by Janice Hanna
Kate shook her head. “No way! But maybe we will end up as friends like Aunt Molly said. I just never thought about it before.”
Sydney nodded. “And who knows? Maybe I’ll even learn to like Michael.” She shrugged. “It’s possible.”
“I hope so,” Aunt Molly said. “That would be nice. He’s such a great boy.”
“Hmm.” Kate wrinkled her nose. “I guess we need to give him the benefit of the doubt, even though he didn’t make a very good first impression.”
“I still plan to beat him in the skiing competition,” Sydney said. “And I do need to practice. But I’ll make you a deal, Kate. Today I’ll go back to the creamery with you one last time. But tomorrow, you have to come skiing with me. Promise?”
Kate paused. She didn’t know if she should promise such a thing or not. After all, she’d never skied before. “I—I guess so,” she said, finally. “But for now, let’s get back to cheese-making!”
Sydney made another face then shuddered. “I sure hope there aren’t any rats this time.”
“Surely not,” Aunt Molly said. “But if you do happen to see one, just remember that story I told you about the mousetrap. It’s better to forgive than hold a grudge.”
“It’s better to forgive than hold a grudge,” Kate agreed. Then, with a happy heart, she looped her arm through Sydney’s and they headed back to the creamery.
The Big Cheese
Kate and Sydney walked the three blocks to the creamery with snow falling all around them.
“Don’t you just love Vermont?” Sydney asked. “It’s so pretty here.” She began to describe the beautiful trees and the crystal-like snowflakes. On and on she went, sounding like a commercial.
“Mm-hmm. I like it here, but it’s so cold!” Kate shivered.
“It’s cold in Philly, where you live,” Sydney said. “And in D.C., where I live, it gets really cold in the wintertime. So, this doesn’t feel any different to me. No, I love the cold weather. And I can’t wait to put on skis and glide down the mountainside. Oh, it’s going to be wonderful! You’re going to love it, Kate. I promise!”
“If you say so.”
As the creamery came into view, Sydney groaned. “I can’t believe I offered to come back here. This place is so scary. Do we really have to go back in there?”
“We do. But maybe we’ll have a better time if we think happy thoughts,” Kate suggested. “We’ll focus on the good things. For example, I’ve been saving my allowance so I can buy different cheeses to take back to my class. You can help me decide what flavors to buy. Should I get Swiss or cheddar? And if I get cheddar, which kind? There are so many, you know.” She went off on a tangent, describing her favorite kinds of cheese.
“I can’t believe you’re actually going to eat something made there.” Sydney scrunched her nose. “I’d be scared to! Aren’t you worried?”
“Nah,” Kate said, shaking her head. “And besides, I have the strangest feeling about all of that, Sydney. I’m convinced someone is sabotaging the Hamptons. But, why?”
“Hmm.” Sydney walked in silence a moment. “Maybe we should put McKenzie or one of the other Camp Club Girls to work, figuring out who their main competitor is. Maybe someone from another creamery is jealous and wants to put the Hamptons out of business.”
Just before they entered the building, Kate caught a glimpse of someone familiar off in the distance. “Hey, look, Sydney! It’s that boy…Michael! Are you going to tell him that you’re entering the competition?”
“No way!” Sydney grabbed her arm and whispered. “It’s top secret, remember? I don’t want him to know.”
They walked inside the store at the front of the creamery, and Kate took a deep breath. “Oh, it smells so deliciously cheesy in here!” She closed her eyes and breathed in and out a few times. “I totally believe this is what heaven it going to smell like.”
Sydney grunted. “Heaven…smells like cheese? I sure hope not! Doesn’t smell so good to me.” After looking around the empty store, she added, “Look, Kate. Have you noticed? We’re the only ones here. That should tell you something! People are scared to come back.”
“Or maybe we’re just early.” Kate looked at her Internet wristwatch. “Ooo! I have an e-mail.” She quickly signed online and smiled as she read a note from Bailey that said, “Have fun in Vermont!” Kate quickly typed back, “Having a blast!” then pressed the tiny SEND button.
“I don’t blame people for being scared to come here,” Sydney said.
Kate looked up from her watch and shrugged. “Well, let’s not think about all that. Since we’re here, let’s sample the cheeses.”
“I guess so.” Sydney shrugged. “But you can do the sampling. I’ll just watch.”
They walked around the large glass case, looking inside. “Oh, I love Colby Jack!” Kate reached for her camera and took a picture of the tray filled with chunks of orange and white swirled cheese. Then she lifted the clear dome top from the cheese tray and took a piece. With her mouth full, she pointed at the tray next to it. “They have every kind of cheddar imaginable! Yum!” She lifted the top on that tray and took several pieces. “Wow, this is great!” She’d never seen so many different kinds of cheeses…and all the samples were free! But which one should she buy for her classmates?
“My favorite is the Swiss,” Sydney said, taking a tiny piece. “Mom puts it on my turkey sandwiches.”
“Ooo, you’re making me hungry.” Kate took a couple of chunks of the Swiss cheese and ate it right away. “Let’s order something to eat.” She pointed at the Cheese-o-Rama Snack Shack in the corner of the room. “Look! It says they make the world’s best grilled-cheese sandwiches, and you can pick the kind of cheese you want. I’m going to ask for the Colby Jack on mine. What about you?”
“Kate, we just ate breakfast a couple of hours ago,” Sydney said. “And then we ate your aunt’s gingerbread cookies. I don’t need the extra calories. And I still think we should be careful not to eat too much cheese from this place.”
“Calories, schmalories.” Kate shrugged. “Who cares?”
“I do.” Sydney gave her a stern look. “I have to stay in shape to win that competition next weekend.”
“You’re already the fastest, strongest, most athletic girl I know!” Kate said. “What else do you want?”
“I want to win.”
“Well, I’m not competing, and I’m hungry. Besides, it’s almost lunchtime and we’ll never make it back to the inn in time for Aunt Molly’s food. So, let’s eat!”
Kate went to the counter and ordered a cheese sandwich with a side of cheese-flavored chips. Mr. Hampton—her aunt’s friend—prepared her sandwich. He looked a little worried.
As he placed her plate in front of her, Kate whispered, “Mr. Hampton, did my Aunt Molly Oliver call you?”
“She did.” He gave a hint of a smile.
“Could I speak with you…alone?” She looked around, hoping not to be overheard, then remembered no one else was in the shop. “I’m working on a paper for school and would love to get some information—straight from the source!”
“Sure, I’d be happy to help.” His shoulders sagged as he looked around the shop. “Doesn’t look like we’ve got many customers today, anyway.” He sighed. “What a mess this is! We can’t afford to lose customers right now.”
“I understand.” Kate gave him a sympathetic look. “And I want to help you with that. In my essay I’ll tell everyone how wonderful your cheeses are. That should help your business! But I’ll need your help. Thanks for answering a few questions for me!”
Just then, a cheerful female voice came over the loudspeaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Mad River Creamery will conduct a tour of its facility in exactly ten minutes. The tour is free of charge, and complimentary cheese samples will be given along the way. Join us for the tour of a lifetime.”
“It’s the tour of a lifetime, all right,” Sydney whispered in Kate’s ear as she drew near. “Complete with rats.”
“Of course!” he said with a smile. “I’m always happy to help a customer.”
Just then, a couple more customers came through the door—a woman in a beautiful white fur coat and a man with a sour look. He shook the snow off of his leather coat and looked around the shop with a frown.
“Wow, he doesn’t look happy,” Sydney whispered in Kate’s ear. “Do you think his wife made him come?”
“I don’t know.” Kate stared at the man, then turned back to her sandwich. “Maybe he heard about the rats and is afraid.”
“He doesn’t look like the kind of man to be scared of anything. He just looks…mean.” A look of fear came into Sydney’s eyes. “I hope they’re not coming on the tour with us.”
The woman walked toward them and the man followed closely behind, muttering all the way.
“Uh-oh.” Kate let out a nervous giggle. “Looks like they’re joining us. Just smile and be friendly. Maybe they’ll turn out to be nice.”
“Whatever you say,” Sydney whispered.
Within seconds, Kate and Sydney were tagging along behind Mr. Hampton and the two strangers into the creamery. She couldn’t get rid of the nagging feeling that the man and woman were up to no good. And Sydney made her a little nervous. She wouldn’t stop talking about rats.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this again!” Sydney whispered. “I still have vermin-phobia after our last tour!”
“Shh.” Kate turned and gave her a please-be-quiet look.
The girls walked from room to room, listening as Mr. Hampton explained the process of cheese making. Kate pulled out her video camera and began to film his presentation. In one room, he pointed out something he called curds and whey.
“Just like Little Miss Muffett,” Kate whispered.
“What?” Sydney gave her a funny look.
“‘Little Miss Muffett sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey.’” Kate giggled. “Now I know what curds and whey are. I never knew before. Kind of looks like cottage cheese. Kind of chunky and…” Gross was the only word that came to mind, but she didn’t say it.
“Doesn’t look very appetizing!” Sydney made a terrible face. “It’s enough to scare me away, too!”
“Well, in the nursery rhyme, a spider frightened Miss Muffett away,” Sydney reminded her. “Not the curds and whey. And certainly not a…well, a you-know-what.”
Mr. Hampton turned and gave her a warning look. He put a finger over his lips, then whispered, “Don’t even use the r-a-t word. And please don’t talk about spiders, either. I’m having enough trouble keeping my customers without worrying them even more!” He nodded in the direction of the man and woman, who stood on the other side of the room, looking at the big machine that held the curds and whey.
Kate apologized, then added, “I’m sure your customers won’t be gone for long. You have the best cheese in the state, Mr. Hampton. My mom has bought Mad River Valley Cheddar for as long as I can remember.” Kate raised her voice to make sure the man and woman heard her. Sure enough, the woman looked her way. “I love, love, love cheese!” She licked her lips. “Without Mad River cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches wouldn’t be the same!”
“Cheeseburgers wouldn’t be as cheesy!” Mr. Hampton threw in.
“String cheese wouldn’t be as…stringy,” Sydney added, then giggled.
The woman in the white coat moved their way and nodded as she said, “Cream cheese wouldn’t be as creamy.”
Kate turned to the man, who crossed his arms at his chest and remained quiet. Hmm. So, he didn’t want to play along.
Kate decided to change the subject. “This cheese-making stuff looks like fun. I wish I could make cheese at home,” she said with a sigh.
“Why, you can!” Mr. Hampton said. “If you have a gallon of milk, you can make a pound of cheese. You would need the help of a parent—and it takes a couple of days—but it’s worth it. I can show you how to make your own cheese press, if you like.”
“Would you, really?” Kate grew more excited by the moment. “Oh, I would love that. I think I’ll write my paper on that, then!”
“Let’s finish the tour, and then I’ll show you a homemade cheese press,” Mr. Hampton said. He led the way into a large room with a huge rectangular contraption filled with what looked like thick milk.
Kate looked at it, amazed. “Wow, this is huge.” She’d never seen such a thing!
Mr. Hampton explained. “Yes, this is just like we talked about earlier. Once the whey is removed, the curds are pressed together, forming the cheese into shapes.”
“Wow!” Kate began to videotape the process. She didn’t want to miss a thing. Something caused her to turn toward the woman in the white coat. She was whispering something to the man and pointing to the curds and whey. Hmm, I wonder what they’re talking about?
Just then Kate saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned her camera toward the floor, just to make sure she wasn’t imagining it. At that very moment, Sydney screamed. Kate jolted and almost dropped the camera.
“It’s a…a rat!” Sydney jumped on a chair and began to squeal.
Sure enough, the brown furry critter headed right for them! He was moving so fast Kate could hardly keep up with him. For a few seconds he disappeared from view in her video camera lens, and then she caught a glimpse of him again. Oh, gross!
The woman began to scream at the top of her lungs and fainted. Her husband caught her just before she landed on the floor. He fanned her with the creamery brochure and called, “Abigail! Abby, wake up!”
The rat scampered close to the woman and Kate gasped. What’s going to happen next? She whispered a quick prayer.
Holding a tight grip on the camera, Kate continued videotaping the vermin. Thankfully, he scurried to the other side of the room, leaving the woman alone. But something about the little critter seemed…odd. It ran in circles. Round and round it went, in a never-ending cycle. Maybe it had had too much cheese! Something was definitely wrong with it.
Mr. Hampton came around to their side of the room and his eyes grew large. “No! Not again! We took care of this. I promise! Mad River Valley Creamery doesn’t have…” He didn’t say the word. He didn’t have to.
The rat finally stopped running in circles and took off under the vat of cheese. The woman regained consciousness, and Kate turned her camera in that direction. The woman began to cry out and her husband hollered, “Turn that off! I don’t want you videotaping my wife!”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean any harm.” Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes. The man headed her way. When he got close, he grabbed her camera and shut it off, then pressed it back into her hand.
“Get on out of here, kids…before I lose my temper. Or maybe I’ll just call the police and tell them we were being illegally videotaped!”
Sydney turned on her heels and sprinted like an Olympic track star toward the door. Kate followed, shaking like a leaf.
What a mean man! She never meant to do anything wrong! And how awful…to see another rat! Kate couldn’t figure out why, but something about that fuzzy little creature still puzzled her.
“I’m never…eating…cheese…again…as long…as I …live!” Sydney hollered as she ran.
Kate groaned, trying to keep up. So much for helping Mr. Hampton and the Mad River Creamery. Another rat had interrupted her plans. But who was behind all of this? And why?
With the help of the other Camp Club Girls…she and Sydney would figure it out!
Hickory Dickory Dock
Kate and Sydney ran all the way back to the inn. When they arrived at the front door, Biscuit greeted them with wet, slobbery kisses.
“D–down, boy!”
Kate panted. “N–not right now.”
Between the cold air and the excitement of what had just happened, she could hardly breathe!
“Is everything okay?” Aunt Molly met them as they raced into the big room. Kate headed toward the fireplace to warm herself. “N–no,” she said through chattering teeth. “We saw another r–rat!”
“Oh dear, oh dear!” Aunt Molly’s cheeks flushed pink. “That’s just awful! Was it inside the creamery again?”
“Y–yes!”
“Oh, how terrible!” Aunt Molly began to fan herself, looking as if she might be sick.
Kate’s mother entered the room with a worried look.
“Did I hear you say something about a rat?” When Kate nodded, she said, “Honey, I don’t want you and Sydney going back to that creamery. You’ll just have to write your essay paper on something else, Kate.”
“But that’s just it.” Kate sighed and plopped down on the large leather chair in front of the fireplace. “It’s not dangerous at all. Something is definitely up. I can feel it in my bones!”
Aunt Molly laughed. “Oh, you can, can you? Well, what do you feel?”
“I’ll know more after I look at the videotape. Do you mind if I hook my camera into your big-screen TV, Aunt Molly? I want to see everything close up.”
“Ugh!” Sydney grunted. “We have to see the rat on the big screen?”
Kate laughed. “You don’t have to watch.”
They gathered around the television as Kate hooked up her camera. When she hit PLAY, they all watched the action.
“Here’s the curds and whey part,” Kate explained, pointing at the screen. “And here’s the part where—”
Her mother and Aunt Molly screamed when they saw the rat run across the floor toward the woman in the white coat.
“Oh, how awful!” Aunt Molly clasped her hand over her mouth. “That poor woman.”
“That man who’s with her looks really angry,” Kate’s mother added.
“Oh, he was.” Kate shivered. “But look at this.”