The Ship of Stolen Words by Fran Wilde

Author:Fran Wilde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2021-06-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Sam

“Will you hold the piglet, Sam, while we cross the street?” Anita lifted the squirming pookah out of Bella’s arms and handed it to Sam.

“MoooooOOoommm.” Bella pouted all the way back to Mount Cloud village, until she could carry the piglet again. “What will we name it?”

“We are not naming it,” Sam’s dad said.

Of all Nana’s half-baked ideas, leaving Bella with the pookah-piglet even for a moment might be the worst, Sam thought.

“We’re going to have to give it back very soon,” he said. “The project is almost over.” At least, it was supposed to be. All he knew was that he had to get the dictionary pages, find Nana, and then fix the library so the Lockhearts wouldn’t be upset. None of these plans included Bella continuing to own a pig.

Sam knew the only reason the pookah was here at all was because Nana needed one to get through the portal to find Starflake. Once she returned to the marshbogs, she’d take both pookahs with her. He hoped.

“I have to say, when it ran through the house, that piglet seemed much larger,” his stepmom said. “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, though. I could have imagined it.” She looked at Sam as if he was part of what had been on her mind. Sam figured that was pretty likely. “I’ll see you all back at the house!”

“Let’s talk to Ms. Malloy about this.” Mr. Culver turned off the sidewalk, and Bella, Sam, and the piglet followed. Ms. Malloy waved from her porch swing.

“Hello, James, Hi, Sam, Hi, Bella!”

She looked like she was feeling better. Sam was glad. He had so much to tell her. But Sam’s dad barely said hello. “Why weren’t parents given more notice about this pig project?”

“I’m so sorry about that.” Ms. Malloy fanned herself and raised her eyebrows at Sam. “It was a last-minute opportunity, assigned to a few particular students. Animal care teaches the value of actions over words.”

“Well. I guess that’s a good lesson,” Mr. Culver said. “How long will the, er, piglet be with us?”

Ms. Malloy’s eyebrows couldn’t get any higher.

“You said a day or two, for each of us,” Sam interjected. “So we’re almost finished.”

She smiled, relieved. “Yes, exactly. James, do you mind if I speak with Sam about the project for a minute, since he’s here? I’ll send him right home. Bella, would you care for the piglet until then?”

Bella smiled in gap-toothed delight as she skipped back home. Mr. Culver followed, shaking his head at the sight.

“Whew, that was close,” Sam said. Then he looked up, directly into his teacher’s sternest expression.

“Sam, first. No more lying. Second . . . how did you come by a goblin pig?”

Sam owed her an answer, but he didn’t have a great one. “Well, Nana—the older goblin . . .”

“You spoke to them?” The alarm in her voice carried out over her yard. Sam saw his dad pause near their door, but he and Ms. Malloy waved, and Mr. Culver went inside.

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