《神奇树屋》 第四十二册 A Good Night for Ghosts 04 Potato Head Blues

　　"What now?" Jack 1 said.



"We have to follow him," said Annie. "We can't lethim out of our sight."Jack and Annie walked quickly after the mule 2 cart.



The hot brick road burned their feet. "Ow, ow, ow,"they both whispered.



"So let's figure out--ow--what we're going to say tohim," said Jack.



"Simple," said Annie. "We'll tell him we'd like towork with him. And then while we're working, we'llstart talking to him about music. And put him45on the right path to becoming the King of Jazz.""Hmm," said Jack. It wasn't much of a plan, but hecouldn't think of anything better.



Up ahead, Dipper's mule cart stopped near the backof a candy shop.



"Hey, Dipper!" yelled 3 Annie.



Dipper looked over his shoulder. He smiled. "What'sgoing on? Y'all are sticking to me like glue," he said.



"Well, actually, we were wondering--" started Jack.



"If we could work with you?" finished Annie.



"Work with me?" said Dipper. "I'm just deliveringcoal.""Yeah, we know. We think it might be fun," saidAnnie.



Dipper laughed. "Y'all are crazy," he said. "No,we're not. We just like to work," said Annie.



"Yeah, yeah, we really do," said Jack.



Dipper laughed46enough work to go around today," he said. "There'sextra shovels 5 and buckets in the cart.""Cool. Just tell us what to do, Dipper," said Annie.



"Fill your buckets with coal and toss 6 each bucketload into the bin 7," said Dipper. He pointed 8 to a largewooden box at the back of the small candy shop.



"Twelve bucket loads should do it.""Got it," said Annie.



Annie carefully set the magic trumpet 9 on theground near Dipper's cart. Jack left his cloth bagbeside it. Dipper handed each of them a heavy shoveland a tin bucket from the back of the cart. Then allthree of them started shoveling coal.



Dipper whistled and worked quickly. But Jack andAnnie had a hard time handling their heavy shovels.



Whenever the shovels tipped to the side, all the coalfell off. Finally they both just grabbed 10 pieces of coalwith their hands and tossed 11 them into their buckets.



The afternoon sun beat down on Jack's back as heworked.



4748He was sweaty and short of breath. His hands wereblack from picking up the coal, and his clothes werecovered with coal dust. This is a terrible job, hethought. He wondered how Dipper could be socheerful.



"So, Dipper," said Annie, "do you like music?"Dipper's answer was drowned out as he dumped aload of coal into the bin.



"What'd you say?" Jack called to Dipper.



Dipper answered again, but Jack didn't hear himbecause a buggy rumbled 12 by. This is a bad time for aserious discussion, Jack thought. He could hardlythink in the burning sun.



As Dipper shoveled 13 more coal, he started singing asong that seemed to give words to how Jack felt:



I've got those, coat cart blues 14.



I'm really all confused-I'm about to lose my very mind.



But Dipper didn't seem confused at all, or49about to lose his mind. He had a warm, raspy voice,and his song had a lively beat.



"Dipper! Dipper! Dipper!" some kids called.



Dipper stopped singing. Three boys were runningtoward the coal cart. They were the singing trio Jackand Annie had seen on Jackson Square.



"I know you're working," said one of the kids. "Butquit early today, Dipper! We just got a gig to sing inthe parade.""Sorry, can't do it, Little Mack," said Dipper.



Little Mack wasn't exactly little, Jack noticed. Helooked like he weighed over two hundred pounds.



"Come on, Dipper," said another boy.



"Gotta work, Happy," said Dipper.



"Aww, Dipper," said Happy. He didn't look happyat all.



"Come on, Dipper!" said the third boy.



"Can't do it, Big Nose," said Dipper.



Jack looked at Big Nose's nose. It was really quitesmall.



50"Aww," said Happy again.



"Go on now. Y'all sound just fine by yourselves,"said Dipper. "Go on to the parade and have fun.""But--" Big Nose began.



"Listen," said Dipper. "Since sunup, I've deliveredfive cartloads of coal. I get paid fifteen cents a load.



That makes seventy-five cents I'm going to take hometo my family tonight. How much did you fellas makeon the square today? How much you going to makein the parade?"The three boys were silent.



"I've got a steady job now," said Dipper. "You don'tneed me. Go on to the parade and have a good time."The three boys stared at Dipper for a long moment.



"Come on, fellas," Little Mack said finally. "Let himbe. Ever since he got back from the Waif's Home, he'sturned into a mama's boy."Jack wondered what the Waif's Home was.



Dipper watched the three boys walk off. Then helooked at Jack and Annie. "Little Mack, Happy,51and Big Nose Sidney are old buddies 15 of mine," heexplained with a sigh. "We used to have a quartet.



We sang everywhere together.""Dipper, can't you take just a littletime off and gowith your buddies to sing in the parade?" askedAnnie.



"Nope," said Dipper. "That's just the way it has tobe."Dipper went back to shoveling coal. Jack wanted toask him about the Waif's Home, but Dipper didn'tlook like he wanted to talk. He didn't sing anymore ashe filled up his coal bucket.



If Dipper doesn't perform, he'll never grow up to bethe King of Jazz, Jack thought. He'll never give hisgifts to the world.



Finally Annie broke the silence. "Dipper, do youhave to support your family all by yourself? You'repretty young for that, aren't you?""I'm not young. I'm fourteen," said Dipper. "MamaLucy, Mayann, and baby Clarence are all dependingon me.""Is that your family?" asked Jack.



52"Yep, and I love them a lot," said Dipper.



"I understand," said Annie.



"Me too," said Jack. "But what about giving yourgifts to the world?"Dipper laughed. "I can't afford gifts for Lady themule. How am I going to afford gifts for the world!""What about your musicalgifts?" asked Jack.



"Okay, good idea. I'll sing a song to Lady on herbirthday," he said. "Let's go now."Dipper tossed his shovel 4 into the bucket. Then hereached into his pocket and took out some change.



"Tomorrow I'll be getting paid fifteen cents for thisload," he said. "In case I don't see you again, here'syour share: five cents for you and five for you.""No, no, keep it," said Annie. "You should keep it allfor your family, Dipper.""What? That's not right," said Dipper.



"It isright," said Jack.



"Then what did y'all do that work for?" askedDipper.



53"We didn't do that much," Jack said. "Not nearly asmuch as you did. It was a lot harder job than Ithought it would be.""Then why did y'all keep working?" asked Dipper.



"It was fun hanging out with you," said Annie.



Dipper laughed. "Well, you two sure are a couple ofpotato heads," he said.



"What's that mean?" asked Annie.



"It means you don't have any more brains than apair of potatoes," said Dipper.



Jack and Annie just laughed.



"Sure you won't take any money?" said Dipper.



"Absolutely!" said Annie.



"Well, thanks a million for your help," said Dipper.



He climbed back into the driver's seat of the cart.



"Hey, want me and Lady to give y'all a ride back tothe coal yard?""Yes!" said Jack and Annie together.



"Good. Climb on!" said Dipper.



"Thanks, man!" said Jack.



54Annie grabbed their trumpet. Jack grabbed his bag,and they sat on the cart bench next to Dipper. Jackwas still hot and sweaty. He was tired and his armswere sore. But for some reason, he felt great.



"Let's go, Lady," said Dipper.



Lady the mule began pulling the creaky cart alongthe Mississippi River. And Dipper began singingagain:



I've got those coal cart blues.



I'm really all confused....