The Big Snapper Read Online Free Page A

the hill, but more difficult to listen to Becky, who seems to have more and more to say. Eddie suspects that her feelings about him and his family, and their home, have been accumulating and that her parents have been keeping her tongue in check. But after her run-in with the root, she’s like a top wound tight and left to spin until it stops.
    Jake doesn’t feel the need to be as polite as Eddie. He asks if she is always such a motormouth.
    She ignores him.
    Jake walks ahead of them down the path. Becky asks Eddie where his father is.
    â€œHe went to the mainland, a year ago.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd,” Eddie shrugs, “he hasn’t come back.”
    He feels her eyes on him. “Well,” she says, “I can’t imagine living way out in the boondocks either if I had the choice. There’s nothing to do and no place to go. And you’re missing so many of the necessities. Like a computer. Where do you look stuff up? And how do you talk to your friends?”

    Eddie is home in time to help Granddad with the boat. He secures it to its mooring and then lifts the gear and baskets to the wharf. Granddad has caught only two small rock cod.
    â€œTakes me forever to bait that hook,” he says apologetically to Eddie.
    Eddie flips the lid on the basket. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be with you tomorrow.” He keeps pace with Granddad as he shuffles across thedeck. Granddad stops briefly when he hears the sound of Eddie’s sneakers, all squishy and wet.
    â€œYou fall off the path into the lake?”
    Eddie frowns, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
    Granddad lays an arm on his shoulder. They step from the wharf and start along the dirt path leading to the cabin.
    â€œI’ve been thinking, Granddad.” Eddie shifts the fishing rod in his hand. “Do you think I need a computer to talk to Jake?”

Chapter 4

    Eddie wakes up to the sound of rain beating hard against the roof. He glances at Granddad’s empty bed then at the clock on the bookshelf across the room. He is surprised at how late it is. He hopes Granddad hasn’t gone fishing without him. The Northorpes are going to the museum today so he is free of Becky, but he’d forgotten to tell Granddad.
    Eddie dresses quickly. He finds Granddad sipping tea next to the fire in the sitting room. He doesn’t look at all like he’s prepared to go fishing. His legs are wrapped in a blanket and he wears his winter cardigan even though it is the end of June. “Good morning,” he says on seeing Eddie.
    â€œYou didn’t wake me up. Somebody will get our fishing spot.”
    â€œI thought maybe we could use a day off. Particularly you. You are on holidays, aren’t you? Besides, it’s raining.”
    Eddie cannot remember a time when Granddad has been stopped by a little rain. If rain played a part in their decision to go fishing, they would spend ninety percent of the year in the cabin. “Are you sure?”
    â€œYes, he’s sure,” Mom answers from the kitchen. She is rolling dough with determined strokes. “Your granddad’s not feeling well today. He overdid it yesterday. He’s getting too old to be gadding about in boats and lugging in fish all by himself. He’s spending the day right there, and I’m going to see to it that he doesn’t move.”
    Eddie looks to Granddad for confirmation. He smiles apologetically, telling Eddie that he has already resigned himself to do as Mom says.
    â€œWhat about working on the boat?” Eddie asks.
    Again, Mom answers for Granddad. “Nope, he won’t be doing that either.” She wipes her hands on her apron. “Eddie, come and eat your cereal. Then why don’t you go see what Jake’s up to today?”
    Eddie is terribly disappointed. Two days ina row he’s missed fishing. All spring he’d been looking forward to the summer and fishing every day with