“Quick!” shouted Ada. “Grab the hose!”
Ada and Iggy ran to the fire hose, which was laying on the hot pavement next to the truck. “No!” said Rosie. “Remember what will happen?
You’ll knock Uncle Ned out of the eddy and he’ll fly off into that wind!”
“No, he won’t,” said Ada. “Trust me!”
She grabbed the end of the fire hose.
Iggy grabbed the hose behind her.
Rosie looked doubtful but jumped in line behind Iggy.
“Hit it, Bee!” yelled Ada.
Bee flipped the switch on the pumper truck and a heavy spray of water burst out of the hose. It was more powerful than Ada had imagined. The three friends struggled to control the hose, but they held tight.
“Get ready, Beau!” Ada yelled, and she pointed the hose at the asphalt just below Uncle Ned.
The water splashed over the hot surface, and instantly Uncle Ned plunged downward. It wasn’t much, but it was just enough! Beau reached out and grabbed him by the foot!
Bee flipped off the water and the hose flopped to the ground. Uncle Fred scrambled up the ladder and grabbed the rope dangling from Uncle Ned’s waist.
“We got him!” yelled Uncle Fred.
The crowd cheered again. “How did you do that?” asked Uncle Ned.
“I remembered that hot air takes up more room than cold air. So, we cooled down the asphalt with the water. That cooled the air just above it and that made you drop enough to grab your foot!”
“Well done!” said Uncle Ned. “Now can I get out of these pants?”
But there was no time. Just then, a strong gust of wind blasted into the courtyard and blew the dust and leaves up and away. The whirlwind was gone. A heavy raindrop splattered the asphalt. Then another. And another.
Raindrops began to fall faster and faster and the crowd scattered. Uncle Fred tied Uncle Ned’s rope to the bumper of the Zoo Bus and rounded up the zoo animals. The Questioneers and Ada’s mom and brother hopped onto the bus.
In a few moments, Uncle Fred stopped at the Twist house on Milk Lane.
“Thank you for rescuing me!” said Uncle Ned. “If it weren’t for you, I’d be eaten by birds and halfway to Timbuktu by now!”
“You’re welcome!” said Ada as she waved goodbye to Uncle Ned, Uncle Fred, Iggy, and Rosie.
Uncle Fred honked and headed down the street with Uncle Ned floating above the Zoo Bus.
Arthur ran up the steps to the front porch of the Twist house. Ada and Mrs. Twist followed him as thunder rumbled in the distance.
“Thanks for letting me use your racquet,” said Ada. “You could be a tennis champion someday. Like Arthur Ashe.”
“Maybe,” said Arthur. “But you should stick with science.”
Arthur opened the front door and stepped into the house. He paused and smiled at Ada.
“Actually,” he said. “Let me know if you want to play tennis sometime. You weren’t that bad. But you have to use your own racquet. And stay out of my stuff!”
Arthur tried to look mad, but it didn’t work. Ada grinned at her brother as he shut the door, leaving Ada and her mom alone on the porch.
Just then, the sky opened up and rain poured buckets onto the roof of the porch and splashed into puddles in the yard. The smell of the rain hit Ada’s nose and she closed her eyes for a moment and breathed it in. It was not the kind of smell that curled her toes. It was a warm and cozy smell that mixed with her mom’s perfume and was one of the best things in the world.
Ada and her mom sat and watched the rain plop and splop and splash on the grass. Her mother put her arm around Ada and gave her a hug.
“Ada,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you tried to tell me about Uncle Ned. I just didn’t get it.”
Ada smiled at her mom. “I know,” said Ada.
“You know I’m very proud of you,” said Mrs.
Twist. “And I—”
“I know,” said Ada.
“How do you know what I’m going to tell you?” asked Mrs. Twist.
“Because you already did,” said Ada.
Ada smiled. “See,” she said. “I always write down the important things so I’ll remember. But I have a question.”
“Just one?” asked Mrs. Twist.
“Well …” said Ada. “Do big raindrops taste different than little ones?” she asked. “And, why is rain gray in the air but clear on my hand? Why do earthworms crawl on the sidewalk in the rain? What if …”
