Benny sighed. “There’s nothing to do,” he said. Benny was six years old, and he liked to keep busy.
No one answered him. At the kitchen table, Violet was drawing, Jessie was reading a book on the history of flight, and Henry was looking through cookbooks.
“I wish we could go somewhere,” Benny said. “Have an adventure.”
The Aldens often took trips. They had adventures wherever they went.
“I can’t go anywhere,” Henry told him. “I’m too busy.”
Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens’ housekeeper, was away for the weekend. While she was gone, fourteen-year-old Henry was the cook.
“And I want to draw,” Violet said. She was ten and a talented artist, but she never seemed to have enough time for her artwork.
“Reading this book is an adventure,” twelve-year-old Jessie said. “It’s all about flying.”
Henry nodded. “I read that book,” he said. “It was really interesting.”
“Even if we weren’t busy,” Jessie said, “Grandfather said he wouldn’t be home from the mill until late.”
Benny had forgotten that. “Looks like everyone’s busy but me,” he said.
“Why don’t you call some of your friends?” Violet suggested.
“Yes,” Jessie agreed. “They could come here to play. I’ll make popcorn.”
“They’re all busy, too,” Benny told them.
Everyone was silent.
Finally, Violet said, “You could make another map.”
Benny had made a map of the neighborhood. He liked drawing maps and he was good at it.
“No,” Benny said. “I don’t want to make a map today.”
“Why don’t you run your train?” Henry asked him.
Benny thought about that. He liked his electric train. When they first came to live with Grandfather Alden, he ran it every day. Lately, he’d been too busy with other things. “That’s a good idea, Henry,” Benny said.
Benny happily skipped out of the kitchen and went upstairs. He tiptoed down the long hall to his room. Outside the door, he paused to listen. Suddenly, he threw open the door. It was a game he played. He liked to pretend that the animals on his wallpaper — rabbits and dogs and bears — came to life when he left the room. He always hoped he would catch them at play. It never worked. The animals were always just as he had left them: wallpaper figures on a blue background.
“One of these days, I’ll catch you,” he told them.
He sat down on the floor beside his train engine. He turned it on, and the train began to move slowly along the track. He liked all the cars, but his favorite car was the boxcar. It looked just like the full-sized boxcar he and the other Aldens had lived in before coming to Grandfather’s house, after their parents had died.
Benny quickly grew tired of the train. He turned it off and got on his rocking horse near the window. He liked to pretend it was a racehorse and he was a jockey. His feet touched the floor. He was growing too big for the rocking horse. A jockey could not be taller than his horse!
Benny walked to the window. From it he could see the whole yard. Near the fountain stood the old boxcar. Mr. Alden had had it moved here so the children could go out to see it anytime. They hadn’t spent much time there lately. They were too busy.
“I haven’t forgotten you, old boxcar,” he said aloud.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across the lawn. An airplane, Benny thought. Too bad they couldn’t go on a flight. That would be a good adventure.
The shadow couldn’t belong to a plane; it was moving too slowly. And it was growing larger and larger!
Benny’s mouth dropped open. Whatever was making the shadow was about to land on the lawn!
Benny raced out of his room and down the stairs.
“Something’s landing on the lawn!” he shouted as he ran into the kitchen.
Watch, who had been sleeping at Jessie’s feet, sat up and barked.
“Benny, don’t be so noisy,” Jessie scolded.
Henry looked up from his book. “Something’s landing?” he said. “What? A pterodactyl?” he teased, but Benny didn’t notice.
He ran to the window. “I don’t know,” Benny said. “Quick! Come look!”
Henry exchanged glances with Jessie and Violet. They all thought Benny was pretending he saw something to get their attention.
Just then, a shadow fell across the kitchen. The room grew dark. Watch’s ears perked up. He whined and scooted under the table. The dog never acted like that without a reason.
Jessie pushed herself away from the table. “Maybe there is something out there,” she said.
Violet put down her paintbrush.
Henry closed the cookbook and went to the door. He saw something hovering over the lawn. “It’s an aerostat!” he said, his voice full of surprise and wonder.
“It looks like a big balloon to me,” Benny said.
“An aerostat is a balloon,” Henry told him, but Benny didn’t hear him. He was already running outside.
Henry, Jessie, and Violet dashed after him.
A large basket hung below the balloon. Two people were inside it. Ropes hung from its sides.
“Grab those ropes!” Henry called.
Jessie reached out and took hold of a dangling rope. Violet and Jessie each grabbed other lines.
“Hold on tight!” Henry instructed.
The basket thumped to the ground and bounced.
Henry ran toward the collapsing balloon. He caught hold of a line at its crown.
The basket stopped moving and tipped over.
Afraid someone was hurt, Jessie gasped and put her hands over her eyes.
Laughing, a young man and woman in their late twenties crawled out.
“Are you all right?” Jessie asked.
“We’re fine,” the young woman assured Jessie. “Thanks to you.”
Henry stepped forward. “Glad to help,” he said. He extended his hand. “I’m Henry James Alden.”
The woman smiled as she shook Henry’s hand. “I’m Sky Blair.” She turned to the young man at her side. “And this is Matt Farber.”
“Sky!” Benny blurted out. “Your name is Sky?”
“Benny, remember your manners,” Violet warned.
“Oh, it’s all right,” Sky said. “Everybody reacts like that.” She smiled at Benny. “My parents wanted an unusual name. They didn’t know I’d end up as a balloon pilot.”
Henry introduced his sisters and brother. “We’re happy to meet you,” he said.
Matt laughed. “I’ll bet you’ve never met anyone who landed on your lawn before.”
“Never!” the Aldens all said at once.
“We didn’t intend to land here,” Sky said. “A sudden gust of wind blew us off course.”
“Don’t you have a steering wheel or something?” Benny asked.
Sky rolled her blue eyes. “Don’t I wish,” she answered.
“An aerostat is pretty much at the mercy of the breezes,” Jessie said.
“You seem to know a lot about ballooning,” Matt said.
“I’m reading a book on the history of flight,” Jessie explained. “I just finished the section on hot air balloons, and now a balloon lands on the lawn!”
“Where’d you come from?” Benny asked Sky.
“Lloyd’s Landing,” she told him.
The Aldens knew about that town. They often drove through it.
“That’s a long way away,” Benny said.
“Not in a balloon.” Sky pointed upward. “There’re no stoplights or traffic up there.”
“How will you get back?” Violet asked.
“That’s a problem,” Matt answered. “We lost contact with our chase crew.”
“Chase crew?” Benny repeated.
“Every flight is followed by a ground crew,” Sky explained. “They meet us at the landing site.”
“We use two-way radios to keep in touch,” Matt said. “Something happened to ours. I think the batteries gave out.”
Sky narrowed her blue eyes. “That shouldn’t have happened,” she said.
Matt held up his hands. “I know. I should’ve checked.”
“Could you phone someone?” Henry asked.
“We could, yes,” Sky said. “Would you mind if we used your phone? We’ll call the balloon port. The chase crew probably returned there when we lost contact.”
“What’s a balloon port?” Benny asked.
“It is usually near an open field,” Sky answered. “It’s where we launch the balloon.”
Henry invited them inside.
“Would you like a cold drink?” Jessie asked.
“We sure would,” Matt said.
While they waited for the chase crew, Matt and Sky drank lemonade and talked about ballooning.
“We’re going to start a ballooning business in Lloyd’s Landing. We’ll take people up for rides and also teach them how to balloon,” Sky told them. “It’s the perfect place to do this.”
“And we’re holding a rally this weekend to advertise the opening,” Matt added.
“Will there be lots of people there?” Benny asked. He imagined the sky full of colorful balloons. What a sight that must be!
Matt laughed. “We hope so.”
“How would you like to come to the rally?” Sky asked. “We could use your help.”
“You’re a good crew,” Matt agreed. “And when the rally’s over, we’ll take you up in the balloon.”
Benny’s eyes grew big. This was the adventure he had hoped for. “We’ll be there!”
“Wait a minute, Benny,” Jessie said. “We have to ask Grandfather first.”
The doorbell rang. They all went to answer. Henry opened the door. A tall, thin man stood outside.
Sky said, “Are we glad to see you!” She introduced him to the Aldens. His name was Pete Moran, and he owned an old inn in Lloyd’s Landing. “He’s a volunteer crew member.”
“Won’t you come in?” Jessie asked politely.
“I could use something cold to drink,” Pete answered. “Chasing balloons is hard work.”
Jessie poured him a glass of lemonade.
“Alden?” he said as he set the glass on the tray. “Do you have a relative named James Henry Alden?”
“That’s our grandfather,” Henry answered. “I have the same names, only reversed.”
Pete shook his head. “It certainly is a small world.” He went on to explain that his father and Mr. Alden had been friends. “I haven’t seen your grandfather in years.”
“Maybe you’ll have the chance to see him this weekend,” Sky told him. “I’ve invited the Aldens to the rally.”
“That’d be great,” Pete said.
“We’re not sure we can come,” Jessie said.
“Grandfather is very busy,” Violet added.
Henry said, “With all the people coming to the rally, there’s probably nowhere to stay.”
“There’s always room for an Alden at The Landing’s Inn,” Pete said.
Benny grinned. “Grandfather’ll let us go. He just has to!” |