hand. “Never liked me much.”
“Some of these toys look expensive,” Kendra said, standing beside an ornate Victorian dollhouse.
“Toys are meant to be played with,” Grandpa said. “Do your best to keep them in decent shape, and that will be good enough.”
Seth moved from the hen cage to a small piano in the corner of the room. He banged on the keys, and the notes that clanged sounded different from what Kendra would have expected. It was a little harpsichord.
“Consider this room your space,” Grandpa said. “Within reason, I’ll not bother you to pick things up in here, so long as you treat the rest of the house with respect.”
“Okay,” Kendra said.
“I also have some unfortunate news. We are in the height of tick season. You kids ever hear of Lyme disease?”
Seth shook his head.
“I think so,” Kendra said.
“It was originally discovered in the town of Lyme, Connecticut, not too far from here. You catch it from tick bites. The woods are full of ticks this year.”
“What does it do?” Seth asked.
Grandpa paused for a solemn moment. “Starts out as a rash. Before long it can lead to arthritis, paralysis, and heart failure. Besides, disease or no, you don’t want ticks burrowing into your skin to drink your blood. You try to pull them off and the head detaches. Hard to get out.”
“That’s disgusting!” Kendra exclaimed.
Grandpa nodded grimly. “They’re so small you can hardly see them, at least until they fill up on blood. Then they swell to the size of a grape. Anyhow, point is, you kids are not allowed to enter the woods under any circumstances. Stay on the lawn. Break that rule and your outdoor privileges will be revoked. We understand one another?”
Kendra and Seth nodded.
“You also need to keep out of the barn. Too many ladders and rusty old pieces of farm equipment. Same rules apply to the barn as apply to the woods. Set foot in there, and you will spend the rest of your stay in this room.”
“Okay,” Seth said, crossing the room to where a little easel stood on a paint-spattered tarp. A blank canvas rested on the easel. Additional blank canvases leaned against the wall nearby, beside shelves stocked with jars of paint. “Can I paint?”
“I’m telling you twice, you have the run of this room,” Grandpa said. “Just try not to destroy it. I have many chores to attend to, so I may not be around much. There should be plenty of toys and hobbies here to keep you busy.”
“What about a TV?” Seth asked.
“No TV or radio,” Grandpa replied. “Rules of the house. If you need anything, Lena will never be far.” He indicated a purple cord hanging against the wall near one of the beds. “Tug the cord if you need her. In fact, Lena will be up with your supper in a few minutes.”
“Won’t we eat together?” Kendra asked.
“Some days. Right now I need to visit the east hayfield. May not be back until late.”
“How much land do you own?” asked Seth.
Grandpa smiled. “More than my share. Let’s leave it at that. I’ll see you kids in the morning.” He turned to leave and then paused, reaching into his coat pocket. Turning back, he handed Kendra a tiny key ring holding three miniature keys of varying sizes. “Each of these keys fits something in this room. See if you can figure out what each unlocks.”
Grandpa Sorenson walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Kendra listened as he descended the stairs. She stood at the door, waiting, and then gently tried the handle. It turned slowly. She eased the door open, peered down the empty stairway, and then closed it. At least he had not locked them in.
Seth had opened a toy chest and was examining the contents. The toys were old-fashioned but in excellent condition. Soldiers, dolls, puzzles, stuffed animals, wooden blocks.
Kendra wandered over to a telescope by a window. She peered
“Some of these toys look expensive,” Kendra said, standing beside an ornate Victorian dollhouse.
“Toys are meant to be played with,” Grandpa said. “Do your best to keep them in decent shape, and that will be good enough.”
Seth moved from the hen cage to a small piano in the corner of the room. He banged on the keys, and the notes that clanged sounded different from what Kendra would have expected. It was a little harpsichord.
“Consider this room your space,” Grandpa said. “Within reason, I’ll not bother you to pick things up in here, so long as you treat the rest of the house with respect.”
“Okay,” Kendra said.
“I also have some unfortunate news. We are in the height of tick season. You kids ever hear of Lyme disease?”
Seth shook his head.
“I think so,” Kendra said.
“It was originally discovered in the town of Lyme, Connecticut, not too far from here. You catch it from tick bites. The woods are full of ticks this year.”
“What does it do?” Seth asked.
Grandpa paused for a solemn moment. “Starts out as a rash. Before long it can lead to arthritis, paralysis, and heart failure. Besides, disease or no, you don’t want ticks burrowing into your skin to drink your blood. You try to pull them off and the head detaches. Hard to get out.”
“That’s disgusting!” Kendra exclaimed.
Grandpa nodded grimly. “They’re so small you can hardly see them, at least until they fill up on blood. Then they swell to the size of a grape. Anyhow, point is, you kids are not allowed to enter the woods under any circumstances. Stay on the lawn. Break that rule and your outdoor privileges will be revoked. We understand one another?”
Kendra and Seth nodded.
“You also need to keep out of the barn. Too many ladders and rusty old pieces of farm equipment. Same rules apply to the barn as apply to the woods. Set foot in there, and you will spend the rest of your stay in this room.”
“Okay,” Seth said, crossing the room to where a little easel stood on a paint-spattered tarp. A blank canvas rested on the easel. Additional blank canvases leaned against the wall nearby, beside shelves stocked with jars of paint. “Can I paint?”
“I’m telling you twice, you have the run of this room,” Grandpa said. “Just try not to destroy it. I have many chores to attend to, so I may not be around much. There should be plenty of toys and hobbies here to keep you busy.”
“What about a TV?” Seth asked.
“No TV or radio,” Grandpa replied. “Rules of the house. If you need anything, Lena will never be far.” He indicated a purple cord hanging against the wall near one of the beds. “Tug the cord if you need her. In fact, Lena will be up with your supper in a few minutes.”
“Won’t we eat together?” Kendra asked.
“Some days. Right now I need to visit the east hayfield. May not be back until late.”
“How much land do you own?” asked Seth.
Grandpa smiled. “More than my share. Let’s leave it at that. I’ll see you kids in the morning.” He turned to leave and then paused, reaching into his coat pocket. Turning back, he handed Kendra a tiny key ring holding three miniature keys of varying sizes. “Each of these keys fits something in this room. See if you can figure out what each unlocks.”
Grandpa Sorenson walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Kendra listened as he descended the stairs. She stood at the door, waiting, and then gently tried the handle. It turned slowly. She eased the door open, peered down the empty stairway, and then closed it. At least he had not locked them in.
Seth had opened a toy chest and was examining the contents. The toys were old-fashioned but in excellent condition. Soldiers, dolls, puzzles, stuffed animals, wooden blocks.
Kendra wandered over to a telescope by a window. She peered
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