Summer According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney Read Free Book Online Page B

squeaked.
    “I want to see the Howler,” Ty added. Of course, all the Bobwhites went, “Owoooo.”
    Like the Robins and the Blue Jays, the Bobwhites spent a lot of time talking about winning the Clash of the Cabins and spending the night in Haunted Hollow. Unlike the other groups, the Bobwhites were pretty sure they’d win, because of Sam.
    Super-Sam was what they called him. As in, “You should see him canoeing—super!” Or, “Did you see him pitch today—wasn’t he super?”
    Apparently everything Sam did was super and he excelled in horseback riding, swimming, diving, softball, volleyball and tennis.
    I was happy for the Bobwhites to have such a super—I mean outstanding—camper in their group. But it got a little tiring after a while.
    Especially when Garth said, “Turn out the lights, Sam. Super!”
    But the next morning as Garth carried me to the Nature Center, I understood why he was so glad to have Sam around.
    “You know I’m not very good at sports and things,” he said. “No matter how hard I try, my legs just don’t go as fast as the other boys’.”
    “You’re not so bad,” I squeaked, even though I knew he wasn’t so good, either.
    “The only way I have a chance of spending the night in Haunted Hollow is if a guy like Sam is in our group. He’s so good at everything, we can’t lose a game.” He continued, “And I really want to spend the night in Haunted Hollow.”
    I wanted Garth and all my friends to get to spend the night in that scary-sounding place if that’s what they wanted.
    I just wasn’t sure I wanted to be there with them.
    Who-who was afraid of meeting up with the Howler? Me-me!
    NOTE TO SELF: Beware of things that hoot and howl-especially at night!

9
    Knots to You
    H umphrey . . .” Sayeh’s soft, sweet voice woke me from a short afternoon doze as I waited in the Nature Center for the next group to come in.
    I dashed out of my sleeping hut and hurried to the side of my cage where she was peering in at me.
    “Sayeh!” I squeaked. “Glad to see you!”
    Sayeh smiled, but it was a sad smile. “I wish you could talk to me.”
    “What’s wrong?” I asked. Because I could tell from her face that she needed a friend.
    “You know how to get along with people so well,” she said. “I’m never sure what to say.”
    “Just speak up, Sayeh,” I advised her. But I know all she heard was “SQUEAK-SQUEAK-SQUEAK,” which is one of the most frustrating things about being a hamster.
    Sayeh didn’t like to speak up. When I first came to Room 26, Mrs. Brisbane was always telling her, “Speak-Up-Sayeh.” And over time, with Mrs. Brisbane’s help (and mine), she gained the courage to squeak up in class and became friends with many students, especially Miranda.
    But she was still what humans would call quiet.
    “Tell me, Sayeh,” I told her. “What’s wrong?”
    Sayeh pulled up a chair so she could be close to my cage.
    “You probably don’t even know about the Clash of the Cabins,” she said.
    “I do!” I squeaked back.
    “I was helping Miranda with her backstroke—that’s a swimming stroke. But she’s a Robin and I’m a Chickadee. Now the other Chickadees say I shouldn’t help her.” Sayeh sighed. “We were just having fun like in the Happy Hollow song they taught us.”
    Then Sayeh began to sing softly in her beautiful, sweet voice.
    Happy Hollow—a place close to my heart.
Happy Hollow—we loved it from the start.
Where we work hard, play hard and have lots of fun,
Where it’s one for all and it’s all for fun.
We’ll remember forever these happy magic days.
We’ll remember forever our sharing, caring ways.
And for all the days and weeks and years that follow,
We’ll remember happy days at Happy Hollow.
    Sayeh’s big dark eyes turned on me. “You hear that, Humphrey? ‘One for all and all for fun’? Wouldn’t it be more fun if we could all do things together no matter what cabin we’re in?”
    “It’s only a song,” I squeaked