Kids to the Rescue!

Part 8

The Final Chapter:

Uncle Will could hear the Rulers talking. Finally, Roger Ruler pushed open the door. Uncle Will shoved the door back as hard as he could, hitting Roger with it.

"Ow! Stop it!" Roger yelled. Rhonda Ruler ran down the hall as Uncle Will and Roger wrestled on the floor. Finally, Uncle Will got the best of Roger and pulled him up to his feet, yanking his arm up behind his back. Uncle Will heard footsteps. It was a police officer. Uncle Will smiled.

"I think this fellow belongs to you," he said, turning Roger over to the officer. Uncle Will headed down the hall, but when he walked into the room where the kids were, he stopped and began to laugh. There on a chair was Rhonda. The kids had her tied and gagged. Another police officer came up behind Uncle Will.

"I guess we'll have to give these kids a job!" the officer said.

With the exception of Uncle Will, they were all grounded for the rest of the summer. True, they had helped nab two notorious spies, but they really hadn't stolen anything important. As the Marine Corps representative explained, they knew the Rulers were working with someone on base, so they planted phony photographs and documents. When the phony items were stolen, they discovered the identity of the Rulers' contact and arrested her.

The kids were in hot water for lying to their parents about spending the night with each other.

 Ben's mother was especially upset with him. She told him he was older and should "set an example" for Beth, who received the lightest punishment of any. Beth was considered a heroine because she figured out the code Ben had written in the dust at the haunted house.

"Just one thing I don't understand, Uncle Will," Ben said. "Why was the boat named 'Napoleon Solo?' Was he someone famous?"

Ben's Mom

Uncle Will could hear the Rulers talking. Finally, Roger Ruler pushed open the door. Uncle Will shoved the door back as hard as he could, hitting Roger with it.

"Ow! Stop it!" Roger yelled. Rhonda Ruler ran down the hall as Uncle Will and Roger wrestled on the floor. Finally, Uncle Will got the best of Roger and pulled him up to his feet, yanking his arm up behind his back. Uncle Will heard footsteps. It was a police officer. Uncle Will smiled.

"I think this fellow belongs to you," he said, turning Roger over to the officer. Uncle Will headed down the hall, but when he walked into the room where the kids were, he stopped and began to laugh. There on a chair was Rhonda. The kids had her tied and gagged. Another police officer came up behind Uncle Will.

"I guess we'll have to give these kids a job!" the officer said.

With the exception of Uncle Will, they were all grounded for the rest of the summer. True, they had helped nab two notorious spies, but they really hadn't stolen anything important. As the Marine Corps representative explained, they knew the Rulers were working with someone on base, so they planted phony photographs and documents. When the phony items were stolen, they discovered the identity of the Rulers' contact and arrested her.

The kids were in hot water for lying to their parents about spending the night with each other.

Ben's mother was especially upset with him. She told him he was older and should "set an example" for Beth, who received the lightest punishment of any. Beth was considered a heroine because she figured out the code Ben had written in the dust at the haunted house.

"Just one thing I don't understand, Uncle Will," Ben said. "Why was the boat named 'Napoleon Solo?' Was he someone famous?"

Uncle Will laughed. "Yes, as a matter of fact, he was. Napoleon Solo – which you heard as 'so low' -- was a fictitious spy. He was the main character of a television show I loved as a kid. We all wanted to be like Solo!

"Solo and his partner saved the world each week. He worked for an organization known as the U.N.C.L.E. -- Uncle for short," he said.

"Uncle? That's a funny name," Lily said.

"I kind of like it," Uncle Will smiled. "What I don't like is having to rescue you from real spies. How about staying out of the espionage business?"

Lily

Beth

Ben

Jamal

"No problem," said Jamal.

"You've got my word," Ben agreed.

"Mine, too," Lily said. Beth was quiet.

"Did Uncle have any women spies?" Beth asked.

"Sure did, why?"

"Oh, I don't know," Beth said. "You never can tell when they might need a smart kid."

"Beth!" Ben said.

"Just kidding," she said with a secret smile.

And only Uncle Will saw that her fingers were crossed behind her back.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

Exception: Something that is not included.

Notorious: Well-known for something bad.

Representative: Someone who is chosen to speak or act for others.

Fictitious: Made up, not real.

Espionage : The act of spying.

Photo of a Barrage Balloon

Photo courtesy of the Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT:

World War I was called the "war to end all wars." Was it? Why do you think it was called that?

DID YOU KNOW?

Camp Lejeune, where "Kids to The Rescue" took place, was NOT the first large military base in Eastern North Carolina. The first one was called Camp Davis and it was an army training camp. Camp Davis was located in Holly Ridge, about halfway between Jacksonville and Wilmington.

One of the schools established at Camp Davis was for barrage balloons. Barrage balloons were huge balloons shaped a little like giant goldfish. They were floated over cities and military areas to protect them from bombing attacks during World War II. Barrage balloons were used quite frequently during the German bombing raids in London, England.

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