Read The Nine Pound Hammer Online
Authors: John Claude Bemis
The Nine Pound Hammer (35 page)
Si and Redfeather and Marisol burst into excited conversation with one another. But Nel seemed to sense Ray’s hesitation, and he narrowed his eyes curiously. “What is it, Ray?”
The others quieted and turned to him.
Ray said, “It’s just … what about my father? I know that I’ve got to take care of Sally, but I’ve been considering going to look for him. To see if I can discover what happened to him.”
This was only partially true. Ray did want to find his father, but he also wanted to find Jolie. He had to know what had happened to her. He wanted to know that she was all right.
“He was a Rambler,” Buck said, his gravelly voice low and comforting. “If Li’l Bill’s still alive, he’ll find you.”
Ray thought about this. He did not understand why his father had not found him yet. But maybe there were reasons. Maybe there had not been enough time. Ray would have to trust that he would see him again.
Nel stood. “Well, we’ve got lots to do, lots to prepare. But not tonight. You need your rest.”
The four consented and headed for their sleeping car.
“Good night,” Si, Redfeather, and Marisol whispered as they went into their separate rooms.
The familiar hallway was cluttered with Nel’s boxes. Ray stepped around them to reach Sally’s room. Ray found Sally asleep next to Renny, with a book open on her stomach. Her lamp was still lit, swaying overhead with the movement of the train.
Ray gingerly took the book from Sally’s hands.
The Incunabula of Wandering
.
With a smile, Ray closed the book and placed it on the top of a stack of Si’s books by Sally’s bedside. He bent back over Sally and kissed her cheek.
As he stood over her, he tried to imagine the new home, Shuckstack, where he and Sally and the others would soon live. They would learn to be Ramblers. They were learning to be Ramblers.
Ray turned out the lamp and gently closed Sally’s door.
My deepest gratitude goes out to my wife, Amy, whose unwavering belief and support propelled me through this journey. My daughter, Rose, was too young to help type but shared many walks in the woods with me. My parents, Bill and Claudia, have always encouraged me to pursue what I love. Enormous thanks go out to my critique group—Jennifer Harrod, Stephen Messer, and Jen Wichman—talented writers who helped shape this book in so many ways. For their insightful advice, I am happily indebted to David Andrews, Mike Bauldree, Greg Hanson, Noah Hoffman, Karen Morse, and Jason Walker. Special thanks to Peter Kramer and Susan Gladin for providing me with an inspiring space to write on their farm. I’ve been fortunate to work with an extraordinary team: Josh and Tracey Adams of Adams Literary, who put their energy and skill behind the novel, and Jim Thomas, whose thoughtful and eagle-eyed editing brought out the real magic of
The Nine Pound Hammer
.
John Claude Bemis grew up in rural eastern North Carolina, where he loved reading the Jack tales and African American trickster stories, as well as fantasy and science fiction classics. A songwriter and musician in an Americana roots band, John found inspiration for his fiction in old-time country and blues music and the Southern folklore at its heart.
John lives with his family in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and teaches the books that he loves to elementary school students. Visit John’s Web site at
www.johnclaudebemis.com
.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2009 by John Claude Bemis
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bemis, John Claude.
The nine pound hammer / John Claude Bemis. — 1st ed.
p. cm.—(Clockwork dark; bk. 1)
Summary: Drawn by the lodestone his father gave him years before, twelve-year-old orphan Ray travels south, meeting along the way various characters from folklore who are battling against an evil industry baron known as the Gog.
eISBN: 978-0-375-85386-9
[1. Fantasy—Fiction. 2. Orphans—Fiction. 3. Brothers and sisters—Fiction.
4. Folklore—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.B4237Nin 2009
[Fic]—dc22
2008022503
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