“Keep on the grass. He’ll see our footprints in the sand tomorrow,” whispered Josh. The two boys crept, doubled over, alongside Mr. Jenson’s watermelon patch.
Hidden insects orchestrated a medley of soft sounds filling the quiet night. A quarter moon gave just enough light for the boys to see the dark, rounded shapes of the
melons. “Here’s a nice one. It’s big, but not one of his best melons. He’d have a conniption fit if he found one of the bigger ones missing.” Josh picked up the melon,
testing for weight. “Ten pounds if it’s an ounce.”
“None of them are big this year. They’re all knotty.Too dry. If it weren’t for this bottom land, he wouldn’t have any melons.” Leroy rubbed the back of his neck and
looked around. “Get it, and let’s get out of here. Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”
As Josh snapped the melon off the vine, a whisper of sound reached them. A shadow moved toward the moonlit path they had just traveled down, cutting off their escape.
“Jenson!” Josh hissed and snatched up the melon. “Creek!” As one, the boys dived into the tall grass and  slid down to the nearly dry creek bed. Hugging the bank, they listened for Mr. Jenson above. Josh gritted his teeth and forced himself to breathe slowly, silently. He eased some of the long, hanging vines over himself and Leroy, hiding them from Mr. Jenson.
“Thieven’ beggars!” Jenson’s bellow bounced off the night-shrouded hills. “I’ll fill your hides full of buckshot I catch you here.” His voice grew louder as he approached the path just above their hiding place. “I know who you are. Joseph Lang’s boy and that no account Masterson brat.” At that moment Jenson pulled the trigger on his shotgun. BOOM!  The boys flinched. As leaves and twigs rained down from the tree above, they shrank into the creek bank.
“You hear that, you worthless varmints? Next time it’ll be your backsides!” Yelling his threats ever fifteen steps or so, Jenson moved on down the path following
the creek. “I’ll have the law on you and your paw! You hear me?”
BOOM!
“I wager your paw’ll tan your hide, Lang, when I tell him what you been up to.” His voice was farther away now. “Good Christian man he is. Take a razor strap to you, I imagine.”
Boom!
The boys drew in long, slow breaths. “Where did he come from?” Josh muttered.
“Hidden in brush over there.” Leroy pointed to a dark clump of bushes near the fencerow. “Must’ve been asleep. We walked right past him.”
“Mmmm.” Josh suddenly shoved the melon into Leroy’s stomach. “Here. I gotta get home before he can call Paw.” Without another word, Josh scrambled up the
bank. He checked to make sure the old man was well down the field before racing back the way he and Leroy had come. Josh ran, feeling dire consequences nipping at his heels.

Second Chance

by
Galand Nuchols


Chapter 1
Watermelon Heist