Chapter Two

"Tam! Hey Tammy! Wake up!" I cried out. "Uh! What?" Tammy opened her eyes. "Listen!" Tammy and I listened. Clip clop, clip clop! "There it is!" I responded fearfully. "Sounds like footsteps," Tammy retorted, "Let's go investigate." "Oh Tam, do you think we should?" "Now, now Watson. You mustn't be afraid," Tammy said in a phony English accent. "Very well Holmes. Lead the way." I followed Tam out of her room. "Look! There's someone over there!" Tammy pointed down the hallway, "You there! Hey You!" The person turned, holding a large bag. "He must be a robber!" Tammy shrieked, quickly getting some rope from her bedroom (don't ask). "Charge!" Tam and I ran and pounced on the intruder. We abruptly tied his arms and legs together. Tammy turned on the hallway light. "Well, well! Think you can rob. Aunt Ruby?!" Tammy cried out in shock, "What are you doing here?" "Your mother called yesterday afternoon before she and your dad left. She wanted me to check on you this morning," said Tam's aunt. "It must be awful early," Tammy said yawning as she untied her aunt. "It's seven o'clock in the morning and the sun is brightly shining." said Aunt Ruby. "It doesn't seem like that," I reported, "It's dark inside here." "I know just how to fix that!" said Aunt Ruby as she went around the house opening up all the curtains. Soon the whole house shone with gentle rays of morning light. "There! Perfect! Now you kids can get dressed, go outside and enjoy the wonderful weather!" "Oh Aunt Ruby! It's too early! Let us sleep!" Tam pleaded with her Aunt.

Aunt Ruby chuckled, her jolly pinkish face beamed. Her long brown hair, which she wore down to her waist, matched her large round eyes. She was of medium height and slightly on the plump side. "Ruby! What are you doing?" came a coarse voice from downstairs. A tall thin lady with brown eyes and gray hair tied up in a bun walked slowly up the stairs, holding her black dress in one hand and gripping the banister with the other, "Why are you standing here chattering Ruby? The girls should be keeping up in their studies." "Actually, Aunt Rose," Tammy explained, "We have no homework for this summer." "See sister dear? They have no work to do!" claimed Aunt Ruby; "How about we make them a nice wholesome breakfast?" "Very well. They do need a lot of good nutrition and after they have finished their breakfast they should practice reading their bible verses." Tammy and I groaned. "Rose! Church isn't until tomorrow! Let them enjoy the day!" agreed Aunt Ruby. "Fine then Ruby, they don't have to bother about bible studies today," Aunt Rose sighed in disappointment, as Tammy and I did a high five. "All right!" Tammy said. "You are going to church this Sunday, aren't you?" Aunt Rose asked Tammy. "I think so," Tammy answered. "You better be. I didn't see you in Church last week." "I was sick last week, Aunt Rose," Tammy clarified. "Oh, yeah! Hey Tam," I said. "Yeah?" Tammy asked. "Aren't your folks away until Sunday night? Doesn't that mean you can't go to church?" I asked back. A small smile came over Tam's face. "Yeah! That's right. So I guess I'll be staying home tomorrow." "Wait a minute!" exclaimed Aunt Rose, "You'll come with us." "Aunt Rose! It's the first week of summer vacation! All my homework has been tying me down these last few weeks. Please let me take it easy this week!" "I'm not sure, Tammy." said Aunt Rose. Her mouth was set in a firm straight line. "Oh, please, Aunt Rose! It's not like I hate going to church or don't believe anything they teach me! I really don't! I just want a break this week! I promise I'll go to church next week and the week after that!" "Very well." "Oh, thanks!" Tam cried out hugging her aunt, "Freedom!"

A couple of hours later, Tammy and I were biking in the hot summer's sun to see her boat at the dock. As we rode though the roads of our little harbor town we passed many small stores and a few restaurants at the ocean side. Some houses stood on wooden stilts right on the seashore. The air smelled of salt and seaweed. Tammy led the way to the dock and we got locked up our bicycles at the bike rack and walked down the dock to find the harbor master. "You, who! Hey Petie!" Tammy called and waved to an elderly man with a thin white hair wearing a black fisherman's coat. He was known as Pete Peterson, the Harbor Master, or Petie as Tammy had nicknamed him. "What's got ye all excited lassie?" asked Petie in a kind Scottish accent. "We came to see the new boat I won," answered Tam. "Aye! Right this way." Petie led us down to the end of the dock and sitting in the water was Tammy's small BX 2000 speedboat, colored in midnight blue with gold trim. "Pretty nice." I said with awe. "Pretty awesome. Where's the key?" Tam asked Pete. "Whoa! Hold on there lass! Ye have to sign thee owners paper first," Pete reported. "Alright! Hand it here! Where is it?" said Tam eagerly. I giggled slightly and Tammy looked to face me. "What?" She asked, looking puzzled. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. "Well? What is it Amy?" "You!" I answered, laughing harder. "Me?" Tammy whooped in a state of shock. Confused, she stepped back a little. "The expression on your face! It's so electrified," I responded. "What do you expect?" said Tammy sternly; "I was probably the first one to enter this contest. I waited three whole months for the winner to be announced and when it finally was and I was the lucky one, did you seriously think that I'd just yawn and say, "oh, that's nice."

Pete chuckled, his hands resting on his round jolly belly. He would make the perfect Santa Claus. Well come to think of it, he was the official Saint Nick every year for the elementary school Christmas pageant. "Och, lassies!" he said, "Ye are so funny. Tammy, I can see that ye are anxious to go, so quickly sign this paper and try out your wee new boat?" Tammy rushed over to Pete Peterson and signed the paper as fast as she could. She told Petie that she'd get her parents to sign tomorrow. Pete assured Tam that he would keep the owner's paper under lock and key until her folks got back. "Great! Lets go!" Tammy jumped into the driver's seat of the boat. "Just a minute Tam," I said, " Do you know how to drive a boat?" Tammy smirked and replied, "Sure! My dad has been teaching me ever since I was six. Besides what's there do know? I'll just relax and go with the flow." "That's what I'm afraid of." I sighed, sitting myself on a seat at the back of the boat. "Don't be so tense, Amy." Tammy insisted as she turned the key making the engine roar loudly with a puff of smoke. "Ow!" I yelled, falling forward as Tammy zoomed away.