CHAPTER 13 (PART - A)


That evening was a long one for Tintin and Enzo. It was almost eight O’clock when they finally finished plowing half of the last part of the garden. Bob stepped outside wearing a black sailor’s cap and a grey sailor’s jacket inspecting their work.

“Did you guys plant all of these as well?” he said impressed.
“No, both captains did,” Enzo answered wiping the sweat off his brow.
“Well it looks good, it appears Frederick and Archibald is not only good seamen, but also good farmers too! Maybe all of you can finish the last part tomorrow,” Bob said hopefully.

“It shouldn’t take too long,” Tintin took a deep breath resting on his garden hoe.
“Well both of you go get cleaned up, the Mrs. will have dinner ready shortly,” he said satisfied with their work.

Tintin and Enzo walked back inside as Alyssa was still busy bustling around the kitchen while Nathan helped her set the table. Nathan saw Enzo and Tintin and discreetly whispered to them.

“Fenton, Enzo, just wanted to say, good job!” Nathan winked.
“Thanks” Tintin and Enzo smiled but it felt strange being called Fenton but yet it felt right.
“Enzo, you can have the shower first…” Tintin patted him on the shoulder.
“Are you sure?” Enzo asked quietly.
“I’m sure, go now before I change my mind,” Tintin said walking towards the den as Bob had just joined Haddock and Chester in the living den again.

“Movies these days, they’re way too dramatic!” Haddock complained.
“It’s the whole point of them, they want to market on our ‘feelings’,” Bob laughed.
“That’s Hollywood, producer of many movies these days” Chester nodded.
“Americans and their Hollywood, I remember when a good book or going to see a magician was the real entertainment” Haddock remembered.
“Aye, back when you had to actually use your imagination” Chester agreed.
“It’s not so bad, it’s good for when you just get home from work and you feel too lazy to hold your eyes open and read…I like nice mindless entertainment” Bob disagreed.

Tintin walked in the living den as Captain Chester and Haddock had already cleaned up for the evening lounging around while he and Enzo slaved the last few hours. The three men sat burning their pipes commenting on a movie on the television.
“Ah, Tintin, I hear you and Enzo just about finished, good job lad!” Haddock commented.
“I’m ready for a cup of hot tea after I get a nice hot bath, then I’m going to bed” he announced yawning from exhaustion.
“Well you got to fill your belly first” Chester laughed.
“A growing lad like yourself needs to eat” Bob agree.
“Growing lad? I’m twenty-five years old, I’m no lad anymore,” Tintin sounded slightly annoyed.
“You got to eat, Alyssa did most of the cooking” Mary Ann pointed out.
“Yea, her beef stew is legendary around here” Nathan added.
“Ok, ok, we’ll see how I feel after I get a hot bath…” He said leaning against the wall.
“Me, Chester, and Mary Ann are running into town tomorrow and I’m sending a short telegram back to Marlinspike to make sure Cuthbert doesn’t decide to fly hear instantly. He says he has something for us?” Haddock shrugged.
“What else did the professor say in his letter…wait a minute! You guys are going?!” Tintin’s hopes were dashed to go see Benton.

“Yes, all of you can stay and do the household chores this time” Mary Ann laughed.
“Oh…” Tintin sighed looking down at the floor.
“You don’t think it’s fair?” Mary Ann asked detecting a bit of disappointment in his voice.
“No, it’s just that…” Tintin paused as Chester, Bob, Haddock, and Mary Ann listened a bit closely.
“Oh…never mind…” Tintin looked up seeing Enzo dressed already in his pajamas with a brown evening robe.
“I’m going to get a bath, I’ll be back…” he said disappearing upstairs.
Enzo watched as Tintin rushed past him, “Did I miss something?” he asked as everyone now looked at him.
Alyssa wanted to speak up but rather than going into another long detailed account with her father about their earlier escapade, she wisely kept her mouth shut.

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Tintin was glad to get out of those grimy clothes, “Just one more day of it” he thought as his exhausted limbs finally began to relax in the warm bath water. Tintin was not happy with the thought that he may not get a chance to see his twin brother again. He realized that Haddock wasn’t completely sure of his story. Captain Chester seemed to share Haddock’s doubts as well despite Alyssa and Enzo’s same account. Tintin realized it was just Haddock’s way of trying to keep him out of trouble, but sooner or later Tintin thought that his Captain Haddock had to realize that he cannot always be there to protect him.

Tintin had to always rely on himself growing up with Mrs. Finch after he reached fourteen. Tintin really loved how his partner was always just a step behind. It had been a few times Haddock had rescued Tintin from certain death and vice versa. Tintin found it all annoying at the same time though, because he had always managed without anyone but himself and Snowy for awhile. Then it finally hit him as he lied there relaxing in the tub that he hadn’t seen Snowy most of the evening. “Where could he have got to?” Tintin thought.

Hopefully Benton would call, or maybe even drive over; but, what if he didn’t? What would Tintin do? “I’ll walk over there if I have to. I’m not letting this opportunity to find out who I am and what happened to mom and dad just slip through my fingers!” He whispered to himself. “Even if I have to go alone, if I let this opportunity pass me by, I’ll never forgive the captain or myself…” he sighed. “Well I guess I’d better hurry up and get back down there before I’m missed” he thought as he finished bathing.

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Snowy trotted down Boxted Road back and forth enjoying the cool breeze blowing through his fur until he saw an old grey cat. His dog like instincts kicked in and he immediately began creeping up on the feline digging in the trash of a neighbor’s house. Deftly the cat pulled up some fish bones with a nice chunk of meat on it. Snowy saw a double prize, beat up the cat and then take the bones, not a bad deal for him he thought. Quickly Snowy charged at the old grey cat as it turned around and sprinted with the fish in its mouth.

The cat was quick, but so was Snowy, for five minutes Snowy chased the old cat through and around the neighbors’ yards. “You can’t get away!” Snowy barked.
“Drats!” the cat hissed dropping the fish on the ground. The cat quickly glanced at the fish and Snowy, “You win for now!” the cat hissed again leaving the prize on the ground.
Snowy gave up the chase and claimed his prize with pride. Suddenly another brown fox terrier just a bit smaller than himself came trotting down the lane. “Who is…she?” Snowy thought as he stood holding the fishbone in his mouth. She spotted him, approached, and then stopped once she reached a certain distance. “She’s not bad looking!” Snowy began wagging his tail. The brown terrier began smelling the air and shortly thereafter she too began wagging her tail. Snowy noticed she looked a little malnourished.

Snowy approached her and laid his prize in front of her, “Here take it” he barked.
“I can’t take your food” she barked back.
“Don’t worry about me, my master feeds me well,” he began panting realizing she could use some meat on her bones.
“Thank you” she devoured the meat left on the bones.
“Where’s your master?” Snowy whined. The brown terrier finished the small meal.
“I don’t have a master anymore…” she lowered her head.
“What do you mean you don’t have a master anymore?” Snowy began sniffing her.
“All I remember is that I was put in a cage after something happened to the old man I lived with and dumped out in this neighborhood, and I’ve been here ever since just getting by,” she explained whining.
“That’s horrible!” Snowy frowned.

“I was the runt out of a litter, so no one wanted me,” she finished.
“Humans call me ‘Snowy’, what’s your name?” Snowy continued wagging his tail.
“I don’t have a name. The humans never gave me one,” she frowned back.
“You look like you haven’t eaten in days! Let’s go get you something to eat!” Snowy led her through trash can after trash can yielding only one chicken bone with hardly any meat on it.
“Get out of there you no good beasts! Go on! Get out of here!” a man came out of his house with a broom swinging it at them.
“Quick! Follow me!” Snowy turned the other way to run.
“Where are we going?” the brown fox terrier barked while running behind him.
“My master will feed you, you’ll see!” Snowy barked back as they ran back down the lane.

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