CHAPTER 1 A Broken Cuckoo WHERE’S the secret surprise Daddy asked little Sue Hollister Yes you promised us declared Holly We’re all here to see it The five Hollister children had just trooped into The Trading Post which was the combination hardware sporting goods and toy store operated by their father in downtown Shoreham Come right this way said Mr Hollister a tall athletic-looking man as he led them to the rear of the store All of the children beamed in expectation as they followed Dark-haired Sue who was four clung to her father’s hand Beside her was six-year-old Holly twirling a pigtail Red-haired Ricky came next He was seven and had freckles Pam and Pete brought up the rear Pam ten had fluffy golden hair and a friendly smile Pete two years older was a good-looking boy with a crew cut At the back of the store Mr Hollister stopped and pointed to the wall There’s the surprise Cuckoo clocks the youngsters chorused 7
Everyone gazed at the three clocks mounted high on the wall The wooden faces of the clocks were framed with hand-carved leaves and on the peaked roof of each was a lovely bird with wings outstretched Beneath dangling nearly to the floor were two long chains weighted by pine cones made of metal The time was one minute to ten Watch carefully Mr Hollister said Suddenly the doors of the cuckoo clocks sprang open and three little birds poked their heads out Cuckoo Cuckoo Cuckoo they called accompanied by the jangling sounds of gongs Sue clapped her hands gleefully and Pam said Oh they’re precious But on the ninth cuckoo there came a loud bang as a small stone smashed against a clock and fell to the floor at their feet Oh dear exclaimed Pam The middle cuckoo hung limply forward while the other two disappeared into their birdhouses The Hollisters wheeled about to see Joey Brill dashing toward the front door of The Trading Post In one hand he held a slingshot He shot the cuckoo Holly cried out Come on Pete We’ll get him Ricky said stoutly The two boys raced down the aisle and outside Joey Brill was nowhere to be seen That was a mean trick Pete said in disgust as the two boys gave up their search and returned to their father’s store 8
