Free The Painted Horse by Bonnie Bryant Page B

watchman.
    The policeman said to Ms. Dodge, “I want you to ease your way back into my arms and I’ll lift you down.”
    Ms. Dodge looked worried.
    “You can do it,” Stevie said. “The trick is to relax.”
    “Relax, relax,” Ms. Dodge whispered to herself.
    Stevie knew that Ms. Dodge was getting more and more nervous. “How about a knock-knock joke?” she asked.
    Ms. Dodge looked at her with wonder.
    “It will help you relax,” said Stevie.
    “Ready,” Ms. Dodge said with a smile.
    “Knock knock,” said Stevie.
    “Who’s there?” said Ms. Dodge.
    “Beemer,” said Stevie.
    “Beemer who?” said Ms. Dodge.
    “ ‘Beemer love,’ ” sang Stevie. “ ‘And with your kisses end this yearning.’ ”
    Ms. Dodge giggled. The policeman reached up and pulled her gently from the saddle.
    “That wasn’t so bad,” said Ms. Dodge.
    The policeman turned to Stevie. “Will you tie up my horse? I’ll help her inside.”
    “Absolutely,” Stevie said cheerfully. She tied Billy to a bicycle rack. “Thanks, Billy. You were a real hero today,” she told the horse, giving him a quick pat.
    As Stevie walked through the door, she thought,
Here I am. Backstage at last.
She had read that there were performances of Shakespeare plays in the park during the summer. “At last, the big time,” she said to herself.
    She looked around and saw bare tables and old foldingchairs. There was a poster for
Hamlet
on the wall, but it had seen better days. When you got right down to it, this backstage was kind of crummy.
    “Oh,” said Stevie in a disappointed voice. “That’s it? I thought backstage would be fancy.”
    The policeman grinned at her. “I know what you mean. The first time I went backstage, I was disappointed, too.”
    “But this is where Hamlet puts on his makeup,” said Ms. Dodge. “This is where Hamlet turns into Hamlet.”
    The policeman turned to the watchman. “Is there any way we can get something hot for these people to drink? They’re soaked.”
    The watchman scratched his head. Stevie guessed that he spent most of his time alone and that he was disconcerted by all these people. “I think so,” he said. “Let me see.” He rummaged in a corner and came up with an electric teapot. “We could heat some water,” he said. “I’ve got some cocoa somewhere.”
    “That would be wonderful,” Mrs. Martin said. She smiled and nodded as he filled the pot and plugged it in.
    The policeman pulled his walkie-talkie from under his poncho. When he turned it on, it erupted into static. He made a face and waited for the static to stop. “I’m in the backstage area at the Delacorte Theatre. I’ve got six kids and two adults here. One adult needs medical attention.” The walkie-talkie blasted noise at him, but heseemed to understand it. “There’s an ambulance coming for you,” he said to Ms. Dodge. “And a police car to take the rest of you back to your hotel. But someone will have to go along in the ambulance.”
    “I can’t,” said Mrs. Martin. “I have to stay with the students.” She looked at Stevie. “Stevie, I think you should take Ms. Dodge to the hospital.”
    Stevie stood up straighter, her heart swelling with pride.
    The watchman reappeared with a stack of cups and a box of cocoa. “Thank you,” said Mrs. Martin. “Let me do the honors.”
    “Huh?” said the watchman.
    “Let me make the cocoa,” Mrs. Martin said.
    “Suit yourself,” said the watchman.
    Mrs. Martin measured cocoa into each cup and poured hot water in. There was only enough water to make half a cup of cocoa for each person, but everyone was glad to have even that.
    “I would like to propose a toast,” said Ms. Dodge.
    “Fine idea,” said Mrs. Martin.
    “I would like to toast Stevie for rescuing the class. I don’t know how she did it, and I probably don’t want to know, but I’m glad she did.”
    Stevie had to smile. “I’ve got to get a photo of this,” she said. “No one will ever believe that