What a Pair! by Wanda E Brunstetter Read Free Book Online Page A

thing he’d be taking home would be a whole lot of itchy mosquito bites!
    Feeling kind of drowsy, Mark set his fishing pole aside, removed his straw hat, and lay back in the grass. Then, placing his hat over his face, he closed his eyes and thought about the new bicycle he hoped he’d get for his birthday next month. A blue-and-white one would be really nice. He’d also like a carrier on the back of the bike, where he could tie on his schoolbooks. How nice it would be to ride to school every day, like his two older brothers did. Mark knew that Mattie was hoping for a bicycle, too, only she wanted hers to be red.
    Mark and Mattie had both been disappointed when they’d learned that Grandpa and Grandma Troyer might not make it for their birthday celebration, which was coming up soon. Grandma and Grandpa lived farther north in a town called Burton, and it was more than one hundred miles away. Since it was too far to travel by horse and buggy, it meant having to hire a driver to bring them to Walnut Creek. That would normally be okay, but in Grandma’s last letter she said Grandpa’s arthritis had been acting up, and that if he wasn’t better by Mark and Mattie’s birthday they wouldn’t be coming to help them celebrate.
    A breeze blew softly over Mark, and he let his mind drift to a time last year when Mom and Dad had surprised them all with a little family getaway. They’d hired a driver with a van and gone to Burton to visit Grandpa and Grandma Troyer and go to the Geauga County Fair. Since the fair was close to Grandpa and Grandma’s house, they were able to walk to it. During the day, while Ada and Perry took their naps, Mom and Dad had some quiet time to visit with Grandma and Grandpa while Mark and Mattie went with Calvin, Russell, and Ike to the fairgrounds to take in some of the events. Mark didn’t know what he liked best—the rooster crowing contest, the lively music, or all the good food. Of course, he’d saved room for the delicious supper Grandma had cooked. Afterward, Grandpa built a fire outdoors, and they’d all roasted marshmallows.
    Thinking about all the fun he’d had made Mark feel even drowsier, and soon he drifted off to sleep, dreaming about toasty marshmallows and a brand-new bike.
    “You won’t catch any fish like that. You’ve gotta put your line in the water.”
    Pushing the hat off his face, Mark’s eyes snapped open and he squinted up at Russell, who stood over him with his fishing pole.
    “I’m gettin’ tired of holding my pole and not catching any fish.” Mark’s stomach rumbled as he sat up. “I’m hungerich. Wish I’d brought something to snack on.” Thinking about all the good food he’d eaten at Grandma and Grandpa Troyer’s last year hadn’t helped either.
    “I think Calvin brought some beef jerky along. Want some of that?” Russell asked.
    Mark wrinkled his nose. “Huh-uh. Beef jerky’s too tough.”
    “I have some chewing gum. Would you like a piece?”
    Mark shook his head. “Whenever I chew gum it makes me feel even hungrier. Anyways, I still have a few sticks of gum in my pocket from the pack Grandpa Miller gave me the last time we visited there.”
    “Well, it’s all we’ve got, so if you already have gum, and don’t want any beef jerky, then you’ll just have to suffer.”
    “Maybe I’ll go look for some blackberries,” Mark said. “I’ll bet there are some ripe ones around here by now.”
    “Probably so, but you came to fish, not pick berries,” his brother reminded him.
    “But I’m not gettin’ any fish, so I may as well pick some berries.” Mark plunked his hat back on his head and jumped up. Then he grabbed the plastic bucket he’d brought along, which he’d hoped to fill with fish. Since he hadn’t caught any, he figured he may as well put the bucket to good use.
    “I’ll be back as soon as I have some berries for us to eat,” he told Russell. “If there are enough ripe ones, I might get some for Mom, so she can bake a