His classroom was just as he assumed it would be when he arrived. Empty. So He promptly set off to find his students.
Just down the road from the school was Kathleen Hendley's store. When she walked up to her storefront there were customers waiting for her. And the cloder that she got to them she noticed that they were actually school children. As She pulled her keys out of her pocket to open her shop, she told the kids , "Now look at what time it is. " She said , pointing at her watch on her left wrist. "Shouldn't you be in school now?"
The Boy closest to her said, "No mam, Brendan told us it was okay for us to come over here during our break and get some candy and drinks. "
As Brendan Kearney was walking up towards Kathleen and her young customers. He overheard them start to weave their tall tale to her. Still not noticed by the boys but close enough to grab one of the boys by the ear and told kathleen , "Don't you believe it! They're just playing hookey plain and simple.
Kathleen nodded her head, and watched in amusement as Brendan pulled the ringleader of the boys by the ear. The other 2 boys followed close behind him. In the distance she heard Brendan say to them, "C'mon now tell me where the the rest of your classmates are so we can get back to school!"
Kathleen opened up her store and Brendans voice faded into the distance. She wasnt able to hear the boy's reply.
Mr Kearney, the boy started to talk but then stopped until the little ringleader nodded his approval and he continued. They have went to St Josephs.
You can Do Better than that lad! C'mon now tell me the truth.
Honest the other two boys said at the same time. That's where they've went.
"Okay, I'll believe you Til you prove yourleves out. But you better hope for your sakes that they are at the Church! Brendan mumbled to himself as the continued on with the boys walking towrd St Josephs.
As Brendan and the kids neared the church Liam and Donal were already there. They were just starting to take the ropes off the crate that was holding it all together.
As the rope was removed the boards just fell to the ground leaving the contents exposed for all to see. He could see both of them shrug as if to say they didn't know what it was.
Brendan sighed a small sigh of relief, as he soon noticed the remainder of his class near Donal and Liam. Evidently the big news of the crate that they were bringing into town and the combination of them being away from school and seeing them drive by made them them very curious. So they skipped class to see what was in the box. The class seemed to gravitate to the church. A place they might not be caught dead going to other than for sunday service.
With The rest of the class in tow Brendan was soon leading his rag tag crew back to school. With a laugh he said out loud, "All I need now is a Flute and I could be called the Pied Piper Of Ballykissangel"
So many mysteries. The Crate? Peter's secret, What is Father Mac afraid of. Finally revealed in Chapter 5
stay tuned for the next installment in our adaptation of the first episode of Ballykissangel, and you just might find out some of the answers !
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 5