Baartock

by Laura Dent Crane

  Chapter 13

  Monday morning, Baartock was down by the side of the road, waitinganxiously for the school bus to arrive. When he had asked his motherwhat 'weekend' and 'Monday' were, she had explained that many peopledidn't work everyday, and took two days every week to do other things.While trolls like to work everyday until the job is done and then rest;humans like to take little rests every week, she told him. He wouldhave to wait two extra days, until Monday, for school and showandtell.She decided that he would need to know, so she taught him the humannames for the days of the week.

  There were dark clouds overhead when Baartock went down the hill towait for the bus, but it wasn't raining yet. It had gotten reallycloudy the day before. Baartock remembered the human name for that daywas Sunday. His father had said that they were going to have a lot ofrain. Baartock liked it when there was a lot of rain, like there hadbeen during the summer. Then there were lots of pools and mud to gosplashing in, and there was water running down hill under his bridge.He liked to hide under it then, because it was even more like a realtroll bridge.

  He was happy to see the school bus drive up. He wanted to get toschool for showandtell. He climbed into the school bus and sat on thefront seat.

  "Hey, Baartock. Do you know where the high school is? From righthere?" Mr. Barnes asked, looking at him.

  Baartock just pointed and said "That way."

  Mr. Barnes stopped to think about it, then he said, "You're right. Howabout to your school?"

  Baartock pointed again, in a different direction. "You know, you're a regular little compass," Mr. Barnes said ashe started to drive off.

  Baartock didn't know what a compass was, but any troll could givedirections. It was easy.

  They got to school earlier than they had on Friday, and Baartock wentaround to the playground. Jason wasn't there, so Baartock went over tothe swings to wait for him. Soon both Jason and Jerry were comingaround the corner of the school to the playground. They were talkingabout what they had done over the weekend. Jerry said that he had beento see a movie. That didn't sound very exciting to Baartock, though hewasn't sure what a 'movie' was. Jason seemed interested though andasked all about it.

  Soon the first bell rang and Baartock went into the classroom. Hewanted to get ready for showandtell. Mrs. Stogbuchner was at her deskand she called him over.

  "I had a talk with Mrs. Jackson, and I think I should go talk to yourmother," she said. "Maybe you could bring something a little lesstrollish for lunch."

  Baartock didn't understand what she wanted to talk to his mother about,but he said, "Mother home now."

  "I can't go right now," said Mrs. Stogbuchner, "but maybe sometimelater this week. Did you bring something for show-and-tell?"

  "Yes," said Baartock.

  "Will you tell me what you brought?"

  Baartock had wanted it to be a surprise, but he told her. Mrs.Stogbuchner listened carefully as Baartock explained. Finally sheasked, "Do you know how to use it?"

  Baartock nodded.

  Then she said, "I'll have to ask Mrs. Jackson if it's all right. Youput your things away and I'll go talk to her about it now." She got upfrom her desk and went out the door.

  All the children had come in when the second bell rang. Mrs.Stogbuchner came hurrying into the classroom.

  "All right. Take your seats and settle down," she said to the class.She came over to Baartock. "Mrs. Jackson said that you could show itto the class, but it has to be outside on the playground. And she wantsto be there."

  The morning went by so slowly for Baartock. He couldn't keep histhoughts on what they were doing. He wanted it to be time forshowandtell. Finally, Mrs. Jackson came into the classroom.

  "Class," Mrs. Stogbuchner said, "It's time for show-and-tell. Baartockhas brought something that I think you'll all want to see, but he willhave to show you outside. Since it looks like rain, I think he shouldbe first. Everybody please line up by the door and we'll go out andsee what Baartock brought."

  Mrs. Jackson came over to Baartock and said, "I've never seen this.Can you really make it work?"

  Baartock nodded, and went over to his cubby to get his bag with hissurprise for showandtell.

  When they were all outside gathered around Mrs. Stogbuchner on part ofthe playground where there wasn't any grass, she said, "Baartock, showthe class what you brought and tell them about it."

  He came into the middle of the class. "You show me fire drill," hesaid. "But no fire. I show you fire drill that make fire." He heldout a little bow, a straight stick, and two small blocks of wood.

  "Will you show the class how it works?" asked Mrs. Jackson.

  Baartock knelt down and put one of the blocks on the ground and putsome tree bark next to it. Then he put the straight stick in a smallhole in that block, wrapped the bowstring around the stick, and holdingthe second block in his hand put it on top of the stick. Then hestarted to work the bow back and forth.

  "This fire drill make fire," he said again.

  "Does this really work?" somebody asked.

  "We were supposed to learn how to use these in scouts," said Mrs.Stogbuchner, as Baartock worked the bow back and forth. "But none ofus could make them work."

  Before she could say anything else, the bark that Baartock had put nextto the block was starting to smoke. Then it was smoking a lot, andBaartock dropped the fire drill and picked up the bark and started toblow on it. And it burst into flame.

  He dropped the burning bark on the ground, and picked up the bow andstick. "Fire drill," he said.

  "But how does it work?" somebody wanted to know.

  "Wood get hot. Make fire," Baartock explained. He held out the bottomwood block, which was still hot. The class gathered in closely to feelhow hot it was. Mrs. Jackson was making sure that the burning bark wasall put out.

  Just then it started to rain, big heavy drops.

  "Everybody back inside," called Mrs. Stogbuchner. "Don't line up. Justget inside quickly."

  Everybody ran for the classroom door. Baartock quickly gathered up hisfire drill and he and Mrs. Jackson hurried after the class.

  When they were all settled in the classroom again, Mrs. Stogbuchnersaid, "Thank you Baartock, for showing us another kind of fire drill.Now, does anyone else have anything for show-and-tell?"