Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Dink shaped a tail for his dinosaur. "All I smelled was dust from the bomb. How could you smell French fries?" Josh was making a row of teeth for his tyrannosaurs. "Because I have an amazing sense

of smell," he said. "I'm afraid we've run out of time," Dr. Tweed said. "You may take extra clay and finish your sculptures at home." He handed out cardboard boxes for carrying the clay dinosaurs. "Thank you all for coming," Dr. Tweed said as everyone got up to go. "Tomorrow is Wet Wednesday. I will be away, but one of my colleagues will be here in my place. Be sure to wear shorts and old sneakers, and bring permission slips from your parents." A few minutes later, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose stood in front of the museum holding their boxes. "What time does our bus come?" Josh asked. "They run every half hour," Ruth Rose said, glancing across the street at the bank clock. "It's three-thirty now. We must have just missed one." Josh grinned. "Good, we have time to get a snack." Dink rolled his eyes. "Josh, my folks are still freaked about the bomb. I promised I'd get right home after the museum today. Let's just go wait in the shade."

They walked around to the little pond and sat on a bench. Immediately, the goldfish came up for handouts. Suddenly, Josh stood up and stuck his nose in the air. "I smell it again!" he said. He swiveled his head, like a periscope looking for enemy ships. "There!" he said, pointing back along the park path toward Main Street. A small restaurant stood next to the bank. A sign in the window said AUNT FREDA'S FABULOUS FRIES. "Forget your stomach, Josh," Dink said. "The next bus will be here soon." Josh slumped back on the bench.

"I'm being falsely accused," he said. "All I'm trying to do is figure out what happened to that gold." "Okay," Dink said. "So tell us." "Okay," Josh said. "I smelled French fries last night. They sell French fries across the street. So maybe the robbers work there. Maybe that's where they took the gold!" "I saw those crooks dragging the gold," Dink said. "There's no way they carried it all the way to that restaurant." Ruth Rose looked at Dink. "Still, Josh might be right about the thieves working there," she said. "Maybe we should go over and check it out." "But our bus … " "Come on, Dinkus," Josh said, standing up. "We'll catch the next one." "Okay, but I still think it's just a trick," Dink said. "You'd do anything for a plate of fries." The kids carried their boxes through the park, across Main Street, and into the restaurant. They sat in a booth by the window. Overhead, a ceiling fan hummed, and a jukebox played an Elvis song.

Six teenagers were just leaving. They left behind a small mountain of dirty dishes and glasses. A roly-poly woman came through a swinging door with three glasses of ice water. She had gray hair and wore a white apron over her dress. "Welcome to Aunt Freda's," she said. "I'm Aunt Freda. I'll bet you've been to the museum, right?" "How did you know?" asked Ruth Rose. The woman pointed to Ruth Rose's small box. WADSWORTH MUSEUM was printed on the side.

"We made dinosaurs out of clay;" Josh said. "Oh, that would be Dr. Tweed," Aunt Freda said. "He's one of my regular customers. So, what can I get you today?" "Fries and a lemonade, please," said Josh. "You'll love my fries," Aunt Freda said. "The best in Hartford!" "I'll have the same," Ruth Rose said. Dink made it three, and Aunt Freda bustled away to the kitchen.