by Mary Wingfield Bell
Chapter Six -
Big Squirt, Jeff and Willie were headed for the shopping
center on their bicycles. They saw a group of men building a
warehouse and stopped their bikes to watch the construction.
A big cement mixer truck turned and turned sand and cement
into a thick wet substance. The men pushed wheelbarrows full of
the mud-like mixture and dumped it on a large bed of gravel. And
two men dragged a long straight metal piece across the wet cement,
cutting and smoothing all the lumpy places. Soon there was a big
concrete floor for the warehouse. A lumber truck brought in pieces
of timber, large wooden beams to be used in building the outside
and roof of the warehouse. Already there were workers with hammers
driving nails into studs for the walls.
The boys stayed there at the building site for hours. They
forgot about going to the shopping center for their stealing
game.
"Guys, I'm hungry," said Jeff. "Let's go home."
"My stomach is empty, too," added Willie.
"We forgot about our swiping spree," Big Squirt said. "Maybe
it wasn't a good idea anyway." "
The boys turned their bikes in the direction of their own
neighborhood.
On the way home they passed Wink's house. Wink and Knuckles
were on the side of the driveway, looking at the ground. The two
boys were intensely watching a caravan of ants. They hardly looked
up when Big Squirt yelled, "What's happenin'?"
"Ants," replied Knuckles.
"Looks like an army going somewhere. We are going to see how
far the ants travel," said Wink, his eyes still gazing toward the
ground.
"Hey, they got packages; they are all carrying something,"
Willie said.
"Look at that one; he is carrying something two times bigger
than he is," added Jeff.
"Strange critters! I heard about killer ants," related Big
Squirt.
"These aren't killer ants," Wink said. "But their bites sure
sting if you step in an ant hill."
Wink's aunt came out to see what the boys were doing. She had
been watching them while they watched the ants. "I hope none of
the ants come inside the house," she said. "It's hard to get rid
of the little pests.
All of the lads sat on the driveway watching the long
procession. It looked like the long line of ants would never end.
The ants moved along beside the driveway. Near the front sidewalk
they went through a long crack and then marched in line parallel
to the sidewalk all the way to the street lamppost. Behind the
lamppost they entered a tiny tunnel under the sidewalk.
Aunt Gracie went back into the kitchen. Jeff, Big Squirt and
Willie went home to eat lunch.
"Guess that's it," Wink sighed. "We can't get in that little
tunnel."
"What'll we do now?" asked Knuckles.
"Let's round up the gang and play ball," suggested Wink. "But
we better get a sandwich first." The two then went into the house
to get something to eat.
"There's peanut butter and jelly," his aunt called from the
sewing machine where she was making some new curtains.
Wink and Knuckles ate the sandwiches and gulped down two large
glasses of milk. Then they left the house to get the guys
together.
Soon seven boys and two girls were on bicycles going to the
community ball field. When they arrived, boys were already
playing. It was the west side gang.
"Big guy, we'll play your team, okay?" Rough offered.
"Sure, we'll take you on," returned Big Squirt.
"Six innings?" Rough said. "We got things to do later."
"Okay," Big Squirt agreed.
The ball game went on for an hour and a half with lots of
name-calling and arguing but no one got into a fight which was
good. When the game ended, the score was 17 to 15 in favor of the
west side gang.
"They got all boys," complained Little Cube. "That's why they
beat us."
"Boys, girls ain't got nothing to do with it," was Rainbow's
response. "They are just good players."
"She's right, Little Cube," Wink added. "They are really
good."
"Girls play just as well as guys; anyway, Rainbow and I do,"
declared Daisy.
Wink changed the subject. "You girls coming to our club
tomorrow? It's going to be at 2 o'clock."
"We just might," Rainbow replied. "Old Winterfresh ain't like
most grown-ups who just say shut up or get lost."
"I think you should call him Mister," Little Cube
suggested.
"Let's take the bike trail to get to our neighborhood," said
Wink. "It's safer than riding on the main streets."
After riding two blocks the bikers turned onto the trail which
went through a park and into a wooded area and then out again onto
the edge of town.
It was in the wooded section that Jeff stopped his bike and
picked up a puppy. The puppy was hurt. Someone must have hit the
puppy with a bicycle.
"Hey! Wait up!," Jeff called to the rest of the gang who had
gone ahead.
His friends waited and saw that he had a wounded animal. They
all felt sorry for the poor little dog.
"What are you going to do with him?" Rainbow asked.
"Keep him if the folks will let me," Jeff said. He rode the
rest of the way home with only one hand on the handlebar and with
the other hand he held the puppy close to him."
All the gang rode close together, each one taking a look at
the puppy now and then. Finally, the children reached Jeff's
house. His foster parents said he could keep the little dog until
it was well. They would decide later whether he could keep it
permanently."
The others went to their homes except for Wink and Big Squirt,
who wanted to watch Jeff care for the puppy.
Jeff's older sister made a splint for the broken leg. Then
Jeff tried to feed the dog, but he would not eat. He just lay
there."
"Maybe he will eat later," Wink said as he left for home.
Jeff kept his new pet on the screened-in porch at the back of
the house." He was going to watch this puppy. "Poor dog," he said.
"Someone did not like him."
Then Big Squirt left. He did not want to sit and watch a
little animal that might die. He was going home to see if his
daddy might be there."
Wink went to his house to spend the rest of the day, looking
over his baseball cards, rock and marble collections. Maybe he
would watch television in the evening.
His aunt had work for him to do. She had taken out all the
window screens, and was cleaning windows. The screens were propped
up next to the house for him to scrub and rinse.
"Fire ants! I shouldn't have come home," he grumbled as he
began scrubbing the screens with a stiff brush.
"When you are through, I'll take you to get ice cream," Aunt
Gracie said. This made the work a little easier but the sun was
beaming down hot and Wink was anxious to get inside the house in
the cool shade.
Rinsing the screens was less work than scrubbing them. While
rinsing screens he turned the hose on himself. The cold water felt
good in the hot sun. He squirted himself from head to foot, making
sure water ran down between his toes.
Soon the screens were clean and Wink helped Aunt Gracie put
them back on the windows. New curtains were hanging in the
windows. "It looks nice," she said.
Wink didn't say anything. He was thinking about what kind of
ice cream he wanted. He quickly changed into dry clothes and was
soon ready to go.
"I had better comb my hair and wash my face, hands and arms,"
Aunt Gracie said as she hurried into her bedroom. Soon she came
out with her brown purse. Then they were on their way to the ice
cream parlor.
"What'll it be?" the young man behind the counter asked.
"Two scoops of vanilla," Wink's aunt replied.
Wink had quite a different order. "I want a scoop of butter
pecan, a scoop of chocolate, a scoop of strawberry, a scoop of
vanilla and one of peach ice cream."
"You'll ge fat with so much ice cream." Aunt Gracie teased.
"I never get fat," Wink declared.
They carried their ice cream dishes to a table in the corner,
a nice place with big glass windows all around. Outside the
windows was beautiful green shrubbery. "What a lovely place to
eat," Wink's aunt said. "Maybe we could take some ice cream to Mr.
Winterfresh and the LITTLE CHURCH gang."
"Great, the guys will love it!" Wink was pleased.
"How about the girls?" she asked.
"I call them all guys," Wink said laughing.
"Remind me tomorrow to get a gallon of ice cream and put in
his refrigerator until after our meeting," Aunt Gracie said. "By
the way, I must teach you the song we learned, maybe tonight."
Wink looked forward to the next day's meeting. He had missed
his old friend and it would be good to see him again.
When Wink and his aunt arrived home, he called Jeff to see if
the puppy had eaten anything.
"He won't eat, Wink! I'm afraid he might die," Jeff said on
the telephone.
"I hope he lives," Wink said.
When Wink had hung up the receiver, his aunt said, "Why not
get Mr. Winterfresh to pray for the dog? I think God wants Jeff's
puppy to live."
Next day Aunt Gracie gathered up all the children who wished
to go in her car. Willie decided to go once; he might not go
anymore. Jeff was staying close to the new puppy. The animal was
very ill now. Big Squirt was not interested in what went on in
that old garage.
On the way to the old man's house, Wink's Aunt Gracie went
into the supermarket and brought out two half-gallons of ice cream
in plastic bags. "I must get these in the freezer as soon as we
get there," she said. "Don't let me forget."
When they drove up to Mr. Winterfresh's home all the kids
together cried "The ice cream, Aunt Gracie!" No one wanted the ice
cream left to melt in an automobile. Wink carried the cartons and
put them in the refrigerator.
Everyone joined the Bible teacher in the garage. Mr.
Winterfresh had added two fans to the garage church, making it
quite comfortable for all.
"Our congregation is growing," the children's friend said as
he beamed with gladness. There were twelve people including Wink's
aunt, the old man and a little girl who had moved next door to the
garage. Lena was seven, not at all shy and started talking to
anyone who would listen. Then she sat on a flower pot in the front
row next to Isabel and Marcia.
When everyone was seated, Mr. Winterfresh spoke, "Everyone has
a problem at one time or another - something or someone to pray
about. God hears when we pray. Now, I was thinking perhaps one of
you might want me to pray for you or you might like to pray. I am
listening. Is everything fine? No problems? God can answer any
prayers."
"I have a question," said Little Cube. "Does God heal today
like he did long ago?"
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. All things are
possible to those who believe. It's in the scriptures," their old
friend said.
"Does he heal animals?" asked Knuckles.
"If you believe that he will, sure!" replied Mr. Winterfresh.
"Why not?"
Mr. Winterfresh, our friend Jeff found a puppy yesterday with
a broken leg. The puppy is very sick. He will not eat all all,"
Moon said.
"We will pray for Jeff's dog. Is there anything else to pray
about?"
"Pray that Big Squirt will come to our Bible club," said
Wink.
The kind old gentleman bowed his head and when the children
were perfectly still, he prayed:
"Father God, I know You hear us when we pray. I know You
answer prayer. And You care about the problems of these children
who are Yours. Their friend Jeff has a sick and injured dog. We
ask You to heal the dog. Thank You. Now we ask You that their
friend, Big Squirt, will take an interest in Your way and come to
our meetings. Thank you again, Amen."
Then he added, "Now let's have those stand up who are here for
the first time."
Lena and Willie stood up. They told their names and then sat
down.
"Rainbow, dear, your bubble gum is distracting on the outside
of your mouth. Please keep it inside your mouth or deposit it in
the wastebasket," Mr. Winterfresh said.
Rainbow had to blow one more big bubble. Then it burst,
smacking her in the face. She had to pull it from her nose and
chin on the way to the wastebasket.
Rainbow sat on her flower pot again and all was still. The old
man said, "Let's sing our happy song." He gave them the words,
then they all sang:
I'm happy today.
He has come to stay.
Washed my sins away,
Taught me how to pray,
Saved by his blood
Jesus is my Lord.
"Now listen to a new song. Then we will all sing it." He sang:
We're the children's army,
Marching for the Lord.
We're the children's army,
Trusting in His word.
We're the children's army;
We will shout and sing,
We're the children's army
Jesus is our King.
We're the children's army,
Marching through the land.
We're the children's army,
And we think that's grand.
We're the children's army;
We will shout and sing,
We're the children's army,
Jesus is our King.
"Follow me!" he said and waved his hand high. The boys and
girls fell into line, with Wink's aunt at the end of the line.
Everyone waved a hand high and they all sang the song over and
over as they marched around the garage, out onto the driveway,
around the edge of the yard to the back fence, then around the
other side of the house, across the front lawn, onto the driveway
again and back into the garage.
Lena's mother looked out a side window and smiled.
Then everyone sat down - the children on flower pots, Wink's
aunt and the old gentleman on chairs.
Mr. Winterfresh said, "The fans feel good after that marching.
Now, I have something for each of you." He opened a box on the
table and took out a dozen New Testaments. "These are Little
Bibles, at least they are part of the Bible. In this part of the
Bible you learn about the birth of Jesus, where He grew up and the
works He did among the people. How many of you want to know more
about Him?"
All raised their hands.
"Good! Isabel you may pass out our Little Bibles."
Isabel was delighted that their friend had chosen her.
"I'll start reading mine this evening," Wink promised.
"You don't have to wait until later," Mr. Winterfresh reminded
him. "Come here by me and I'll show you where to read. The rest of
you open your New Testaments and listen to Wink read from the book
of Matthew. That's at the front of your book."
Wink read ten verses.
"Rainbow, will you read?" the children's friend asked.
"I'm not good at reading," replied Rainbow.
"I'll read," offered Daisy.
"Fine," Mr. Winterfresh said as he smiled at her.
After Daisy read from the New Testament, Mr. Winterfresh
talked some more about Jesus.
As usual he asked if anyone wanted Jesus to come into his
heart. Lena, Daisy, Rainbow and Willie prayed the prayer of
forgiveness. They were so happy to know Jesus and now know for a
fact that He is a real person.
"Anyone want to speak about Jesus?" the elderly man asked.
"Jesus is beautiful," added Rainbow.
"I now have the best friend ever," was Daisy's response.
"And I love Him," Lena said softly.
"Okay, you can talk while Aunt Gracie gets the ice cream
ready," their leader said.
Wink's aunt borrowed a big spoon from Mr. Winterfresh and
filled paper cups with ice cream. Then she handed the cups of ice
cream and plastic spoons to the boys and girls.
"Hooray for Wink's aunt!" the kids yelled. Everyone liked the
ice cream.
"Aunt Gracie is one of God's helpers," Mr. Winterfresh told
the children.
She liked being called God's helper.
This has been such a nice Bible Club day. The LITTLE CHURCH
was growing. The old man and Aunt Gracie beamed with pride. Then
she hauled the children home again. On the way they all stopped to
see Jeff and his puppy.
The little dog was eating cornbread soaked in milk.
"When did he start eating?" asked Wink.
"A few minutes ago," answered Jeff. "I'm so glad."
The gang clapped their hands. They knew that God had answered
the old man's prayer. Then Willie told Jeff about Mr. Winterfresh
praying for the dog.
"So that's what happened," Jeff said, obviously impressed.
"What's his name again?"
"Mr. Winterfresh," all the kids answered.
"I'll name the puppy after him," Jeff said. "Winter is the
puppy"s name. No, it is Winner because he is a winner. But he is
still named after that old guy." Jeff was happy. His pet was going
to be well.