Read Cousin's Challenge for Free Online Page A

filled it with water, and dashed into the kitchen. The quilt, which had been hung over a wooden rack near the stove, was in flames. Lonnie threw the bucket of water over it, filled the bucket once more, and doused it again. When the fire was out, he grabbed the soggy quilt and hauled it outside.
    â€œIt’s ruined!” Sharon sobbed as she dropped to the ground beside the remains of her quilt. “I—I didn’t put the rack too close to the stove, so I don’t know how it caught on fire.”
    â€œWhat’d you clean it with—bleach or peroxide?” Lonnie asked.
    â€œPeroxide. I found a big bottle of it in the utility room and poured some on the spot where the beet juice was.”
    â€œDid you mix it with water or use it full strength?” Lonnie questioned.
    â€œI poured some into a smaller container, and then I put it on the quilt full strength.” She hiccupped on a sob. “That stuff smelled horrible; it made me cough and gag.”
    Lonnie groaned. The peroxide that had been sitting in the utility room had been the 30 percent industrial kind and should have been diluted with water before use. He’d read several articles in The Budget about fires that had been started because people had used 30 percent peroxide full strength and exposed whatever they’d been cleaning to the sun or some other heat source. Of course, Lonnie wasn’t sure if it was the peroxide that had caused Sharon’s quilt to catch on fire or if it had been placed too close to the stove. He’d been in such a hurry to get the fire out he hadn’t noticed how close the drying rack had been set. Either way, the quilt was ruined, and his sister would be in trouble with their mother.
    â€œGuess it’s my fault this happened,” he mumbled. “I should have never suggested that you put peroxide on the quilt.” He rapped the side of his head. “Just never dreamed you’d use Dad’s 30 percent peroxide at full strength.”
    â€œWhat am I gonna do, Lonnie?” Sharon wailed. “When Mom and Pop get back from town, I’ll get a bletsching for sure.”
    â€œYou won’t get a bletsching. I’ll explain what happened, and everything will be fine.” Lonnie turned toward the house. “I need to get back inside and clear out the smoke and ashes. While I’m doing that, you can get the wheelbarrow.”
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œSo we can haul the quilt out to the garbage.”
    â€œOh, okay.” Sharon hurried off toward the barn to get the wheelbarrow, and Lonnie went into the house.
    He’d just gotten some windows open and had begun to clean up the mess when he heard the sound of buggy wheels rumbling into the yard. Oh, great, the folks must be home.
    By the time Lonnie stepped outside, Mom was already out of the buggy and standing beside Sharon, staring at the ruined quilt while shaking her head. The wheelbarrow was parked nearby.
    Tearfully, Sharon explained what had happened.
    Mom moaned. “How could you have been so foolish, Sharon?”
    â€œIt’s not entirely her fault,” Lonnie said, stepping between them. “I’m the one who suggested she use peroxide to get out the beet juice. I just didn’t think she’d use the bottle of peroxide on the utility porch or that she’d put it on full strength.”
    â€œWhat in the world were you thinking, boy?” Pop asked when he joined them. “You oughta know better than to tell your sister to use that stuff.” He grunted, and his pale, bushy eyebrows pulled tightly together. “What a dummkopp.”
    â€œI’m not a dunce, and I didn’t think she’d—”
    Pop glared at Lonnie. “Your mamm worked real hard making that quilt, and I think you oughta pay her what it’ll cost to buy material to make a new one.”
    Mom shook her head. “He doesn’t have to do that, Ezra. I’ve got plenty of material