Book X Page 9

  The last evening that Kal stayed at the castle the dinner was venison, potatoes, beets and brown bread followed by pudding and coffee. After dinner, the three men sat in front of the fireplace. It was raining heavily with flashes of sheet lightning that turned the night into day.

  “So, my friend,” said Seleb as he poured wine for the three of them, “Here’s a toast to a man who knows how to move animals without them even realizing it.”

  Bram and Kal raised their goblets and they took a deep drink.

  Bram went to the fire and, using the poker, turned a log to allow the flames to kiss the untouched side. Silhouetted as he was with his back to the fire, he asked nonchalantly, “And in your travels, Kal, did you see any place that might be the hiding place of the treasure?”

  Kal answered with open hands, “I cannot lie that I took the time to seek any treasure while I worked, but I saw nothing that looked like a place to store anything of value.”

  “My friend,” said Seleb as he fidgeted with his ring, “In appreciation of your help in moving my game, I wish to give you this ring.”

  “My friend,” I cannot take . . . “

  “You misunderstand me, sir, I am not asking you to take it, I’m giving it to you as payment of the job you did for me.”

  “Then,” said Kal accepting it, “I shall enjoy it and each time I look at it I will remember you and your hospitality.”

  It was after midnight when they all turned in and as usual Kal locked his door. He sat on the bed and by the light of the torches looked at the ring. It was gold with a large diamond in the center and at least ten smaller diamonds surrounded the large stone. There was a raised wolf’s head on either side of the stone. Gaudy, Kal thought as he put it on. He washed his face and after changing into the clean nightshirt that he found hanging on a peg every night since the second night, he went to bed.

  A sudden crash woke him and he saw the windows wide open and the curtains, which were horizontal to the floor as the wind blew them in. The floor in front of the open window was slick with rainwater and he ran to the open window to close it. By chance, he looked down as he had done every night he stayed in the castle and once again saw a man crawling down the castle wall towards a huge pack of wet, howling wolves. Kal finally got the windows closed and threw the latch on. Once again he grabbed his knife and chunk of garlic and sat back on the bed to wait for the sunlight.

  The sun replaced the storm clouds and after breakfast Kal bid both men goodbye and started down the mountain in his five-mile trek to the village. Finding a place to sit before he broke out of the woods, he opened his communicator and typed in:

  BILL, GREETINGS FROM 1892. I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT THE MISSION IS A BUST! NO TREASURE TO BE FOUND AND EVEN THE PRESENT-DAY COUNT CAN’T LOCATE IT. I’M ON MY WAY BACK UNLESS YOU HAVE ANOTHER PLAN. REGARDS, KK.

  He took out a slice of cooked venison and munched on it. Finished, he was about to move on when the communicator beeped.

  A message, he thought opening it again.

  HI KAL! SORRY, ABOUT THAT BUT THERE REALLY WASN’T ENOUGH TO GO ON. COME ON HOME AND RELAX. BEST, BILL.

  He packed up and was about to start again when a figure stepped out from behind a tree in a shady area of the woods. It was Bram Stoker.

  “Hello my friend,” he said as he beckoned him over.

  Kal approached him wondering how he caught up with the experienced woodsman.

  “I just wanted to make sure you were going back to the village and not going deeper into the woods in search of the treasure.”

  “No, I do believe the treasure to be lost forever.”

  Stoker looked into his eyes and said nothing for a full thirty seconds. Finally, he went on in a low tone of voice, almost a whisper, “My friend, I do believe that you are doing yourself a service by leaving as I feel that you were in danger and your time was running out.”

  Kal nodded, “I saw something crawling up the castle wall again last night.”

  “As I said, I do believe that you were in danger. Go now and do not return.”

  Kal was going to answer him when the writer stepped back a fraction of an inch and suddenly Kal was alone.

  He quickly set off for the village, got his suitcase and caught the next train to Split. He slept most of the way back. Kal’s timing was perfect as there was a White Star ship set to sail back to the states that would honor his ticket. He hopped aboard and had the most relaxing trip back home. He wrote up all that had happened and while relaxing on the reclining deckchairs, read almost every book the library carried. He let Bill know when the liner was going to dock and as he went down the gangway he saw Bill waving to him.

  “Don’t say a word,” said Bill as they hopped a carriage. “97 East 11th Street, driver,” he called up.

  “What do you say to a beer?” Bill asked.

  “I say, yes!”

  Both time travelers were all eyes as the cab driver brought his horse up to a trot. They retraced the same route that Kal had taken on the way to the ship and once again they passed the corner where a bunch of children played all types of games and once again there was a group of children, all dressed in miss-matched outfits and shoes that appeared to be too large, just watching. More children sat on the front steps of a building with an overhead sign stating that it was the Broadway Orphanage.

  In ten minutes, they got out of the cab and were seated in Paddy Diamond’s Bar & Grill.

  “Ahh,” said Paddy as he placed two mugs of beer in front of the time travelers, “always good to see my two favorite customers.”

  Bill raised his mug and said as Paddy went down to the end bar,” To the club’s newest time traveler. Cheers.”

  Kal raised his and after taking a long pull of the frothy cold drink, said, “I’m sorry, Bill.”

  “For what? Something that’s been missing for hundreds of years before you even got there? Don’t be silly. Look at it this way: you just made a short list that not many people know about, you are a time traveling member of the 1800 Club. That means that you qualify to go out on other missions . . . that is if you want to.”

  Kal shook his head and said, “I do! I really do and I hope the next one is successful.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll do just fine.”

  “It is so hard to believe that we sit here in 1892,” said Kal. “I keep looking for Seleb and Bram.”

  “The advice that I give to all club members that have completed a trip is to go home and get back into the groove before writing up a mission debrief.”

  Kal nodded in agreement and Bill asked, “Hey, how did it go with the inventors? They sound like an interesting group.”

  Kal smiled softly and said, “They are an interesting group . . . rather they were an interesting group. In fact, they want everyone who was at our table to meet once a year. I suggested February 11, which is Inventor’s Day.”

  “Really? Why that date?”

  Kal continued, “Because that is the great inventor Thomas Edison’s birthday and it has been designated Inventor’s Day in his honor.”

  “Well,” said Bill patting Kal’s back, “as far as I’m concerned, all you have to do is remind me and you can go back and meet up with them every February 11th. Okay?”

  Kal’s eyebrows arched, “Okay? That’s absolutely okay with me! Thanks tons Bill, they are a great group and when I get home I’m going to see how far they’ve gone by checking on Google.”

  A stronger than usual breeze whipped past them told Bill that the door behind them opened and closed. The next thing he knew was the beagle pawing at his leg.

  “Samson!” he said excitedly as he reached down and patted the dog’s head. Attached to the beagle via a long leash was a dapper Matt dressed in a tan summer suit and black bowler. Bill smiled as his right-hand-man nodded.

  “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he said holding up a brown bag. “I needed some olive oil for dinner and where better to purchase that then in Candellaro’s Italian grocery store, three blocks from here, an
d I decided to take Samson for a walk at the same time. And as I enjoy a Manhattan now and then, I figured what better place to have one is right here in this fine establishment.”

  “Well,” quipped Bill, “your timing is perfect, it’s almost 12 o’clock. What do you guys think about steak for lunch?”

  Two smiles and Bill waved Paddy to them.

  “Good afternoon, Matt,” the big barman said shaking his hand. “A Manhattan?”

  “Yes, Paddy, thank you.”

  “Paddy,” asked Bill, “Is it too early to cook up three steaks?”

  “Never too early for you gents. Let me go light the stove and see if there is a bone sitting around for the dog.”

  An hour and twenty minutes later the steaks were finished but a happy Samson still wrestled with a large ham bone. Bill paid the bill and they walked to the garden of the 1800 Club. Once inside of the gated area, Bill typed ‘February 12, 2014’ into his TFM and opened the steel door to the stairway that would take them to the 1800 Club.

  DATELINE: FEBRUARY 12, 2014, PLACE: THE 1800 CLUB, NEW YORK CITY

  Kal changed into his own clothes and after begging out of dinner at the club, went home. He stopped at a Starbucks and had a large regular coffee and a slice of crumb cake. He sat at a table that allowed him to see the throngs of people on their way home. He sipped his coffee and ate his cake. Not exactly the type of food that was served aboard the ships, he thought with a grin. He checked his e-mail on his cell phone and wondered, why am I so reluctant to go home? He shook his head as he tried to figure it out. I feel that if I turn around fast I’ll see Seleb standing there or a pack of wolves.

  Okay, Kal, he thought as he downed his now-cold drink, time to man-up and get on with life! There are no wolves or men crawling up the side of your apartment building. Go home and take a long hot shower.

  He went home and when he closed the door behind him he felt completely relaxed. Putting on the TV to see the news of the day made him feel that he was back in his own time.

  After a long hot shower and some ordered in Chinese food, he opened his computer. After a while, he found a site that showed almost every invention ever patented along with a picture or drawing of the inventor. He made a list of only the passengers on his trip and sat back with a grin as he read it.

  CHARLES WHEELER, INVENTED THE ESCLATOR IN 1892.

  GEORGE SAMSON, PATENTED THE CLOTHES DRYER IN 1892.

  MARY ANDERSON, INVENTED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER 1896.

  R.W. RUECKHEIM, CAME UP WITH CRACKER JACKS IN1893.

  DANIEL COOPER, CAME UP WITH THE TIME CLOCK IN 1894.

  MIKE OWENS, INVENTED THE GLASS-BLOWING MACHINE IN 1895.

  LEO HIRSHFIELD, CAME UP WITH THE TOOTSIE ROLL IN 1896.

  W.S. HADAWAY, PATENTED THE ELECTRIC STOVE IN 1896.

  HARVEY HUBBELL, INVENTED THE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB SOCKET WITH THE PULL CHAIN IN 1896.

  So, he thought, they all invented what they had drawn in 1892, some sooner than others. He went to Leo Hirshfield’s web page and read what his grandchildren wrote of him after he passed away.

  ‘Grandfather Leo Hirshfield was a great man who saw something lacking in everything he looked at and was determined to fix it. When we were growing up he was constantly tinkering with things in our house and although he never took out a patent on those things, we reaped the reward of being the only family on the street that had many small gadgets that made all of my friends jealous of me. Grandfather Hirshfield had one thing that he never missed and that was every year on February 11 he would meet with a bunch of inventors he called The Inventor’s Club of The Teutonic. It was ironic that February 11 became known as Inventors Day! P.S. My friends loved coming to my house as we always had plenty of Tootsie Rolls around.’

  Kal saw the screen of his laptop grow misty as he closed it. He looked at his dresser and the moonlight coming through the open window bounced off the ring he had placed there.

  After another long shower, he went to bed only to be woken by a sound outside of his open window and he quickly ran to the window and peeked out only to see the cable to his Cable TV rubbing against the outside wall of his apartment in a soft breeze. He closed and locked the window before going to bed with his knife and a chunk of garlic.

  The two weeks since the last mission went by quickly and Bill was dressed in the attire of an 1897 gentleman. His three-piece black suit made his white shirt stand out as well as his deep red cravat with the silver stickpin. He tucked a gold pocket watch into the small right hand pocket of his vest and draped the gold chain across to the pocket on the left side of the vest. His tan spats showed his polished black shoes off well. He picked up a tall black hat and long cape. He checked the ticket once again and set his TFM to November 2, 1897. Dinner at the grand opening of the Astoria Hotel he thought as he mentally patted his stomach. Good for me!

  A tap on the door before it opened and Matt said, “Excuse me, sir, but Mister Kurop is downstairs and wishes to speak with you.”

  “No problem, Matt, send him up.”

  Another tap on the door and Bill opened it and greeted Kal. “Hey Kal. What’s up guy?”

  “Looks as though you are stepping out or should I say, stepping back?”

  Bill grinned, “Stepping back is right. Dinner at the grand opening of the Astoria Hotel.” Seeing that his friend was restless he asked, “Are you okay, Kal?”

  “Bill, I have a request and I don’t know how to go about it.”

  “Heck, why not just start in the beginning?”

  They sat and Kal went on. “Bill when I was back in time I saw something that won’t let me sleep. A group of children who lived in an orphanage, dressed poorly and with nothing of their own. They were forced to just stand around and watch other children at play. When I was leaving the castle I was given a ring. I had it appraised and sold it to a collector for one and a half million dollars.”

  “One point five million dollars?” said Bill excitedly, “That’s fantastic! Good for you.”

  “Bill, I’d love to go back and donate it to that orphanage home.”

  Bill blew between his lips, “Pheeew! Are you sure? I mean that sort of makes a change in history . . . Right?”

  “I don’t know. But I do know that I must do something and this is just found money.” He looked with pleading eyes as he went on, “Bill, maybe we’re not changing history at all, maybe someone, like me, did go back and make a donation to the home.”

  “So, you would like to allow me to send you back?”

  “Yes, just for an hour or two. Would you do that for me?”

  Bill smiled, “Of course I will.”

  He pressed the intercom and Matt said, “Sir, you rang?”

  Matt will you take Kal to the dressing room and outfit him for a trip to 1892?”

  “Very well, sir.”

  Inside of thirty minutes Kal stood before Bill dressed in a black three-piece suit with a matching string tie at the collar of his white shirt. His shoes and bowler hat were also black.

  “Well,” said Bill, “you certainly are set to go. However, your money is no good there so I had Matt put one and a half million in a leather attaché and will gladly switch with you.”

  Kal slapped his head, “Owww! Never thought of the money thing.” He passed Bill a similar attaché and said, “I’m set to go.”

  “Good,” Bill said as he typed in February 26, 1892 into his TFM, opened the door and said, “I was trying on a new outfit for the same period, give or take a few years, so if it’s all right with you, allow me to accompany you. One and a half million bucks is a lot to be carrying around alone.”

  “But what about your dinner plans?”

  “Well,” Bill answered with a smile, “as you know I can always go back there again.”

  The two men went down the stairs and out into the garden.

  DATELINE: FEBRUARY 26, 1892, PLACE: THE 1800 CLUB’S GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY

  It was sunny with a slight chill in the air as they left the garden and hopped
a cab. Once at the orphanage, Bill waited in the cab as Kal went up the stairs of the already old building. It was chilly inside and the gray painted walls were peeling in places. Although there were two gas lamps on the landing only one was lit to save money. He came to a door with a cracked glass that had stenciled on it: BROADWAY ORPHANAGE and tapped gently on it.

  “Come in,” said a female voice and he opened the door to see a thin woman with a coat and scarf on, sitting behind a desk that was bare except for a bottle of ink and a straight pen.

  “May I help you, sir?” she asked as she tried to tuck back a lock of her gray hair beneath a scarf.

  “Yes. I wonder if I might speak to the manager or the owner or whoever is in charge?”

  “Is it about the Kinney boys? They really are good boys and I made them give the apples back.”

  “No, no,” he answered, “I have no complaints.”

  Her eyes went wide as she said in a hopeful tone of voice, “Oh Lord, are you here to adopt a child?”

  Kal felt himself choke up slightly and quickly said, “No, I’m sorry, but are you in charge?”