Chapter 13
Monday morning, Baartock was down by the side of the road, waiting anxiously for the school bus to arrive. When he had asked his mother what 'weekend' and 'Monday' were, she had explained that many people didn't work everyday, and took two days every week to do other things. While trolls like to work everyday until the job is done and then rest; humans like to take little rests every week, she told him. He would have to wait two extra days, until Monday, for school and showandtell. She decided that he would need to know, so she taught him the human names for the days of the week.
There were dark clouds overhead when Baartock went down the hill to wait for the bus, but it wasn't raining yet. It had gotten really cloudy the day before. Baartock remembered the human name for that day was Sunday. His father had said that they were going to have a lot of rain. Baartock liked it when there was a lot of rain, like there had been during the summer. Then there were lots of pools and mud to go splashing in, and there was water running down hill under his bridge. He liked to hide under it then, because it was even more like a real troll bridge.
He was happy to see the school bus drive up. He wanted to get to school for showandtell. He climbed into the school bus and sat on the front seat.
"Hey, Baartock. Do you know where the high school is? From right here?" Mr. Barnes asked, looking at him.
Baartock just pointed and said "That way."
Mr. Barnes stopped to think about it, then he said, "You're right. How about to your school?"
Baartock pointed again, in a different direction. "You know, you're a regular little compass," Mr. Barnes said as
he started to drive off.
Baartock didn't know what a compass was, but any troll could give directions. It was easy.