CHAPTER 1 The Orange Parachute LOOK at the parachute shouted Holly Hollister pointing at the sky It’s going to land right on top of us The shrill cry of the six-year-old girl standing on the lawn acted like a fire alarm From inside the rambling house came the scuffling of feet and cries of Where I want to see it First out the front door was Ricky seven years old red-haired and full of ginger He was followed pell-mell by Pete a handsome lad of twelve with a crew cut As the boys clattered down the steps they were followed by two girls Pam who was ten held little Sue by the hand and the four-year-old raced toward Holly as fast as her chubby legs would go I can’t see any parachute Ricky said shading his eyes It went behind that big fluffy cloud Holly replied excitedly twisting one of her pigtails There it is now Pam exclaimed It’s orange colored There’s not even a man hanging on it said Sue Oh dear maybe he fell off 7
Something’s dangling underneath Pete observed Crickets It looks like a box The parachute swayed in the breeze coming lower and lower over the houses on the outskirts of Shoreham For a moment it seemed as if the wind might carry it into Pine Lake on the shore of which the Hollister home was situated But another puff straightened its course Suddenly the children were startled by the shouts of another boy racing his bicycle into the driveway Ugh Joey Brill Ricky said as the husky rider flung his bike to one side and ran beneath the billowing orange-colored chute Like Pete Joey was twelve but unlike the Hollister boy he wore a frown on his face and seemed to take pleasure in annoying others It’s mine I saw it first Joey cried out greedily as he reached for the prize But while Joey shouted his claim Pete leaped up and grabbed the parachute before it could touch the ground As he wrapped his arms around the dangling white box Joey gripped the top of the chute made of paper You’ll tear it Give it to me the bully protested Let go exclaimed Pete Can’t you see it’s only It’s not yours Joey said hotly Nor yours either Pam retorted Pete examined the box which dangled from the white cords of the parachute Sticking out of the bottom was a tube made of plastic and rounded on the end 8
