Chapter One

A Sad Trial

“Oh!” said Sylvia suddenly. “What?” said Lee alarmed. “Oh I have to go out with you to get firewood,” replied Sylvia. “Oh now I remember,” said Lee, and into the house went the two girls to get Lisette and Ben and the things they would need to chop down trees for wood craft and firewood. The sister and brother came out. “Where’s Anne?” said Lee in a worried tone of voice. “I don’t know,” said Sylvia, turning around slowly to see if she could see Anne from the distance. “Where are we going?” asked Ben and Lisette together. “To get kindling wood if we find Anne,” answered Sylvia. “Here I am,” called a happy voice. “Are we going to get wood again?” said Anne. “I found a place where the trees are thick.” “Oh Anne!” said Lee. “Well, are we going?” asked Anne. “Yep,” said Sylvia.

When they got to the spot Ben and Lisette cut down the tree while Lee, Sylvia, and Anne stood in a patch of ivy. Suddenly a wind sprung up and made the tree fall in the direction of Anne, Lee, and Sylvia. “Run!” screamed Lisette. They ran but they tripped on the vines of ivy. Before they could get up, smack! and blood flowed out. The tree had fallen on their middles where they had had serious operations. Lisette and Ben pulled off the tree and carried them home. Off to the hospital they went and were crippled.

When the others went visiting in the children’s ward, the patients of the family were glad to see them. “Boy,” said Lee, “that was a big eastern wind.” “Yep, it sure was,” said Anne. “It occurs to me,” said Ben, “that that wind was phony and that someone caused it . . .” “Because,” said Lisette, “there are never strong eastern winds in South Dakota where we are now . . .” “And,” said Ben, “we never ever get eastern winds nowadays.” Just then the alarm bell rang and the news machine reported that in Africa a robber had his hand chopped off and was sent here because there were not enough doctors in Africa. “The robber has escaped-aped-aped-aped-aped-aped,” went the machine. The parents wrapped up their sick children in quilts and went to the door. “It’s locked!” screamed Lisette. Ben made a rope out of sheets and pillowcases, fastened it to the beds, and threw the other end out the window. The family got down safely. Some of the nurses and doctors had been shot. Others were hiding. A nurse explained that the robber of Africa was fierce and had stored money from the hospital. “His name is the Red Romer, and he has enough electricity and money to make a strong wind as you say what happened. Run!” said the nurse. So they ran ran ran ran.