Ann Martin - Dawn And The Impossible Three

"You're going to go, too," I told her as I led her upstairs, Mamie in my arms. "But you need to put on pants, a shirt, a sweater, and boots. Mamie, too. You guys'll freeze in those dresses."

I helped Suzi change first. From the window of the girls' bedroom, I could see Buddy in the front yard. He had put his boots on, as well as his Mets jacket, and was tossing a baseball around.

Then I set Mamie on the changing table. It took a bit longer to dress her, because she needed a clean diaper, and as soon as I changed it, she wet it again, so we had to go through the whole process a second time.

At last the girls were ready. They struggled into their rain boots and we went out the door to the garage.

"Get the mitt," I told Suzi. "Buddy's in the front yard with the baseball. Maybe he'll toss you a few."

"Okay!" She found the mitt and she and Mamie and I ran into the yard. There was the ball, but no Buddy.

"He must have gone around back," I said.

I picked up the ball, and we looked in the yard behind the house.

No Buddy.

"Buddy?" I called. "Buddy? Bud-dee!"

I listened for his answer, but the only sounds were the rain dripping off the trees and, in the distance, a car horn.

"Bud-deeee!" Suzi yelled.

"Maybe he's hiding," I suggested. "Buddy! If you want to play hide-and-seek, come out so we can choose 'it.' "

Nothing.

I began to get angry. "Buddy, if you don't come out right now, you're going to be in very big trouble. I'm not kidding."

"I bet he's over at the Pikes'," said Suzi. "I bet he wanted to play with Nicky."

"I hope so," I replied. "But even if he is, he's in trouble. He's always supposed to let me know where he's going to be."

I put Marnie in her stroller and she and Suzi and I walked down the street to the Pikes'. Suzi rang their bell. Mrs. Pike answered the door.

"Hi, Dawn," she said. "Hi, Suzi, Marnie. What a nice surprise." She reached out to tickle Marnie.

"Hi," I replied. "Listen, is Buddy here? I'm

baby-sitting and he went outside a little while ago. Now I can't find him. I thought he might be playing with Nicky."

Mrs. Pike frowned. "No, he's not here. At least I don't think so. Let me get Nicky, though. Maybe he knows where Buddy is." Mrs. Pike leaned inside and called Nicky. A few moments later, he appeared in the doorway.

"Sweetie," said his mother, "Dawn's looking for Buddy. Do you know where he is? Did he come over today?"

"No," said Nicky. "I was hoping he would because I want to show him my new walkie-talkies."

"But he hasn't come by?" Mrs. Pike asked again.

Nicky shook his head.

"Did he call you?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Well," I said, forcing a smile, "I'm sure he's around somewhere. I'll go back to the Barretts' and look some .more."

"Try calling the Murphys. And the Spencers," suggested Mrs. Pike. "And let me know if you don't find him in about half an hour."

"Okay," I replied.

I pushed Marnie to the Barretts' house so fast that Suzi had to run to keep up with me.

There's no reason to panic, I kept teilin^, myself. This is a big neighborhood with lots of kids. Buddy could be anywhere.

Even so, my heart was pounding and I was beginning to feel nervous. Buddy was my responsibility. I was supposed to know where he was.

At the Barretts', I plopped Marnie in her playpen, much to her dismay, and Suzi and I checked the house and the yard thoroughly. Unless he was in a very clever hiding place, Buddy was definitely not at his home.

I called the Murphys and the Spencers. No one had seen Buddy. But Mr. Murphy gave me the names and numbers of four other neighbors. I called every one of them.

Not a trace of Buddy.

Feeling panicky, I phoned Mrs. Pike. "I've looked everywhere and called all the neighbors!" I cried breathlessly. "I can't find Buddy."

"Keep calm," said Mrs. Pike. "Call the Spencers and the Murphys again while I phone some other neighbors. We'll spread out and search for him. I'm sure he'll turn up."

Twenty minutes later, a big group of people, including Mr. and Mrs. Pike and seven little Pikes (Jordan was at his piano lesson), were gathered in front of the Barretts'. Mrs. Pike took charge.

"Everyone spread out and look for Buddy," she instructed us. "Go in pairs or in groups of three. Younger children go with an adult. Come back here if you have anything to report. I'll stay with Dawn by the phone in case Buddy calls."

The neighbors dispersed excitedly. Mrs. Pike and 1 went inside and I put Mamie down for a nap. When she was settled, I ran into the kitchen, where Mrs. Pike was fixing Suzi a sandwich.

"Have you called Mrs. Barrett?" Mrs. Pike asked me.

"1 can't," I replied. "She drove to Greenvale to shop. I don't know which stores she's going to."

Greenvale is a historic town about thirty miles from Stoneybrook. The main street has been fixed up to look the way it did two hundred years ago, and it's lined with quaint shops. The town is sort of a tourist trap, but it's a lot of fun.

"Oh, Greenvale," said Mrs. Pike. "I guess you can't reach her in that case. Unless — did she say anything about eating lunch there? We could try calling the restaurants."

I shook my head. "She just said she was going shopping."

"Oh, well, I don't suppose calling her would

do much good, anyway. She'd just panic and come home."

I wandered anxiously to the front door and back into the kitchen. "Why hasn't someone found him by now?" I asked. "How far could he have gotten?"

"I don't know, sweetie," said Mrs. Pike, "but he'll turn up."

"What if he's hurt?" I cried suddenly. "What if he climbed a tree and fell out or got hit by a car or something? Maybe he's lying somewhere unconscious and that's why he hasn't come home."

"Try not to think that way," said Mrs. Pike. She eased me into a kitchen chair across the table from Suzi and set a glass of milk in front of me.

I couldn't drink it. "Once I read about a little girl who fell in a septic tank," I said. "Buddy could have fallen down one. Or — "

At that moment the phone rang. I leaped for it.

"Hello. Barrett residence. Buddy, is that — "

"Hello?" said a woman's voice. "This is The Stoneybrook News. Would you be interested in a subscription? We offer a special discount to — "

"No, thanks," I interrupted her. "Sorry." I

hung up the phone. "Newspaper subscription," I told Mrs. Pike.

She looked disappointed.

"Dawn?" said Suzi. "Someone's at the door."

Mrs. Pike and 1 dashed to the front door, where we found Mr. Murphy, Mr. Prezzioso, and Mallory Pike.

"Just checking in," said Mr. Murphy. "No luck. The three of us walked all up and down High Street. Then we looked in the backyards along Slate Street."

A few minutes later Vanessa Pike, Mrs. Prezzioso, and Jenny checked in. They hadn't had any luck, either.

Just as they were leaving, Jordan Pike turned up. "Hi, Dawn," he said. "Hi, Mom. 1 got your note and 1 came over like you said to. Whaf s going on? There are all these people outside."

"Honey, Buddy's missing. Everyone's out looking for him. You haven't seen him by any chance, have you?"

"Sure I have. And he's not missing," replied Jordan.

1 could have jumped for joy. "Where is he? Where is he?" I cried.

"He's at his lesson."

"Lesson? What lesson?" 1 asked. Mrs. Barrett

was disorganized, but she wouldn't forget to tell me if one of the kids was supposed to go to a lesson — would she? "Suzi, come here for a sec," I called.

Suzi ran out of the kitchen and joined Jordan and Mrs. Pike and me on the front porch. "Suzi, does Buddy take any kind of lessons — like piano lessons or art lessons?" I asked her.

She frowned. "No. . . ."

"Are you sure?"

"No. ..."

"Honey, what makes you think Buddy is at a lesson?" Mrs. Pike asked Jordan.