Poppy felt a swelling in her heart. “Do you think I’m cool?”
“Well, sure, a long time ago. Before you got old.”
“Thank you.”
“That’s okay. But, all those adventures . . . You really do that stuff?”
“I suppose.”
“How come you never told me?”
“You never asked.”
“Everyone says you’re going to be the head of the family—here.”
“Never,” said Poppy. They had reached the bulldozer. The two stared up at it and breathed in its cold smell of metal mixed with oil.
“It’s huge,” whispered Junior, his nose wiggling and sniffing.
Poppy went to one of the tracks. Reaching high, she pulled herself up and began to climb, her tail dangling.
“Where you going?” called Junior.
“Maybe I can do something to the engine.”
“What’s an engine?” said Junior, following.
“It makes the bulldozer move.”
“Hey,” said Junior, “you do know a lot.”
They reached the top of the treads and ran along them until they reached the cab. With a leap, Poppy jumped onto the cab floor. Junior followed. Once there, Poppy studied the big levers, the pedals, the key dangling from the dashboard. She knew, from watching the man, that each one probably had something to do with making the bulldozer go, but what did what, she had no idea.
“It’s a monster,” said Junior.
“Do you see any way to get into the engine?” said Poppy.
“Nope.”
“Come on,” said a disappointed Poppy. “We better get back to the house.”
“Mama, I need to find Mephitis.”
“What are you going to do about your red fur?”
Junior grinned. “Actually, some of the young mice like it.”
“And the smell?”
“Doesn’t bother them. Gramps didn’t care, either— after a while.”
“Junior,” said Poppy, “you do surprise me.”
“Hey, you surprise me, too.”
“Then we’re even,” said Poppy. “Better go find Mephitis. But Junior, when you come back, try and understand: my family probably doesn’t know any skunks.”
“Catch you later,” said Junior. And with that, he bounded down to the ground and headed toward the Old Orchard. He had not gone far before he paused and looked back. “Mama!”
“What?”
“You may be old, but you’re still pretty cool!”
Poppy watched him go. She shook her head. Just when I think I understand him, she thought, he changes. Like everything else.
She headed back to the house. As she went, she tried to think what she could possibly suggest to the family about the bulldozer and Gray House. The truth was, as she saw it, there was probably nothing they could do. Which meant Gray House was doomed.
CHAPTER 28
Junior and His New Friends
JUNIOR DID NOT GET VERY FAR before two young mice hailed him. “Hey, Poppy’s son!”
Junior stopped. “The name’s Junior, dude.”
“Sorry. My name is Laurel. And this is Pine. You are Poppy’s son, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“You probably don’t remember, but when you first came, I was in that group who met you. That was so cool.”
“Oh, sure,” said Junior, though he did not remember.
“The thing is,” said Pine, “can . . . can we ask you about your color?”
“And the way you smell,” added Laurel.
“It bothering you or something?”
“Oh no! We think it’s fantastic. You wouldn’t believe how dull most mice are around here. Everybody looks and smells just the same.”
“Yeah, well,” said Junior, “where I come from, red is wicked.”
The two mice exchanged quick glances.
“Is that really true?” asked Pine.
“Yeah,” said Junior. “Anyone nasty works it that way. If you’re with it, that is.” Trying to keep from grinning, he said, “We call it ‘Doing the stinky red.’”
“‘Doing the stinky red,’” echoed Laurel, smiling broadly. “Do you think, you know, we could do the stinky red, too?”
“And look like me?” said Junior.
“Didn’t you just say it’s what everybody nasty is doing?”
“Yeah.”
“Then that’s what we want to do, too.”
Junior held up his front paws. The mice slapped them. “Just come with me,” he said, and raced off.
With Junior leading the way, the trio went into the Old Orchard. But when they reached the place where Junior was sure he had left Mephitis, his friend was gone.
“Is something the matter?” asked Pine.
“My friend was supposed to be here.”
“Another mouse?”
“A skunk.”
“Oh wow! Is he red, too?” asked Pine.
“Black. White stripe down his back. Bushy tail. Lays down a stink like nobody’s business.”
“Is that the way you got your smell?” said Laurel.
“Sure.”
“Do you think he would be willing to give us some?” said Pine.
“He’d love it. Mephitis!” Junior called. “You around?”
There was no reply. Junior’s tail thrashed. He stroked his whiskers the way his father did.
“Are you worried about him?” asked Pine.
“Naw,” said Junior. “Mephitis can freaking well take care of himself. You’ll see, he’ll be back soon. While we’re waiting, I can show you how to dye your fur.”
“Oh wow!”
Junior led his two new friends to the blackberry bush. “It’s these berries,” he explained. “My friend—who’s a lot bigger than me—squished the berries over me. Turned me red fast.”
“Maybe we could manage it,” suggested Laurel.
“Give it a shot,” said Junior as he searched about, then found a large blackberry and plucked it. He and Laurel held it over Pine’s head, and together they squeezed. The red juice ran down. Laughing, the young mouse rubbed it over his fur. In moments he was mostly red, very much like Junior. A second berry completed the transformation.
“My turn,” called a gleeful Laurel.
Junior and Pine repeated the process.
“How do we look?” said Pine.
“Wicked nasty,” said Junior.
“I bet this starts a whole new style at Gray House,” suggested Laurel. “Doing the stinky red.”
“Only thing is,” Pine pointed out, “we still need the smell.”
“Have to wait for my friend,” said Junior.
“Why don’t you climb the tree and search for him?” suggested Laurel.
“Cool!” Junior found a low-hanging branch, grabbed hold of its end and, with rear legs dangling, hauled himself up. Then he moved, slothlike, upside down along the branch. Upon reaching a thicker part of the branch, he swung topside and began to run along it. At the tree trunk he moved higher, then out again along a thick branch. At
