Free First Came the Owl by Judith Benét Richardson Page B

coming,” called Anne from her room. Nita went in to put her shoes on. “I told them I went with you to the pond last night,” Anne said softly. “But Nita, I was scared when I saw the hole in the ice.”
    â€œYou can go, Anne,” said Mrs. S., coming in the door. “Nita, Bill is worried for a good reason. That was not smart to be out on the ice last night. Think how we’d feel if anything happened to you.” She put Nita’s dry clothes on the bed.
    â€œI’m sorry,” whispered Nita. Then she put her head down and tied her shoes. When she looked up, Mrs. S. was gone.
    As Nita and Anne rode through the quiet morning streets of Maushope’s Landing with Captain Pudge Vanderpost, the car splashed through puddles of icy mud. The sun was out. Nita’s heart lifted as they drove along the beach and the lighthouse came into sight, and then it fell again at the thought of the empty house. Rise and fall, rise and fall, like the little waves breaking along the beach, thought Nita.
    Nita got the key and they went in. The house didn’t seem so empty with Captain Pudge inside. He was so big, he made the chairs and tables look little.
    â€œSee now, these orchids,” he said. “They’re all crowded in over here, but they sure are pretty. Look at this one, like moths all over the branch.” He picked up the spray bottle and began to mist the greenery. “The new window will go right here, easy as pie. The frame’s the same size as the old one, but it bows out, see. You think your parents won’t mind? Maybe I’m too used to thinking of all the Coast Guard houses as my own.”
    â€œI think they’ll love it,” said Nita as she poured birdseed into a cup. “I’m going to feed the birds,” she said, and started out the door.
    The Captain peered out the window. “I see you’re using your spirit house for a bird feeder,” he said. “What does your Mom think of that?”
    â€œSpirit house?” asked Anne. This was her kind of subject.
    Nita put down the birdseed. “We’ve had that bird feeder for a long time.”
    â€œIn Thailand, there’s always a little house like that next to your house so the good spirits will stay nearby and watch out for you.”
    â€œHow do you know that?” Nita asked him.
    â€œI was in Thailand, same as your Dad, same Loran station. And … well, I don’t usually tell people this, but I had a Thai wife, too. Then I … lost her. She died in a car accident.” For a minute his big face drooped. Then he smiled at the girls. “It was a long time ago. But it’s one reason I like knowing your Mom.”
    Nita went out to feed the birds. This was too much to take in all at once. No one had ever said one word to her about spirit houses and Captain Pudge’s wife. Or could she possibly not have been listening?
    She examined the bird house. The birds didn’t actually go inside but got their seed on the large tray the house was nailed to. Suddenly, Anne was there, peering through the dark door of the spirit house. “I don’t see anything,” she said doubtfully.
    â€œYou don’t see spirits,” said Nita.
    â€œNow you sound like Petrova.”
    The Captain came outside.
    â€œI have an idea, too,” said Nita. “To cheer up my mother. Do you think if I spoke Thai to her, that would help? I mean, I’ve almost forgotten, but I could try. And maybe then she’d tell me about the spirit house and things.” As she spoke she felt more and more doubtful, but the Captain gave her a big grin.
    â€œSee, that’s a great idea. I was thinking when I watered those plants—those roots. What she needs are roots, and Thailand is where she has her roots. It would be great, Nita, it would be like water and light for her orchids, keeping her past alive, sort of. Tell you what. We’ll be a committee. Not a very