smile crept across Gabby's face. "Checkmate!"
Even with all Matt's trickiest moves he still lost. Wilson�s
heart sank into the pit of his stomach. They were never - ever
going to beat Gabby in the play-offs next week. And that meant
only one thing. They'd have to scrub toilets.
The boys took a long drink of cool water from the fountain
and waved goodbye. As they opened the back door to leave, hot
air rushed in almost smothering them.
"I wish we had more time to play chess," said Wilson. They
descended the ten cement steps on the right side of the building,
to the passenger loading area, then turned left and headed up
the tracks.
"Yeah, I like the air conditioner too," Matt smiled. "This
summer has been boring with a capital 'B'. There must be
something we can do to liven� things up."
Wilson glanced up the tracks at the shack and then at his
friend. "Let's go meet the hobo."
"You know what Gabby said."
"Yeah." Wilson smiled and pointed at Matt. "Let me give
you two boys some sound advice. Stay away from that shack and
that man! He could be dangerous! So?"
"So?" Matt frowned. "Have you lost your mind? Is the heat
getting to you? Are you brain dead or what? I'd rather be bored
than dead, Wilson. He could be a kidnapper or worse, a
murderer!"
Wilson shrugged and kicked at some loose rocks along the
edge of the tracks. The biggest mystery of the summer was just
a hundred feet away and Matt was willing to pass it by. "What if
we just asked him his name?"
"No," Matt snapped.
Wilson sighed in frustration. "If he is a kidnapper or
murderer, don't you think someone should find out?"
"Not me." Matt shook his head.
"What if someone turned up missing or dead? Wouldn't you
feel guilty for not doing anything?" Wilson asked.
"No."
"Not even if it was your own dad?" Wilson asked.
Matt shrugged.
"Not even if it was your own mom?"
"If you think he's that dangerous, why are you so willing to
run up and talk to him?" Matt said. "That's pretty stupid if you
ask me."
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