Benny was dreaming he was floating above Lloyd’s Landing in a balloon. Suddenly, everything began to shake.
“Benny, wake up,” Henry urged him.
Benny rolled over. “I have to land first,” he mumbled.
“It’s time to go out to the port,” Henry said.
Benny opened his eyes and stretched. “I thought I was already there,” he said. While he dressed, he told Henry about his dream.
“I dreamed about ballooning, too,” Henry said.
The girls came in.
“Aren’t you ready yet?” Jessie teased.
“Soon as I find my other shoe,” Benny said. He looked under the bed. There it was.
Violet said, “Take your time. Barbara told us she would let us know when breakfast is ready.”
“You must’ve stayed downstairs late last night,” Benny said. “I tried to stay awake because I had something to tell you, but I couldn’t keep my eyes open.”
Soo Lee sat down on the edge of the bed. “Tell us now.”
“Well, I went into the kitchen for a glass of milk before bed,” Benny began. “And I found Barbara talking on the phone — she was arguing with somebody!”
“About what?” Henry asked.
Benny shook his head. “I don’t know. All I heard her say was ‘drop it.’ And she was angry.”
“Barbara was on the phone earlier,” Violet remembered.
Soo Lee nodded. “And she hung up when she saw us.”
“That’s what she did when she saw me,” Benny told them.
“Do you suppose the phone calls had anything to do with what happened out at the port?” Jessie asked.
“Sounds like it,” Henry said.
“Barbara and Pete are so nice,” Violet said. “It’s hard to believe that they have anything to do with this.”
“Why would they want to ruin the balloon business?” Soo Lee asked. “It would be good for the inn.”
“But who else could have launched Brad’s balloon and taken Don’s map and compass?” Henry said.
They all thought about that for a while.
Finally, Violet suggested, “Don Fister could have done it. He was at the port early yesterday morning. Maybe his crew chief helped him launch the balloon.”
“And he could have just pretended his map was gone,” Soo Lee said.
“That’s possible,” Jessie admitted. “He doesn’t seem to want the business to succeed.”
“He has his own balloon business,” Henry reminded them. “He might think that’s a reason to ruin Sky and Matt’s.”
Barbara knocked at the door. “Breakfast,” she announced.
Benny was the first one out the door.
“Where are Matt and Sky?” Jessie asked as they entered the dining room.
“Oh, they left very early,” said Barbara. “They wanted to get there before the other balloonists.”
They ate a hearty breakfast of sausage, pancakes, and scrambled eggs.
“I am so full,” Benny said. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat again.”
Barbara laughed. “Oh, I’m quite sure you’ll be hungry by noon. Especially when you see what I’ve prepared for you.” She went into the kitchen and came back with a basket. “In here is your own special picnic lunch.” She handed the basket to Henry. “Now run along. Pete’s waiting for you outside.”
The Aldens thanked Barbara for the picnic basket and met Pete outside.
Pete drove them out to the balloon port. By the time they arrived, the sun had begun to paint the eastern sky with faint streaks of pinkish light.
When they arrived, small groups of balloonists were scattered across the big field, already busy with their equipment.
Sky and Matt were huddled over the morning newspaper. They were obviously upset.
“What’s wrong?” Pete asked them.
Sky thrust the paper at him. “Our ad! It’s not in the paper!”
Pete did not take the paper from her outstretched hand. “It’s not?!” he exclaimed, but he didn’t really sound surprised.
A short distance away, Mary England slammed her car trunk. For a moment, the sound distracted them all. Then Sky said, “Wait till I get hold of that Hollis McKnight!”
Smiling, Mary joined the group. Even in slacks and blouse, she looked dressed up. “Good morning,” she greeted them. “Looks as though you’ll have a perfect day for your rally.”
“If anyone comes,” Matt said, and told her about the missing ad.
Mary waved that away. “By the looks of things, you don’t need more advertising. You’ll have a large audience.”
She was right. Spectators had gathered along the edges of the field and were continuing to arrive.
That didn’t ease Sky. “I paid for that ad,” she said. “He had no right to withdraw it.”
Just then, Hollis McKnight pulled in and got out of his car.
Waving the paper, Sky marched toward him. “Did you do this?!” she demanded.
Hollis tilted his head to look through the bottom half of his glasses. “Did I do what?” he asked.
“Why didn’t you run our ad?” Matt demanded.
Hollis looked confused. “Because you canceled it,” he said. |