Horten's Incredible Illusions (27 page)
“Hail,” said his father. “Another satisfactory day at your pedagogic institution?”
“Yeah, it was pretty good,” replied Stuart.
“And how was the inaugural meeting of the after-school Explorer’s Club?”
“All right. In fact I’ve … I’ve been voted president of it. Unanimously.” He tried to sound casual, but it was hard not to show how pleased he was.
His father smiled. “Splendid.”
“Dad, can I go over to April’s after supper? She’s writing an article on dog training for the school magazine, and we want to try and teach Charlie to balance a cookie on his nose.”
Although what Stuart
really
wished he could teach the dog was to come when he was called. He opened the back door and tried out another couple of names he’d thought of on the way home.
“Chuckle! Chopper!” The dog carried on sniffing around the yard.
“A duo of postal missives arrived for you,” said his father.
“Two letters? For me?”
The first was a large envelope with a cluster of Canadian stamps. Stuart opened it and drew out a piece of cream card, edged in gold.
You are cordially invited to a grand reception to celebrate the opening of the
Jeannie Carr Charitable Foundation “Well of Wishes” project
A plan to provide clean drinking water to poorer communities across the world
Also incorporating the Jeannie Carr Charitable Foundation “Good Manners” project, a plan to make modern children more respectful and less disobedient to their elders.
Grinning, Stuart turned the card over and saw a few lines of handwriting.
Dear Stuart and April,
I would imagine that you’re unlikely to be able to attend this event, given that it’s in Toronto, so I will therefore be unable to thank you in person. You should be proud, however, of the results of your decision not to sell the tricks—rather than wasting her fortune on empty revenge, my client is at last doing something useful with her grandmother’s money. Well done to the pair of you, and good luck—now and in the future.
Cordially,
Maxwell Lacey
The other envelope contained a small object wrapped in tissue paper, a newspaper cutting, and a postcard of a theater, with a cheerfully scrawled pencil message on the back.
Don’t know if you saw this—best review I’ve ever had! There was also a talent scout in the audience, and Elaine and I have now got a five-week run as the palace conjurers in “Sleeping Beauty” at Southend-on-Sea Theater Royal. All thanks to you and April!
Come and see us!
Clifford
P.S. Getting married in January.
P.P.S. Elaine found this thing when she was renovating the Well of Wishes—it was in the same space that you found the will. Hope it’s useful.
Stuart picked up the small object wrapped in tissue paper. He could feel through the wrapping that it was small and circular.
It’s a coin
, he thought, and then drew a quick breath.
A coin
.
A coin that had been found in the Well of Wishes
.
He hesitated, holding the object in his palm, not knowing quite how he felt—anxious? scared? excited?
Could this
, he wondered,
be the start of another quest
? He hesitated for a long moment before putting it down again, still wrapped, and unfolding the cutting from the
Beech Road Guardian.
TRIUMPH!
Those members of the audience who had seen Mysterioso the Magician’s first two shows were rewarded for their loyalty last week with his triumphant third outing, in which the wonders of the lighting were actually matched by the fabulousness of the magic tricks themselves.
GASPS!!
Audience members gasped in amazement as a series of incredible illusions took place before their very eyes. Mysterioso’s lovely assistant Elaine, in elegant silver overalls, survived being impaled with swords, trapped in a pyramid, and shut in a giant book, and when an entire arch made of mirrors completely disappeared, there was a standing ovation that went on for nearly a minute.
DONATION!!
After the show, Mysterioso (also known as Mr. Clifford Capstone) publicly thanked his young friends April Kingley (10) and Stuart Horten (also 10) for their kind donation of the tricks, which had originally been created nearly fifty years ago by the extraordinary and brilliant magician known as Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten. Mysterioso also thanked his assistant, Elaine Coleridge, for her skilled restoration of the previously somewhat battered illusions, which now looked as good as new. Finally he thanked his guinea pig, Gerald, for …
“Stuart!”
April was standing at the back fence, pointing at her watch and then holding up a dog biscuit.
“TEN MINUTES!” shouted Stuart through the window. “I WANT SOMETHING TO EAT FIRST.”
“Okay.”
Stuart glanced at Clifford’s postcard again, and then, for the second time, picked up the tissue-wrapped coin. Quickly, before he could lose his nerve, he unwrapped it.
A small metal disk fell out, bounced on the tabletop, and then rolled to a stop.
Relief and disappointment mingled inside him, and he found himself laughing.
It
wasn’t
a coin.
It had a hole punched through it and a name etched in capitals across both sides. A short name. A short name for a short dog.
Stuart ran to the back door and wrenched it open.
“Chips!” he shouted.
And Chips came running.
THE END
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