The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces
Joey had teamed with Will Wilson more than once to annoy the Hollisters and other persons in the neighborhood Yes Will chimed in We don’t want that totem in Shoreham It’s an Indian idol and will bring us bad luck It’s nothing of the kind the old man spoke up Totem poles aren’t idols and as for this one I carved it myself Now go away and stop pestering me Instead Joey picked up another mud ball Try and make me he muttered Pete furious at the boy’s rudeness backed up a few steps If you throw that you’ll be sorry he said fi rmly Th ink I’m afraid to Go ahead Will egged his pal on Hit Pete with it Joey swung back his arm and hurled the mud ball Pete ducked Th e brown blob missed him but hit Pam on the shoulder Oh she cried as the mud ran down her dress You’re a mean boy Pete had had enough He lunged for Joey Th e bully taken aback turned and fl ed Will was at his heels fol lowed closely by Pete Get em Ricky cried as he dashed behind the trio Th e redhead however stopped just long enough to pick up one of the mud balls himself Pete’s fury made him run faster than the two bullies He caught up to Joey and with a fl ying tackle brought him down on a grassy strip between the curb and the sidewalk 10
ground and sat on his chest Rolling Joey over Pete pinned his shoulders to the Say you’re sorry Pete demanded By this time Ricky had caught up and stood over the two enjoying the scene He held the mud ball over Joey’s head How would you like to be painted up with this he asked with a grin Don’t don’t let him drop it on me Joey begged as he struggled to rise Th e move threw Pete off balance He bumped into Ricky’s arm Th e mud ball fell squarely into Joey’s face Enraged the bully gasped and sputtered I’ll get even with you for this he cried out as Pete let him up I’ll get that old totem pole and I’ll Muttering threats Joey and Will hurried off Pete and Ricky chuckling returned to the Tompkins lawn Th e old man was helping Pam wipe the mud off her dress with a damp cloth Th ese are my brothers Pam said Pete and Ricky this is Mr Roebuck As the boys exchanged handshakes with him Mr Roebuck said Just call me Old Ben Th at’s what every one back home does He thanked the Hollisters for having saved his to tem pole from further damage Glad to help you said Pete By the way my broth er got Joey muddied up a bit an accident of course He deserved it Holly burst out 11
Mr Roebuck’s wrinkled face broke into a broad smile setting off a twinkle in his gray eyes Boys will be boys Well I suppose you’re wondering what I’m do ing here with a totem pole He explained that Mrs Tompkin was his great niece I just came to Shoreham this June to live with her and her husband he said Th ey’re on vacation now I set up my totem pole as a surprise when they return Did you come from Indian-land Sue asked him She was still astride her tricycle You might call it that Old Ben said Alaska was my home for fi fty years I’m an old sourdough But you don’t look sour Holly told him Mr Roebuck chuckled He explained that a sour dough was the name given to explorers and gold miners in the far north of Canada and Alaska Th at’s because we used to eat sour dough biscuits the elderly man said He told the children that a small amount of sour dough was always carried by the old time adventurers When mixed with bread dough it acted as a leaven making the bread rise before baking It might not sound good to you Old Ben said but when you’re hungry it tastes mighty fi ne By now dusk was beginning to settle over the town of Shoreham and Pam thought the Hollisters should go home But Ricky begged to hear more about the totem I carved it as a hobby Mr Roebuck said and it stood in front of my little house in Juneau But I brought the to tem along to remind me of my happy days in Alaska 12
What is it like in Alaska Holly asked Is it fun to live there Mr Roebuck declared that Alaska though most of it was wild and mysterious was a beautiful territory It’s full of dangerous brown bears Old Ben added If you should ever go there don’t stray too far into the woods or you may meet one Pete then asked what a totem meant Th e sourdough said that it was much like heraldry in England or a family coat of arms Th e Indians read it from top to bottom he went on and learned things about a clan or a chief’s family While Pete helped Mr Roebuck wipe the mud from his totem the sourdough told the children that the bear on top represented a certain Indian clan Th ey adopted me many years ago as an honorary member he said smiling Th e chief was grateful because I had rescued his young nephew from a bear Directly beneath the bear on the totem was a salm on and right under the fi sh was the fi gure of a man seated on an owl and holding a shovel in his hand Th at’s my old friend Emmet Gallagher Ben Roebuck explained I made the wise old owl hold him up because I think Emmet is one of the wisest men in Alaska How interesting said Pam and Holly added Please tell us more about the totem poles Glad to the old man said A very mysterious to tem pole was lost somewhere in Alaska Th e one who fi nds it will be lucky 13
