Andy and Dolores huddled under the porch. It seemed as if they had been down there forever, waiting for it to get dark. Andy pulled a marble out of his pocket.

“Wow!” whispered Dolores. “I’ve never seen one that glows.”

“This is my lucky marble,” said Andy.

“May I hold it?” Dolores asked.

Just then Andy and Dolores heard footsteps coming up the walkway. Dolores peeked out from under the steps and gave Andy the thumbs-up. They pulled the sheets over their heads.

“Ooooooh,” Dolores moaned.

Andy followed her out from under the porch.

“Ooooooh,” he groaned.

“What’s that?” said one of the tricksters.

“OOOOOOH!” Dolores yelled.

Andy couldn’t see where he was going. He tripped on the hem of his sheet and fell face-down.

The tricksters doubled over laughing.

“Ooh, what scary ghosts!” one of them said.

Then they grabbed the pumpkin, smashed it on the ground, and took off running.

“Stop messing with our pumpkins!” Dolores shouted. “They’re glories of nature!”

Andy untangled himself from his sheet.

What a stupid idea this was, he thought.

Then he saw Dolores kneeling over her smashed pumpkin. She was crying.

“Two pumpkins in two days,” she sniffed.

That evening, Andy Shane pushed his meatballs from one side of his plate to the other.

“You look like I served you porcupine stew instead of your favorite supper,” said Granny Webb.

“I still need to think of a present for Dolores,” said Andy, carrying his plate over to the sink.

“Whoops!” he said.

Marbles bounced all over the kitchen floor.

Andy took a step and stumbled on a marble. And then another. His arms flailed in the air, but he couldn’t keep his balance. He slip-slid to the floor.

“Aaugh!” he said. “This has been the worst day ever!”

“Have a nice trip? See you next fall!” Granny said, laughing. She was like that, always turning tragedy into fun.

Andy had to laugh, too. Then he started to collect all the marbles that had rolled from the kitchen counter to the front door.

That’s when he got a great idea.