I Want to Go Home by Gordon Korman

Author:Gordon Korman [Korman, Gordon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Canada Ltd.
Published: 2015-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

9

THE GREAT ESCAPE

“Hi there, Miller.” Ralph Deacon, with an extravagant smile, inserted himself between Rudy and Mike at the breakfast table the next morning. “How goes it with you?”

Rudy raised expressionless eyes to the Cabin 3 counsellor, then turned back to his breakfast.

“Say,” began Ralph, undaunted, as if a brilliant idea had suddenly occurred to him, “I’m making up an Algonkian Island all-star baseball team. In a couple of days the Spruce Valley team is coming here to play us. How would you like to be our pitcher?”

Rudy began methodically peeling an orange. “I don’t play baseball,” he said quietly.

“Sure you do,” cried Ralph. “You’re great at baseball!”

“I don’t play it,” said Rudy, even more quietly.

“All he plays is chess!” sneered Harold Greene.

“Shut up, Greene!” came from Chip at the head of the table.

Ralph’s face brightened. “Chess, eh? I’m a pretty fair chess player myself. I’ll make you a deal. Meet me at four this afternoon, in my room in Cabin 3. We’ll have a game of chess. If I win, you play on my baseball team.”

Rudy cocked his head, interested. “And if I win?”

“Well,” said Ralph, “name it.”

“I want to go home,” said Rudy.

“Miller!” exclaimed Chip warningly.

“All right,” said Rudy, “if I can’t go home, then send him home.” He pointed to Harold Greene.

“Nobody’s going home,” said Chip. “Ask for something realistic.”

“How about making me camp director for a day?” suggested Rudy.

Ralph walked over to Chip and whispered, “What do you say?”

“Are you crazy?” exploded Chip. “You can’t make Miller camp director for five minutes! He’ll sink the island!”

“Oh, don’t be silly!” whispered Ralph. “Schools these days are always coming out with ‘principal for a day’ contests, and small towns let kids play ‘mayor for a day.’ It’s only a game. It won’t mean anything. And Mr. Warden will be gone all day tomorrow. He doesn’t even have to know about it.”

“But I know Miller!” Chip insisted hoarsely. “His first official act will be to send himself home!”

“We’ll stipulate that nobody’s allowed to go home,” argued Ralph. “Besides, there’s no way he can beat me at chess! I’m a Class A player with an eighteen hundred rating! And what about my baseball team? Spruce Valley were last year’s champions. They’ll murder us if I don’t have Miller. Come on, Chip. I’ll clear it with Frank.”

Chip sighed. “If Frank gives permission, then it’s okay with me.”

Ralph rushed across the mess hall and began whispering excitedly to the head counsellor.

After a heated discussion, Frank approached table 13. “All right, Miller,” he said, “the deal’s on. But — if you win, your term of office lasts only for tomorrow, after Mr. Warden leaves for the mainland. During that time you can’t send yourself or anybody else home. And you’re not allowed to damage camp property. No trenches, no fires, no bombs. Understood?”

“Agreed,” said Rudy.

“Good!” said Ralph. “Four o’clock.” He was jubilant.

Frank pulled Ralph aside. “If you lose …” he intoned warningly.

* * *

Chip marched up to the door of the arts and crafts building and ushered Rudy and Mike inside.

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