Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine by Jay Williams & Raymond Abrashkin

Author:Jay Williams & Raymond Abrashkin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, sci-fi, young adult, middle grade, adventure
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2016-02-11T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

“What’s Wrong with IT?”

That evening, after dinner, Irene came over from next door to visit Danny. The two settled down cozily in their weather-station alcove, with IT on the floor between them and a pitcher of lemonade on the table.

Sipping at a glassful, Irene said, “I wonder if we oughtn’t to do something about Mr. Elswing —report him, or something?”

Danny poured himself some more lemonade. “Who could we report him to?” he said. “Who’d believe us?”

“Well, maybe other people know about his split personality. Maybe a doctor would believe us. He might get really violent, you know. It’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous? You think he’d really—hurt somebody?”

“You never can tell.”

“I guess you’re right. Maybe we’d better—” The words died on Danny’s lips. He gave a violent start. The glass of lemonade leaped from his fingers and broke on the weather machine’s metal case. “Glurk!” he said.

“Glurk? What do you mean, glurk?” asked Irene, in annoyance. “Now look what you’ve done.”

Danny gulped like a goldfish and motioned weakly at the doorway.

“‘Glurk’ isn’t even English,” Irene continued. Then she saw what he was doing, and turned toward the door.

“Good evening,” said Mr. Elswing quietly.

“G-g-glurk!” said Irene.

The smiling face of Mrs. Dunn appeared behind Mr. Elswing.

“You have a visitor, dear,” she said to Danny. “You know Mr. Elswing, don’t you?”

Danny nodded, still unable to speak.

“Where are your manners, Dan?” said his mother. “Can’t you get up and say hello properly?”

Danny had to try twice before his legs would support him. “H-h-h-h—” was all he could say.

Mr. Elswing was holding Joe’s wagon. “My nephew said that you left this behind you,” he explained. “It is yours, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Danny.

Mrs. Dunn frowned, and silently shaped words with her lips.

Danny caught his mother’s eye. “Er—yes, thank you.”

Mrs. Dunn smiled again. “I’ll leave you then,” she said. “I know Danny has lots of questions he wants to ask you, Mr. Elswing. He and Irene have been so interested in the weather lately.”

When she had gone, Mr. Elswing said, “I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to chat together today.”

Irene and Danny stared at him, and then at each other.

Mr. Elswing, without noticing, went on in a gentle tone, “You know, that was a terrible mess you made in the weather station. And I’m afraid some of the papers and instruments got rather soaked. Eddie told me a fantastic story about how it happened—something about a little rain cloud, and how you struck him with lightning.” He chuckled. “Now, I want you to understand that I used to play games like that when I was young, too. I sympathize with you. But really, you mustn’t shoot water pistols around the weather station from now on. There are some delicate and expensive instruments there that could be ruined by water.”

“But, Mr. Elswing,” Danny interrupted. “It’s true.”

“I beg your pardon? What’s true?”

“We—we did strike Sni—Eddie with lightning. And it wasn’t water pistols, it was IT.”

“It was it? It was what?”

“IT.”

“It what? What it?” said Mr. Elswing, looking bewildered.

“He means the ionic transmitter,” Irene put in.

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