Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister

―Now, Doug,‖ he said, ―I‘ve been reading one of my favorite authors, Mr. Conan Doyle,
and one of my favorite characters in all the books by Conan Doyle is Mr. Sherlock Holmes. He
has honed my spirit and sharpened my aspects. So on a day like today, I woke up feeling very
much like that detective on Baker Street in London a long time ago.‖
―Yes, sir,‖ said Douglas, quietly.
―I‘ve been putting together bits and pieces of information and it seems to me that right
now the town is afflicted by lots of boys who are suddenly staying home from school, sick, they
say, or something or other. Number one is this: I heard tell from Grandma this morning a full
report from your house next door.
It seems that your brother Tom is doing poorly.‖
―I wouldn‘t say that exactly,‖ said Doug.
―Well, if you won‘t, I will,‖ said Grandpa. ―He feels poorly enough to stay home from
school. It‘s not often Tom feels poorly. He‘s usually so full of pep and energy, I rarely see him
when he isn‘t running. You have any idea about his affliction, Doug?‖
―No, sir,‖ said Doug.
―I would hate to contradict you, boy, but I think you do know. But wait for me to add up
all the other clues. I got a list here of the boys in your group, the ones I regularly see running
under the apple trees, or climbing in them, or kicking the can down the street. They‘re usually
the ones with firecrackers in one hand and a lit match in the other.‖
At this Douglas shut his eyes and swallowed hard.
―I made it my business,‖ said Grandpa, ―to call the homes of all those boys and, strange
to say, they‘re all in bed. That seems most peculiar, Doug. Can you give me any reason why?
Those boys are usually like squirrels on the sidewalk, you can‘t see ‘em they move so fast. But
they‘re all feeling sick, sleeping late. How about you, Doug?‖
―I‘m fi ne.‖
―Really?‖
―Yes, sir.‖
―You don‘t look so fine to me. In fact, you look a little bit under the weather. Taking that
together with the boys missing school and Tom feeling poorly and here you are, looking kind of
pale around the gills, I figure there must have been some great commotion somewhere last
night.‖