sir.”
“You are familiar with repairing roofs?”
Thomas was no expert, but he knew he could fix a roof. From the time he was big enough to wield a hammer, he’d worked side by side with Pa on everything from putting up walls to hammering down shingles. He nodded. “I’m familiar with most carpentry jobs.”
Herr Barkman looked satisfied. “So I can count on you to see it through?”
Thomas held his breath. He’d sent his letter to Harry already, and he hated to disappoint his friend. But looking at Pa’s face, he knew he couldn’t disappoint his father, either. How long could it take to repair a roof ? Maybe a week? Surely, he could wait that long. “You can count on me.”
“ Goot. Goot .” The man gave Thomas a hearty clap on the back. “Well, then, let us get you working. There is a wagon waiting behind my house with cut shingles in the bed, as well as a ladder, tools, and nail keg—everything you need. You know where is the Schmidt house?”
Aware of Pa’s watchful gaze, Thomas carefully guarded his expression. “Yes, sir.”
“You will see the pocks from last spring’s hailstorm. Replace all the damaged shingles.” The man twisted his lips. “It will be most all of them.”
Most all of them equated to a good-sized job—more than a week, for sure. Thomas set his jaw and smacked his hat onto his head. “Then I better get started. Bye, Pa. See you at lunch.”
Working right across the alley from his folks’ house had its advantages, Thomas discovered. While he tore loose damaged shingles and tossed them into a pile on the ground, his little sisters provided entertainment with their enthusiastic chasing game. As a youngster, he had often played Eene, meene, Maun on the playground. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned as Gussie snatched Abby around the middle and crowed, “ Eene, meene, Maun! Botta enna Paun! Kjees enne Kiep! Du best jriep! ”
Standing, Thomas waved his hat and called, “Good job, Gussie!”
The girls giggled, waved at him, and then took off again for another round. Thomas turned back to his task, whistling a merry tune. He had no idea what tagging someone had to do with butter in a skillet or cheese in a basket, but it was obvious his sisters enjoyed the game as much as he had as a child. The sound of their laughter carried him through the first hour of removing shingles.
Midmorning, Summer crossed the alley with a jug of ginger water and a plate of oatmeal cookies. He eagerly climbed down the ladder to enjoy a few minutes in the shade. Summer handed him the jug and asked, “How is the job going?”
Thomas swallowed, backhanded his moist lips, and grimaced. “I’m afraid it’s going slow. Most of the shingles need to be replaced, but at least the hailstones didn’t damage much of the sheeting.” At her puzzled look, he added, “The boards underneath the shingles.”
“Ah.” She nodded, holding out the plate of cookies. “Well, I know you’ll do a good job. The Schmidts should appreciate it.”
At that moment the back door of the Schmidt house opened. Malinda Schmidt stood in the doorway. “Have you finished for the day?”
Thomas nearly laughed. “Finished? Oh, no. There’s still much to do.”
Her frown caused deep furrows around her mouth. “The sounds of whistling, scraping, and thudding are giving Mama a horrible headache.”
Thomas had no idea how he would repair their roof without making noise. He looked helplessly at Summer.
Summer offered Malinda a kind smile. “The roof must be repaired, Malinda.”
“Can you not come down off the roof to place the shingles on the pile? The steady crack of shingles hitting the ground is en Fe’druss .”
Thomas stared at the woman in disbelief. They found the sounds of his working annoying? Surely it was less annoying than a leaking roof. He opened his mouth to inform Miss Schmidt of the ridiculousness of her request, but Summer interrupted.
“Perhaps Frau Schmidt could put some cotton
“You are familiar with repairing roofs?”
Thomas was no expert, but he knew he could fix a roof. From the time he was big enough to wield a hammer, he’d worked side by side with Pa on everything from putting up walls to hammering down shingles. He nodded. “I’m familiar with most carpentry jobs.”
Herr Barkman looked satisfied. “So I can count on you to see it through?”
Thomas held his breath. He’d sent his letter to Harry already, and he hated to disappoint his friend. But looking at Pa’s face, he knew he couldn’t disappoint his father, either. How long could it take to repair a roof ? Maybe a week? Surely, he could wait that long. “You can count on me.”
“ Goot. Goot .” The man gave Thomas a hearty clap on the back. “Well, then, let us get you working. There is a wagon waiting behind my house with cut shingles in the bed, as well as a ladder, tools, and nail keg—everything you need. You know where is the Schmidt house?”
Aware of Pa’s watchful gaze, Thomas carefully guarded his expression. “Yes, sir.”
“You will see the pocks from last spring’s hailstorm. Replace all the damaged shingles.” The man twisted his lips. “It will be most all of them.”
Most all of them equated to a good-sized job—more than a week, for sure. Thomas set his jaw and smacked his hat onto his head. “Then I better get started. Bye, Pa. See you at lunch.”
Working right across the alley from his folks’ house had its advantages, Thomas discovered. While he tore loose damaged shingles and tossed them into a pile on the ground, his little sisters provided entertainment with their enthusiastic chasing game. As a youngster, he had often played Eene, meene, Maun on the playground. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and grinned as Gussie snatched Abby around the middle and crowed, “ Eene, meene, Maun! Botta enna Paun! Kjees enne Kiep! Du best jriep! ”
Standing, Thomas waved his hat and called, “Good job, Gussie!”
The girls giggled, waved at him, and then took off again for another round. Thomas turned back to his task, whistling a merry tune. He had no idea what tagging someone had to do with butter in a skillet or cheese in a basket, but it was obvious his sisters enjoyed the game as much as he had as a child. The sound of their laughter carried him through the first hour of removing shingles.
Midmorning, Summer crossed the alley with a jug of ginger water and a plate of oatmeal cookies. He eagerly climbed down the ladder to enjoy a few minutes in the shade. Summer handed him the jug and asked, “How is the job going?”
Thomas swallowed, backhanded his moist lips, and grimaced. “I’m afraid it’s going slow. Most of the shingles need to be replaced, but at least the hailstones didn’t damage much of the sheeting.” At her puzzled look, he added, “The boards underneath the shingles.”
“Ah.” She nodded, holding out the plate of cookies. “Well, I know you’ll do a good job. The Schmidts should appreciate it.”
At that moment the back door of the Schmidt house opened. Malinda Schmidt stood in the doorway. “Have you finished for the day?”
Thomas nearly laughed. “Finished? Oh, no. There’s still much to do.”
Her frown caused deep furrows around her mouth. “The sounds of whistling, scraping, and thudding are giving Mama a horrible headache.”
Thomas had no idea how he would repair their roof without making noise. He looked helplessly at Summer.
Summer offered Malinda a kind smile. “The roof must be repaired, Malinda.”
“Can you not come down off the roof to place the shingles on the pile? The steady crack of shingles hitting the ground is en Fe’druss .”
Thomas stared at the woman in disbelief. They found the sounds of his working annoying? Surely it was less annoying than a leaking roof. He opened his mouth to inform Miss Schmidt of the ridiculousness of her request, but Summer interrupted.
“Perhaps Frau Schmidt could put some cotton
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