There were still a lot of smaller children on the bus, when Mr. Barnes closed the door.
"Next stop, Marvis T. Johnson Elementary School," announced Mr. Barnes. But they didn't go anywhere. They had to wait for the bus in front of them to pull off. Baartock could see inside the bus in front of them. The big kids were getting off very slowly. The woman driving that bus seemed to be talking to each of them as they got off.
"She must have had some trouble with them," Mr. Barnes said. "We never have any trouble on this bus, do we?" he said very loudly.
"No!" several kids shouted back.
Most of the busses in the front of the school building had
driven off. Several more busses from behind them pulled around, and parked up ahead. They waited a little longer, then finally the bus in front drove off. And they drove off too.
They didn't go back the way they had come. They turned onto another road, and drove for a long way, past a lot of houses, until they finally turned toward the school. Baartock asked Mr. Barnes why they were going such a long way.
"It's shorter this way," was his reply. "I've been coming this way for years."
"No," said Baartock. "Other way shorter. We be school, go this far."
They drove for a little while longer, then they finally got to school. There were other busses lined up in front when Mr. Barnes stopped the bus and they got off.
"See you all this afternoon," Mr. Barnes said, as they were getting off.