Free Escape to the World's Fair by Wendy McClure Page B

glared out at Edwin Adolphius and the three mean-looking deckhands who had shoved them one by one into the pen.
    â€œYou have no right to keep us here!” Jack growled.
    â€œI have
every
right!” Mr. Adolphius spat. “You kids are stowaways and thieves. You’ve trespassed on my property and stolen from me!”
    â€œThey’re just oranges,” Frances muttered.
    Mr. Adolphius narrowed his eyes. “
Them
oranges,” he said, “are meant to be
canned.
They’re headed to my factory. Just like you and your grubby little friends,
girl.
”
    The words hit Frances like a blow. “
What?
” she whispered. She turned to Alexander and saw his face had gone ashen again, just like it had when he’d come back from his excursion.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Jack asked Mr. Adolphius, his voice becoming frantic.
    Edwin Adolphius just smiled and cocked his head. “I think I hear your chaperone coming. I’ll let
her
explain.”
    Even though Frances recognized the hard, small footsteps that tapped their way along the boards of the deck, she still wasn’t quite prepared to see Miss DeHaven’s gloating face. Would she ever be?
    â€œMy
dear
children,” Miss DeHaven said. “I
do
hope your new accommodations are satisfactory.”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Jack demanded.
    â€œWhy, you’re the luckiest children to ever stow away on a steamboat! Despite all your
criminal
actions, Mr. Adolphius has graciously agreed to admit you to his industrial school, where you’ll be joining
these
”
—
she motioned toward the four older boys—“most
fortunate
lads.” Dutch glowered at Miss DeHaven, but she just smirked and continued. “All of you are being given a
wonderful
opportunity! I’m
so
glad.”
    Frances knew that Miss DeHaven liked to say things that were the opposite of what they really meant. But she had a feeling that for once Miss DeHaven really
was
glad that they were being sent to “industrial school.”
    â€œIt’s not really a
school,
is it?” Frances said bitterly. “It’s just an awful canning factory, isn’t it?”
    Miss DeHaven’s face seemed to twitch a little at the question.
Doesn’t she ever get tired of lying?
Frances thought.
    But then the woman seemed to compose herself. She smiled sweetly and pointed to Alexander. “Of
course
it’s a school. Why, your friend here heard me and Mr. Adolphius talking all about it when he stole up to the first-class deck! He heard all about how much I wanted to
find
you poor children again and send you someplace where you could
learn a lesson.
He knows how much I want to
help.”
    Alexander, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly sprang to his feet and leaned against the bars next to Jack. “This isn’t ‘help,’ and
you know it
!” he screamed.
    But Miss DeHaven was already walking away down the corridor, followed by Mr. Adolphius and the deckhands.
    Frances felt her face get hot. She couldn’t believe how Alexander had misled them. “You knew what Miss DeHaven was planning?” she asked him.
    â€œAnd you
didn’t tell us
?” Jack added.
    Alexander sighed. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”
    â€œIf we’d known, we would have laid low and stayed hidden all the way to St. Louis, instead of raiding a bunch of silly orange crates,” Jack said, pacing back and forth. “It’s just like you to decide things for us without giving us any say.”
    Jack and Alexander fought about this kind of thing all the time, Frances knew. But Jack was right. Alexander had been foolish, and selfish, too.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Alexander said weakly. But Jack sat down next to Eli and turned his back. Frances put her arm around Harold and wouldn’t look at Alexander.
    She heard him sit down next to the older boys. “I suppose you’re mad at