Duke by Kirby Larson

Author:Kirby Larson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2013-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

Hobie tucked a peanut butter sandwich inside his baseball glove and hung it from the handlebars. Nearly every day, after weeding and watering the Victory garden, he’d ridden his bike to the school. And every day there was a bunch of kids gathered, ready to play ball. Sometimes they hit around until there were enough for two teams. Then they played until three, when the guys with paper routes had to leave to pick up their papers.

Hobie wasn’t sure how many more ball games he could make. Uncle Tryg was due home within the week, and who knew how much help he’d want with the Lily Bess. Dad’s last letter had included a list of ways Hobie could pitch in. Don’t wait for Tryg to ask you to do something, he’d written. If you see a job to do, do it. Hobie hoped he wouldn’t let Dad — or Uncle Tryg — down.

Riding to the school yard, Hobie wondered if they’d have enough for two teams today. The teams shifted around a bit depending on who showed up, but Catherine was always one of the captains. She brought the baseball. And she usually picked Hobie for her team.

Hobie counted heads as he coasted across the school yard to the backstop. Fifteen already! Enough for two teams.

Cookie and her friend Nina showed up with a bunch of other kids from their grade.

“We should play fourth against fifth,” Marty suggested.

“You mean fifth against sixth,” Catherine corrected. “We’re officially sixth graders now.”

“Right.” Marty tapped the side of his head. “In the summer, I block school stuff out of my brain!”

“Me, too,” said the other captain, Mike Feeney.

“Not me,” said Preston Crane. “I miss school.”

“You would,” Marty groaned. “Let’s just play ball.”

They divvied up the teams into the two grades and played all morning.

The almost-sixth graders beat the almost-fifth graders, but only by a run.

“Let’s take a lunch break.” Marty plunked down on the grass. “I’m starving.”

“Glad to meet you, Starving,” said Hobie.

“Very funny.” Marty flopped onto his back. “I’m thirsty, too. Anyone else want to ride over to Lee’s for a soda?”

The other kids were fine with the water fountain, so it was just Hobie and Marty who went to Lee’s. Hobie had a dime. He picked out a grape soda for himself.

“Do you think Catherine would rather have grape or root beer?” Hobie asked Marty. Since Catherine brought the ball every day, he thought she deserved a soda, too.

“Root beer.” Marty picked out a Bubble Up for himself. “Hey, you want to come over later? Listen to Hop Harrigan with me?”

“Sure!” Hobie thought about all the times he and Scooter had sat in Hobie’s kitchen, waiting to hear what Hop was going to do that day. If the story was a dud, Scooter added his own sound effects. And not always polite ones. But Hobie laughed, no matter what.

Mrs. Lee took their change. “No joke today?” she asked.

Hobie thought for a second. What was the one he’d just read? “Okay. What do you get when you cross a sheepdog with a rose?”

Mrs.

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