- The Wrist Watch
- Agnes had washed and carefully dried the watch while the fish was grilling. "Even though it survived the pond water and the wet fish innards, I want to clean it up before this gunk hardens," she told her family. While Agnes was busy with the watch, Mort washed the watchband and applied some petroleum jelly to soften the leather that had stiffened while lying in the water.
- Back at work, Mort asked Al about the watch. He described how his son found the band and that the watch itself had been swallowed by the largemouth bass. Al didn't say much about the catfish because he wasn't sure he believed it himself. It was all a coincidence. Most people say catfish don't jump, and most would also say that a catfish couldn't possibly try to communicate with people, even a little boy.
- Mort gave Al an envelope with the watch and band in it. Al's whole face lit up as his smile got bigger and bigger as he removed the items. "This is the watch I gave Cheryl for our anniversary last year! She'll be thrilled to get it back. It was a really hot day, so she took off the watch and put it on the bench before we got into the boat. It was gone when we rowed back about an hour later. We figured a squirrel or crow might have been attracted to its shininess and made off with it. We never expected to see it again. Whatever it was must have tried to chew or peck off the band; that should be easily repaired. As to the watch, I have to start believing those ads. It's remarkable that it's running at all, much less kept good time."
- Mort was genuinely happy to see his friend so delighted, especially since Al had arranged everything so thoughtfully for his family's trip to his property.
- "By the way," Al asked, "did our 'Nessie' show itself while you were there?"
- Mort decided to tell Al all about the splashing at night, how it seemed that the catfish led his son to the watchband and then to the fish that swallowed the watch. Al listened carefully. "I've heard some stories about catfish jumping out of the water, and now you've got one to tell too. I wonder if that splashing and dark shadow you saw at night might have been that huge largemouth bass. That constant ticking inside its belly might have been driving it nuts. I wonder if that was our Nessie you grilled. Hope it was tasty."
- Mort was worried for a moment, and then realized that Al was teasing him. "Let us know if there are any more 'sightings,' Al, although I'd guess not" Mort said with a grin.
- The Money Sack
- Later in the week Mort got a phone call from the bank president informing him that the man, whose relatives robbed the bank so long ago, had passed away. The bank directors met with their attorneys and accountants to discuss the situation; they decided that the money had been written off as lost many decades ago and now rightfully belonged to the Maloney family, Mal in particular. They were free to pick up the money sack and sell or otherwise make use of the old currency as they wished.
- Mort and Agnes hadn't given much thought to the money sack. Now it was theirs.
- "Should we start exploring its worth?" Mort asked Agnes. "Then we and the twins can make a better decision on what to do next."
- A local currency dealer examined several of the notes and estimated that a collector might pay up to double the face value of the currency, or about $160,000. It was unlikely that the total value would increase or decrease very much over the foreseeable future, he told Mort and Agnes.
- The twins couldn't understand why anyone would want to pay more for a $10 or $100 bill than the amount on the bill itself. The adults tried to explain that this money was more valuable than newer money just because it was older. And it would be foolish to use it directly to buy things, because each bill was worth more than what was shown on its face. Mal and Mel shrugged their shoulders, not quite able to figure out the strange reasoning. Newer things should be worth more than older things, they reasoned.
- Everyone in the family, including Mike, agreed that there was no need to rush into a decision so the sack was placed in a safe deposit box until such time that an appropriate action could be identified.
- "Aggie, how is your training coming for the Ninja Women event in Japan next March?" Mike asked.
- "Kind of haphazard," Agnes replied. "We've been taking the twins out for bicycling at the state park most weekends while Rufus and I run or power walk. Why don't you come with us next weekend, Dad? It'd be good for you."
- Agnes remembered the twins' first experience with the water pump at her cousin's farm. "As a matter of fact, they've got a couple of those wells with hand pumps there. I guess they're not as rare as we thought they were."
- "I might just do that, Aggie. Thanks for thinking I can keep up with the rest of you," Mike replied. "By the way, don't forget - square dancing, pumpkin picking and a hayride in October."
- "I've never square danced, have you, Ag?" Mort asked his wife.
- "Nope, but I'm really looking forward to it. The twins will have fun too."
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- LINKS: BOOK 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
iNTRODUCTION TO BOOK 2
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIOFABLES SERIES
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