Maurice’s Room Read Online Free Page A

Jacob.
    â€œWe’ll think of something,” Maurice answered. “But first we have to see those headlights.”
    â€œHow will we get them?” asked Jacob.
    â€œClimb,” said Maurice. “See all the places you can put your feet?”
    â€œMe?” asked Jacob.
    â€œI think you can do it better. I’m heavier. If I tried it, everything might crash down,” Maurice said.
    â€œAre you going to ask him first if we can?” asked Jacob.
    â€œHe’s not even looking at us,” said Maurice.
    Jacob put his right foot on a tire rim, then grabbed hold of the fender above him and brought his left foot up to another tire. Slowly he climbed toward the top, using the tires as steps.
    Suddenly there was a loud clanging of metal, then bangs, screeches, and a crash. When the dust cleared, Maurice saw Jacob almost at the top of the pyramid, stretched out on a silver-colored car hood, clutching its sides.
    The man ran out of his little house. When he saw Jacob, he threw his hat on the ground.
    â€œWhat’s the meaning of this!” he shouted.
    â€œWe’d like to make a trade,” said Maurice.
    â€œTrade! At a time like this?” bellowed the man. “Get off my property!”
    â€œHelp!” said Jacob in a weak voice.
    â€œHow will we get him down?” asked Maurice.
    The man picked up his hat and jammed it back on his head. “Can’t he fly?” he growled; then he turned and walked to the crane. He jumped up to the seat and began to push the levers around furiously.
    â€œDon’t worry,” Maurice called up to Jacob. “He’s going to get you down.”
    Jacob didn’t answer. He wasn’t scared now, and he rather liked being so high above the ground.
    There was a grinding of gears and a maniacal roar as the man maneuvered the crane into position.
    â€œClear away,” shouted the man to Maurice. Maurice ran back toward the little house and watched as the claw at the end of the cables lowered its jaw, then clamped onto the hood where Jacob lay, gripped it, and lifted it down slowly like a plate. Several tires dislodged by the crane rolled along the ground.
    â€œWell, get up,” said Maurice to Jacob. Jacob was feeling sleepy. He shook himself a little and stood up.
    â€œHow was it?” asked Maurice.
    â€œOkay,” said Jacob.
    The man jumped down from the crane, picked up a tire, and kicked it so hard it rolled all the way back to the pile. Then he started toward them.
    Maurice and Jacob hurried to the gate. But Maurice stopped suddenly and darted into the little house, where he placed the trumpet on top of the radio.
    â€œIt’s too late for my lesson anyhow,” he said to Jacob as the man yelled after them,
    â€œI’ve got a friend on the police force!”
    On the way home, Jacob said, “What will your mother and father say?”
    â€œPlenty!” said Maurice.

8. A BIRTHDAY PRESENT
    In a few weeks Mr. and Mrs. Henry stopped mentioning the trumpet. After that, whenever Maurice happened to hear them, they were talking about moving to the country. “We’ll have to move anyway, at the rate Maurice is going,” Mrs. Henry said once. “If he puts one more thing in his room, he won’t have a place to stand.”
    But Mr. Henry wanted to wait.
    On a morning late in April, Mrs. Henry brought Maurice a glass of fresh orange juice on a little tray. There was a sign leaning against the glass. It read: “Happy Birthday to Maurice.” She couldn’t get into the room so Maurice got up from his bed and went to the door to get the tray.
    Jacob came at noon and they had a birthday lunch. Maurice blew out all of his nine candles but he forgot to make a wish. Then Mr. and Mrs. Henry brought in a large box.
    Maurice looked inside. It was a three-foot-long sailboat. The rigging was made of cord. The sails were of canvas, the winches really turned, and the hatches could be taken off