Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo by Gilbert L. Morris Read Free Book Online Page B

“Dave, you and Jake come alongwith Gus and me. You can hold the goats’ heads while we do the milking.”
    It was clear that Dave did not like being ordered around. He said, “No. I’d better stay here and make sure everything’s all right. Take Jake and Wash with you. They can help carry the milk back.”
    Reb stared hard at him and muttered something about being king of the hill, but it was under his breath.
    The boys and Gus left, and Sarah and Abbey looked to the girl for directions. “What can we do until they get back with the milk, Meta?”
    â€œThey need to be changed, and the diapers need to be washed, but I’m so tired . . .”
    â€œYou go sit with your grandmother.” Sarah smiled brightly. “Abbey and I will take care of this, won’t we, Abbey?”
    The next hour was rather trying. Abbey had never changed a diaper in her life. It was not her best experience.
    Sarah, on the other hand, had baby cousins, so she’d had plenty of experience washing babies and changing them. She talked to the fussy infants and laughed and tried with little success to make them gurgle at her and forget their hunger. She said, “I love babies.”
    â€œWell, that’s good,” Abbey said, “because I’m certainly no good with them.”
    The girls rinsed the diapers in the waterfall and spread them on the rocks to dry. By that time the boys and Gus were returning with their containers of goat’s milk.
    Gus said, “The good news is we didn’t get eaten by squirrels or attacked by bats.”
    â€œWhat’s the bad news, Gus?”
    â€œThe bad news is that sooner or later we’re going to get caught going after milk. I don’t know what the penalty is for hiding babies in this country—but with a magician like Dr. Korbo around, I would expect the least they’ll do to us is cut our hands off.”
    â€œOh, don’t be so gloomy, Gus. Come and see the babies, and you can all help feed them.”

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7
A New Leader
    S arah hid a smile behind her hand. She hadn’t seen such a funny sight in a long time. It was feeding time in the section reserved for the babies. The Sleepers were all gathered to help, and Sarah suppressed a giggle as she looked at the four boys attempting to carry out their duties.
    Reb Jackson, perhaps, was the most comical. Reb could ride the wildest horse that ever galloped; he was an expert with a sword; he could follow a trail—indeed there seemed little this boy could not do. However, he appeared to be having difficulty feeding a baby. His face was screwed up into a scowl, and he was holding the infant as if it were a bundle of dynamite.
    â€œSo help me, I never thought it would come to this,” he muttered. “I never set myself out to be a nursemaid.”
    Wash, sitting beside Reb, was having somewhat the same difficulty. He could not figure out how to hold the baby and feed her at the same time. Every time he took the bottle away to change positions, a piercing scream would ring out.
    â€œI think this one’s going to be some kind of an opera singer,” he said. “Listen to that voice.”
    Dave and Josh, seated together, were trying their best. Dave had protested that he simply could not do it, but Sarah had thrust a baby into his arms and said, “Yes, you can, Dave. You’re the oldest and the biggest. Now, set a good example.”
    Dave Cooper looked as awkward as a boy couldlook. He balanced the baby on his knees, concentrated on the bottle, and seemed unable to think of a single thing to say.
    Josh, on the other hand, was doing very well, she saw. He held “his” baby, a little girl, in the crook of his arm and looked fairly comfortable. His eyes met Sarah’s, and she smiled. “You’ve done that before, Josh.”
    â€œYep. I had a nephew. I used to take care of him when my aunt and uncle left him at our house. Like riding