said, getting up. âYou can start tomorrow morning. Check in with me around five-thirty.â
âIâll be there,â Jed said. âAnd thanks.â
It was barely sunset when Mr. Morgan nudged Benny on the shoulder.
âItâs time to raise the sides, so youâd best stand clear.â
âRaise the sides?â Benny looked up, puzzled. He had been squatting in the dust, pulling bent nails out of a pine board.
Mr. Morgan laughed. âThis is the moment weâve all been working for. Look around you, boy. Youâre standing right smack in the middle of where the new barn will be!â
âI am?â Benny gulped. He took a slow look around, and realized that the four walls had been assembled on the grass, and men were attaching guide ropes. In just a few minutes the barn would be standing by itself!
âWait on the sidelines,â Mr. Morgan cautioned as he went to lend a hand. âWe donât want any accidents to happen.â
âNo sir!â Benny agreed, and he scampered over to join Jessie and Violet. They watched in amazement as Mr. Tyndall shouted to the workers, and right on cue, all four sides suddenly started to rise from the ground.
âSteady now!â Mr. Tyndall yelled. Everyone started clapping and laughing as the sides stood straight up, pointing skyward.
âLook at that!â Benny said. âItâs a real barn, now, except for the roof.â
Jessie and Violet hugged each other. It felt like a real celebration!
At the end of the day, all four Aldens, tired but happy, piled into the back of the Morgansâ pickup truck. Violet craned her neck for a last look at the barn frame, which stood out against the darkening sky.
âJust think,â she said, âwe helped build a real barn today.â
âWe sure did,â Benny said sleepily. He nestled his head against her shoulder and was about to drift off when Bob Tyndall hurried over to the truck.
âHey, little guy,â he said, nudging Bennyâs shoulder. âIâve got something for you. A little souvenir to remember us by.â
Benny sat up straight and watched in amazement as Bob took off the tan leather pouch that looked like a holster and handed it to him.
âYouâre giving it to me to keep?â Benny said, thrilled.
âItâs all yours. Itâs even got some roofing nails inside.â
âWow!â Benny immediately fastened the pouch to his belt. âIâm going to wear it every day,â he said. As the truck rolled down the road to Sunny Oaks, Benny ran his hand over the smooth leather pouch. This was a day he would never forget!
CHAPTER 7
A Day at the Fair
T he following afternoon, the Aldens finished their chores early and rode into town with Mr. Morgan and Sarah.
âI always stop at the post office for the mail while Dad goes to the hardware store,â Sarah said. âThen we both head straight to Hilaryâs for chocolate ice cream sodas.â
The post office was crowded, and Benny spotted Ms. Jefferies picking up a large manila envelope at the counter. âLook whoâs here,â he whispered. âAnd for once, sheâs smiling!â
Ms. Jefferies turned quickly toward the door and nearly bumped into Sarah and Violet. âSorryâoh, itâs you,â she said, recognizing the children.
âHi, Ms. Jefferies,â Sarah said politely. âWe would have been glad to pick that up for you.â She pointed to the manila envelope, and Ms. Jefferies shook her head and turned pink.
âNo, I . . . itâs nothing,â she said.
âWe always pick up mail for our guests,â Sarah went on. âItâs really no troubleââ
âI told you no thanks!â Ms. Jefferies blurted out. She clutched the envelope to her chest and hurried out of the post office.
Benny looked up in surprise. âWhat was she so mad about?â
Sarah shrugged. âMaybe she was