Full Speed Ahead: My Journey with Kit

Kit looks shocked. And in fact, she looks a little annoyed at Uncle Hendrick for being rude to me. But in my head, I know that this is exactly what I was dreading. Uncle Hendrick knows the real Lucille, so he knows I’m a fake imposter. I feel like the word FRAUD should be printed across my forehead.

Kit meets Uncle Hendrick’s icy gaze and replies that sometimes when you haven’t seen a person in a long time, you hardly recognize them. When was the last time that he saw Cousin Lucille?

Uncle Hendrick grunts. Kit is right, but it would pain him to admit that. He glares at me and says that he hasn’t seen me since I was a bothersome little tot. It seems I’ve changed, and thank goodness. He says that I have a ridiculous dog with me though. My mother didn’t say anything about bringing a dog. He asks me how my mother is doing. I hesitate for a moment, and say fine. Working hard, as usual.

Uncle Hendrick grunts again. He should have known that my mother wouldn’t have changed. All the modern women rushing around and working. She should’ve taken his advice and stayed at home instead of going to college and filling her head with nonsense. Now, she’s just wasting her energy at work. She’s as headstrong about her job as Kit’s mother is about her foolish boardinghouse scheme. He turns to Kit and says, with distain, that it will fail, just like everything Kittredges do.

Kid gets a stubborn look on her face. I can tell she’s mad at Uncle Hendrick for criticizing the Kittredges. We learned about standing up to bullies in school, and Uncle Hendrick is a bully if I ever saw one. So I whisper to Kit that she should stand up to him.

Kit speaks up and says that the boardinghouse will not fail. It is full. And besides, it’s fun having boarders. A small smile creeps onto my face. But I can see that Uncle Hendrick is about to explode, so I try to take some of the heat off of Kit. I say that I do wish my mother wasn’t so busy all the time. And that’s the truth.

Uncle Hendrick turns to me. He says I seem sensible. Then, he says that he’s decided that I should move in here. He could use someone to fetch and carry for him. I don’t look entirely dimwitted and useless. He looks down his nose at Kit and says that he’ll still pay her parents the money he promised for my board.

Kit looks cross, but says nothing. I don’t want to stay with Uncle Hendrick. He’s disagreeable, even if his house is fancy. It also seems to be full of intriguing-looking books, based on what I can see behind him. But on the other hand, if I stay with him, Kit’s family will have the money without the expensive feeding me. Maybe staying here would be the best way for me to help the Kittredges.

While I’m trying to decide if I should stay or not, Buddy begins to growl. He sounds pretty scary for such a little pup. I start to ask him what’s the matter, and then I see the fattest, most unpleasant-looking Scottie dog lurking behind Uncle Hendrick, glowering at Buddy. The Scottie growls, and then he explodes into a shrill chorus of yip, yip, yip!

Quickly, before the dogs lunge at each other, Kit lifts Buddy to safety in her arms. Kit scolds the dog, whose name is Inky. Ignoring the dogs completely, Uncle Hendrick opens his wallet and says that it’s settled. I will stay here. He hands money over to Kit and says to take it to her mother.

Kit’s eyes widen as he hands her a twenty dollar bill. I know what a huge help that money will be to her family. Twenty dollars is a whole month’s mortgage. My head tells me that staying here with Uncle Hendrick is the right thing to do, but my heart tells me to stay with Kit.