a large pot of boiling water. It smelled like corn.
“Hello! You must be the Aldens.” The younger man stood up and shook Grandfather’s hand. “I’m Ken’s son, David.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Grandfather said. Then he introduced his grandchildren.
The older man smiled. “I’m Kurt, Ken’s much better looking younger brother,” he said with a wide grin that showed a gap between his top two front teeth.
The Aldens laughed as they shook hands with Kurt.
Ken scowled. “What brings you around, Kurt? Checking up on me again?”
“No,” Kurt said. “I brought you some freshly picked sweet corn. This corn was still growing in my field about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Wow, that is freshly picked!” said Henry.
“Corn on the cob is best if you don’t pick it until you’ve got the water boiling and you’re ready to drop the ears into the pot,” Kurt said. “So I rushed right over and put the pot on the stove.”
“Why did you bring your own corn when Ken has so much right here?” Benny asked.
Kurt smiled. “Well, I’ll tell you, Benny. Ken can build a corn maze so spectacular that people will come from all over Iowa to see it. But you wouldn’t want to eat his corn! My corn is at least fit for eating.”
“That’s because you grow sweet corn,” Ken pointed out. “I grow field corn.”
“What did I tell you?” Kurt leaned toward Benny. “Would you want to eat the same kind of corn the cows eat?” he asked.
Benny quickly shook his head.
Kurt dipped a pair of tongs into the boiling pot and pulled out a steaming ear of corn-on-the-cob. He set it on a plate to cool.
“Let me put a little butter on this corn and then we’ll see what you think. Okay, Benny?” Kurt said as he grabbed the butter dish and a knife.
“Okay,” Benny said, his mouth watering.
The butter melted on the corn as fast as Kurt could spread it. Kurt added a little salt, then handed the plate to Benny.
“Now you tell me, have you ever tasted better corn-on-the-cob?” Kurt asked. He watched Benny’s face anxiously.
Benny picked up the corn and took a big bite. “Mmm!” he cried, his eyes wide with amazement. “This is the best corn-on-the-cob I’ve ever had!”
“Let’s get some more plates,” Kurt said. “There’s plenty for everyone.”
While Kurt dished up the corn, David started talking to Ken. “So, Dad,” he said carefully. “Uncle Kurt told me about the trouble in the maze today. I hope you weren’t out there working in the hot sun.”
“I wish my brother would mind his own business,” Ken said with a pointed look at Kurt. “I’m perfectly capable of doing a little work in my own field.”
“But Dad. Your arthritis!” David said.
“My arthritis is fine. Besides, Jack did most of the work.”
David took a deep breath. “I know you don’t want to hear this. But it seems to me the maze and the King Corn Days Festival are getting to be an awful lot of work.”
Ken scowled. “We’ve had this argument before. I’m not selling the farm and I’m not moving into town with you and Linda.”
“You’re not as young as you used to be, Pops,” David said. “This is getting to be too much for you.”
“I’ll decide when something’s too much for me,” Ken said stiffly. “Now we’re not going to talk about this anymore. Are you staying for supper, David?”
David sighed. “Yes. Linda’s got a meeting tonight, so I’ll stay.”
“Good.” Ken nodded. “Then why don’t you go fire up the grill. I’ll take some hamburgers out of the freezer. We can have hamburgers and fresh garden salads with our corn.” He got up and shuffled into the other room with his cane.
“I know how much Dad loves this farm and the festival,” David said to the Aldens once Ken was gone. “But it scares me to think about someone prowling around the maze with toilet paper and leaving threatening notes. If this is going to keep up, I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist that Dad give up the farm.”
“I think that would just about break his heart,” Grandfather said.
“I know,” David admitted. He looked sad. “But what else can I do? I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“Don’t worry,” Henry said. “We’ll figure out who vandalized the maze and wrote that note. And we’ll get them to stop.”
“For my father’s sake, I hope you can,” David said. |