Grum!

  He then just stood there staring down at them while they batted their lashes at him.

  Jordan yelled out, "Well don't just stand there Larry, ya nincompoop, start insulting them so we can be on our way!"

  Larry looked down again and said very softly, "Listen you little critters, it's just that, that... well" then he turned to us, "I just can't do it, doggone it, they are just so cute and they are looking up at me with love in their cute teeny eyes!"

  Jordan took a step forward, "Larry, if I have to come out there, I will give you that clobbering I have been promising you, now tell them you don't love them!"

  Larry frowned at us and them looked down again, "Ya see, the truth is little fellas, we have to be on our way, and we don't love you. We need to find our own families so you need to jump back in the water and be strong now."

  The little creatures all looked up at Larry with giant tears in their eyes and one said, "You mean you won't stay with us and lead us?"

  Larry hesitated, and finally said, "No, now darn it, you have to jump back in that there river!"

  The little creature began crying an awful cry but slowly began jumping back into the water.

  "I think it's working!" Tock said to us all.

  Sure enough, soon all the creatures were back in the river except one. "Please stay with us?" it said to Larry with pleading eyes.

  By this time Larry was balling like a baby, "Oh, you cute little critter, maybe you could come with me?"

  Mr. Dooley yelled out to Larry, "Larry, absolutely not, now say your goodbyes, so we can be on our way!"

  Larry looked down once again, and said " You gotta go now little guy". The creature jumped back into the river with a splash and Larry stood alone.

  "By goodness," Larry said wiping the tears from his face, "That was the hardest thing I ever had to do!" He shrugged his shoulders, "I think I really loved those little guys." and he walked to the other side.

  With Larry over the other side of the bridge, we all took our turns pleading with the creatures to jump back in the water as they jumped out at us one by one. We didn't have nearly the difficult time that Larry did. When we all reached the other side, we turned and waved at a distant figure of Tock across the bank.

  Jordan turned to Larry and said kindly, "Oh come on you softie, let's get going and forget about the little creatures. Maybe you can get a kitty or something when you get home."

  We all began moving on the path once again, this time, much closer to the Haggler's market.

  As we walked, Larry had his head hung low and Mr. Dooley kindly put his arm around his shoulder, "Nothing to be ashamed of son, you are a kind hearted boy and there is never any shame in that."

  Larry smiled up at Mr. Dooley, and began walking down the trail, this time, with a bounce in his step.

  Chapter 14.

  We walked for about an hour and Jordan finally asked, "Larry, how much longer do you suppose it will be until we reach the Haggler's Market?"

  Larry looked up the branch covered trail as far as he could see. "I reckon it isn't that far away. I remember goin here with my uncle a couple of years ago and it was a couple of hours away from the bridge."

  We continued to kick up dust as we walked forward. "So," Mr. Dooley said, "When we arrive we must make sure to stay together. These hagglers are sneaky fellas and I don't want any of us to get tricked by them."

  I was curious about the market so I asked "Larry, what exactly is a Haggler's Market?"

  Larry smiled a huge smile, "It is the most amazing market in the world, you can git all kinds a cool stuff there, from magic bugs to hairspray that makes your hair disappear! It is the coolest, darndest place ever!"

  Mr. Dooley seemed concerned, "You do realize that usually hagglers are simply tricksters trying to take your money, don't you Larry?"

  Larry looked a little hurt and became defensive, "Hagglers aint all bad! They got some really amazing stuff here, you'll see!"

  After a few miles down the trail, we started seeing small wooden shacks set up.

  "We're gettin close!" Larry shouted with excitement, the market is right around the bend in the trail up ahead!"

  We started walking faster while looking around at the shacks. Several of the shacks had booths set up in front with people trying to sell strange food items. One had chocolate dipped caterpillars dangling from strings. Another was selling frozen root beer pops dipped in whipped cream and rolled in candy coated froot loops.

  "These snacks sound very strange!" Jordan said.

  "Don't block em til you try em, that's what my uncle always said." Larry exclaimed as he looked with large eyes and his mouth watering, at the many shacks we passed.

  We soon came to a large beaten sign that said "Haggler's Market". Many people were walking by and entering into the huge festive area. People who were old and young were running past with coins in their hands while the hagglers were shouting out, "Step right up and get the deal of the century!" We all stopped to take in the sights.

  "Well" Mr. Dooley said, "Where should we begin?"

  We looked around at the hundreds of colorful tables and booths that were set up as far as the eye could see.

  "I know exactly where to start." Larry said, "We need to go over to the psychic booth. Once we git there, I will give the reader a coin and find out where those grum hagglers are just as soon as I git my psychic reading!"

  Mr.Dooley stared at Larry, "Larry, you can't possibly believe that a psychic haggler would tell you any form of the truth, my boy?"

  Larry grabbed at our hands, "Come with me, you won't believe how good they are!" he said as he pulled us over to a nearby table.

  "Now" Larry whispered, "Let me do the talking and you three don't say a word. We don't want anyone to get susfishious."

  Jordan whispered back "You mean suspicious, Larry, we don't want anyone to get suspicious."

  Larry patted her hand gently, "That is just what I said Jordan, we don't want anyone gettin susfishious, so just you quit yer squakin and watch me, yer about to see somthin amazin!"

  Larry walked over and began speaking to a strange man with an emerald green and silver bandana wrapped around his head. "Scuse me sir, ahem, I would like you to give me a psychic reading if you would please."

  The man looked us over and asked, "Do you have a gold coin then?"

  Larry reached in the pocket of his worn pants and pulled out his last gold coin. "Yes sir!" he tossed the coin down on the table.

  The man then reached down and pulled out a clear glass globe and set it in front of himself and motioned for Larry to sit as the rest of us stood quietly watching.

  Next, the man began massaging the glass ball as if it were a tender head on the table.

  "Ahhh, your name is Larry and you are a boy in his teen years, correct?" he asked.

  Larry smiled a large smile, turned and winked at us, "Yup, I sure am, you are right on target so far!"

  Jordan whispered to us, "Duh, he just heard us say Larry's name."

  The man continued rubbing the ball while his eyes rolled up to the sky. "You, young man, have a mother and a father, correct?"

  Larry began to get excited, "Yes!! Right again!"

  The psychic smiled and said, "The globe never lies."

  Mr. Dooley leaned in towards us, "This is ridiculous, the odds are of course a boy has a mother and father."

  The man continued, "Ahhh, let me see, sometimes your mom and dad get angry with you, is this true? Answer me!"

  Larry looked shocked but delighted at the accuracy of what the man was saying, "Yes, I recon you are right, it is true, I do get into trouble sometimes!"

  Larry turned to us with joy in his eyes, "I told you this guy would be amazin!"

  The man looked further into the globe, "I see you live in a place with walls and windows, a house I believe, am I correct?"

  With that
Larry, slapped the table, "You are amazin sir, my friends wouldn't believe me!" Larry looked at us with disappointed, knowing eyes, "I told y'all he knewed what he was talking about!"

  Mr. Dooley interrupted, "Excuse me sir, but as much as we are enjoying this profound reading, what we really would like to know, is if you could help us locate two hagglers here who are trying to sell magic bubble gum?"

  The man looked at us, took off his bandana, swiped the globe off the table and said, "Oh, that? Why didn't you just say so? They are located towards the very edge of the market. You can't miss them. They are a scruffy couple of kids at a small metal table with a bunch of junk including that useless gum."

  Jordan started to speak, "That gum happens to have very special powers, and we..."

  I kicked Jordan lightly, grabbed Larry's arm and said "Thank-you so much sir, we appreciate your service."

  I grabbed Larry, and Mr. Dooley and Jordan followed us as we walked away.

  "Dagnab it Carol," Larry said looking at me, "Just when my reading was gittin good too!" He kicked up sand and put a scowl on his face.

  We walked for a while and passed many more tables. We saw hagglers selling magic frogs, boots that could hike up hills on their own, water that could wash away wrinkles and boxes that if you sat in long enough, would carry you to distant planets. We were almost near the end of the market when I saw them.

  "Look!" I whispered loudly to the others. I pointed over to two scruffy boys with old metal coils and springs on a table. Right in the middle sat the shiny packed of opened grum. We all stared for a moment, realizing that the answer to our prayers, hopefully, lay just within our reach.

  Chapter 15

  We walked slowly over to the table where the two scruffy hagglers stood. One had choppy black hair and wore a fish hook in each ear. The other was wearing a snakeskin cowboy hat and an old ratty jean jacket.

  Mr. Dooley whispered to us as we approached the two of them. "Let me do the talking this time kids. I got us into this mess and I hope to be the one who gets us out."

  Larry started to talk, "But Mr. Dooley, I know how to work these guys, my great grandfather was a shoe sales man."

  Mr. Dooley smiled adoringly at Larry, "Son, you truly have been a blessing on this journey but I must handle this situation on my own, if you please."

  Larry looked a little disappointed but said, "If you say so, Mr. Dooley."

  As we approached, the boy with the fish hooks grabbed a spring off the table and said, "Welcome, fellow travelers! May I interest you in the greatest flying mechanism ever invented?"

  Mr. Dooley looked at the spring for a moment and then pointed at the grum. "Actually, it is that strange package of opened gum you have there. That is what I am truly interested in."

  The snakeskin hat boy picked up the grum and twirled it around in his pasty hands, "This gum? This magical amazing gum I hold in my hands at this very moment?"

  The boy said spoke with a weasel like smile on his face.

  "This gum aint cheap, no siree, I would only be willing to sell it for 10 gold coins, and then you got yourselves a deal."

  Mr. Dooley looked startled, "Ten gold coins? Why it surely isn't worth that much, and we couldn't possibly come up with that much money!"

  The boy shrugged and stuffed the grum into his dirty shirt pocket. "Well then, I guess ya don't want it then!"

  The two boys started laughing together.

  I was getting very upset and was about to say something when Jordan lost her temper. "Listen here you two fleabags, that gum was stolen from us and you will give it to us or else I will knock your heads together!"

  The two boys stared at her for a moment, and then just burst out laughing again.

  Mr. Dooley huddled the four of us together and walked us over to a nearby shady tree. "Listen, getting angry simply will not help, we must think of a plan.

  We all stood dumbfounded for a few minutes and then I had an idea.

  "Follow my lead, you guys, I have an idea I think might just work."

  We all walked back over to the table.

  "Well, we don't have the money you want,” I said, “so we are just going to be on our way but before we go, would you be so kind as to loan us a few cups? We have just enough lemonade for a quick refresher before our long trek ahead."

  The others looked at me with puzzled expressions. I reached in and grabbed the remaining cactus juice out of our dusty travel bag.

  The two hagglers looked at each other and then one of them grinned and said,"We might just lend you a cup, but we wants some of that fine pink lemonade too!"

  I smiled, Mr. Dooley, Jordan and Larry smiled too. "I would be perfectly glad to share with you." I said kindly.

  The two hagglers walked off and borrowed a few cups from nearby hagglers. When they returned, I slowly poured the pink liquid into the cups on the table.

  We all picked up a cup and Mr. Dooley held his up, "Cheers to happy travels." he said as he rose his cup out to us all.

  "Cheers" we all exclaimed.

  The two hagglers greedily drank the liquid up while we simply watched.

  "Hey, how come youse aint drinkin none of your lemonade?" Fishhook ears asked.

  Snakeskin snatched at my cup, "If you aint gonna drink it, I will!" he said and he poured my cup right down his throat.

  "Yeah, I want yours too!" said Fish hook ears, and he grabbed at the other cups and drank them down.

  The hagglers looked at each other and one of them said, "Awww, we're so sorry, now you don't have no lemonade for your long journey! We are so sorry!"

  He slapped the other on the back, started laughing, and fell to the ground in fits of laughter.

  For a moment the other boy just stared at him. Then, suddenly, he too, hit the ground laughing. "Yeah, sorry we drank it all down to our funny tummies!" He wiggled and laughed on the ground.

  The rest of us watched them for a moment and then Mr. Dooley spoke up while looking down on the boys, "So you two won't mind if we take the gum now will you?"

  Fish hook ears looked up and roared with laughter, "No not at all, take the gubble bum!"

  The other boy was shrieking, "You said gubble bum!"

  They continued to laugh ridiculously on the ground while Mr. Dooley calmly took the grum from the haggler's pocket, and patted him on the head.

  The haggler looked up and pointed at the grum, " Pretty, shiny gubble bum!" He then burst into giggles and pounded the ground with both fists as he laughed his head off.

  Mr. Dooley put the grum safely in his pant pocket and beckoned us to follow him away from the market, back into the desert area.

  Chapter 16

  We walked along quietly and Mr Dooley stopped us near an old broken wagon wheel just off the trail.

  He took the grum from his pocket and turned it over in his hands. Then he spoke, "Well, I am not sure if the Grum will return us home, but we really don't have any other choice now do we?"

  He looked sadly at all of who now stood in a small huddled circle around him looking down at the Grum.

  I looked over at Larry and realized we had nothing to reward him with even though he had traveled so far to help us. "Larry," I said, "I am so sorry, we really have no reward for all your troubles except these old travel packs and some stale peanuts."

  Larry looked at all of us and a smile stretched across his face. "Shucks," he said, "I had a monkey barrel of fun with you. Y'all are the kindest people I ever knew, even you, Jordan."

  Jordan stared at Larry and then huge tears welled in her eyes. She suddenly grabbed Larry and hugged him with all her might and burst into tears. "Larry, you really are so brave. I am going to miss you so much! I am going to miss all your funny stories and your bravery too!" She gave Larry a big smooch on the side of his face.

  Larry blushed a crimson red, and smiled at the same time.

  Mr. Dooley turned to L
arry, "Well, son, what do you think you will do now? Will you return to Gertie's shack to continue working there?"

  Larry looked down and kicked some sand forward. "No" he said, "After spending time with y'all, I miss my family, my ma and my pa, I recon I better head home and take care of them. They need me cuz of my muscles and all."

  Larry held up his arms for us to see his muscles. I reached out and hugged Larry with all my might. "You are so brave Larry. We couldn't have made it this far without your help. Good luck to you my friend."

  We all stood quietly for a moment and then Mr. Dooley spoke, "I believe I should perhaps be the first to chew the Grum so I can be waiting for you girls where ever it takes us."

  I thought that was as good an idea as any.

  "Ok, Mr. Dooley, you go first, then Jordan, and I will be the last."

  Mr. Dooley looked down at the three pieces of Grum that were left. He slowly grabbed at the next piece in the pack and began unraveling it from the crispy white wrapper. When it was unwrapped, he took the purple smooth cube and tore it in half and handed half of it to Jordan. Mr. Dooley looked at us and shook our hands,

  "Well, here goes...Good luck to us all and I shall hope to see you girls on the other side." With that, Mr. Dooley ruffled Larry's hair one last time, and put the half torn gum in his mouth and slowly began chewing.

  The three of us stared at him, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, Mr. Dooley's balding head began to shrink down, then his shoes became to large for his feet.

  "It is working Mr. Dooley." Jordan shouted, "It is really working!"

  About a minute later, Mr. Dooley had completely disappeared.

  I looked at Jordan and asked her, "Well, are you ready to try the Grum?"

  Jordan was so excited she could barely chew the gum fast enough. "You bet I am" she said as she chewed the purple mass as quickly as she could.

  Jordan too, began disappearing just as she had before, pigtails first, and then the rest of her. Soon she was gone completely.

  It was just Larry and me left on the trail and two pieces of gum. "Well Larry, I guess this is goodbye." I said as I slowly unwrapped the next piece of grum, tore it in half, and put the rest of the grum in my pant pocket.

  "It sure is Carol, and remember as you look at me right now, There is no face like home. My Granny use to tell me that."