Dunc could hear the intercom clearly. He frowned—what was Amos doing? Man, if he messed this up …
By now, Amos had the microphone in one hand and was whirling around the room, talking like a disc jockey on a radio.
“Be glad you tuned in today, kiddies. We have a way-out news flash just for you. The stolen money has been found. I repeat—the concession stand and equipment fund money has been found.”
Dunc had his eyes on the door of the dining hall. He could still hear Amos.
“Stay tuned to this station for further events. Reported straight to you as they happen. But now let’s get down. Back to the music. Our request line is open twenty-four hours a day. We play the hottest tunes. Completely uninterrupted by commercials.”
Amos looked at his watch. Five minutes exactly. Sadly he put the microphone down and raced out the door.
Dunc was starting to wonder if their plan was going to work.
He needn’t have worried.
The front doors of the dining hall flew open. Chuck, Adolf, and Mr. Phillips came barreling out. Dunc followed at a distance.
They ran past the bushes where Amos was waiting. He fell in behind Dunc.
The men ran to the infirmary and burst in, leaving the door open.
Dunc moved to one side of the door, put his fingers to his lips, and motioned Amos to listen at the other side of the door.
Mr. Phillips yelled into the doctor’s face.
“What was that all about? How could anyone have found it? You were supposed to have hidden it!”
Chuck stuffed about five pieces of gum into his mouth. “Yeah, Major. You said it was hid real good.”
The doctor pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the medicine cabinet. He moved some of the items and felt around on the bottom shelf. He pulled out a blue zippered pouch and opened it.
“It’s all here safe and sound. That intercom stunt must have been a joke. Just some punk kids playing around. Don’t worry.” He put the pouch back in the medicine cabinet.
Dunc smiled—he and Amos had them. Everything was going exactly the way he had planned.
Or it was until Amos hiccuped.
Amos clapped his hand over his mouth, but it was too late. Everyone in the room turned and looked in their direction.
The boys turned to jump off the porch, but Adolf and Chuck grabbed them in midair and held them up like dead fish.
“What have we here?” The doctor looked at them over the top of his glasses. “You two have been here before. Perhaps once too often.”
The two counselors threw them into the middle of the floor in a pile.
Dunc rubbed his sore throat. “Excuse me, gentlemen. We were trying to locate the rest room. Could any of you direct us?”
Chuck grabbed him by the front of his shirt. “Shut up, dog breath! You speak only when the major speaks to you. Got it?”
Dunc nodded.
Mr. Phillips was nervous. He kept chewing the same fingernail and repeating, “What are we going to do?”
“Get ahold of yourself, Theo,” the doctor ordered.
He looked at Adolf. “Sergeant, close the door and pull those curtains shut.”
The doctor was clearly in charge. He put his hand on Dunc’s shoulder.
“We have an unfortunate situation here. But not one that can’t be easily remedied.”
He patted Amos’s head. “These children will simply have to be held until it’s safe.”
Amos looked at Dunc.
The doctor went on. “Our operation is far too cost-effective to let a little problem like this get in our way.” He jerked his thumb toward the side room. “Lock them in there for now.”
• 12
Amos sat down on the bed. “I don’t guess our getting caught figures into your overall plan.”
Dunc was listening at the door. “Not so you could tell it.”
“The sheriff
did
say he was coming, didn’t he?”
“I don’t know how seriously he took my call. He said he’d send a unit as soon as one became available.”
Amos started to worry. “What if that’s not until next month?”
The conversation from the other room started to get loud. The doctor