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Chapter Five

Tim had made arrangements to meet some of the boys at the city library on Monday after school. He and Tom walked in to find several boys at a table with numerous books on Alaska in front of them. The twins sat and whispered greetings.

“Hey! Here’s some interesting stuff.” Pat spoke loudly in excitement.

“Shh. Keep your voice down or we’ll be kicked out,” Tom poked him.

Pat continued to read in a lower voice. “Since 1867 the stars and stripes have flown over Alaska, but it wasn’t until 1958 that U. S. Congress approved Alaska being admitted as our 49^th state. On January 3, 1959, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the papers. The name Alaska comes from an Aleut Indian word meaning Great Land. Wow! Russia is only one hundred ninety miles from Nome.”

“Great. I hope we get a chance to visit Russia,” Tim whispered. “I’m looking forward to meeting some real Eskimo and Indians and now some Russians.”

Pat looking puzzled said, “I thought Russia was only fifty-three miles from Alaska.”

“Well it is at farther northern points where people don’t live, but Nome is south of there.” John Trivet explained.

Perry Morton struggled to talk quietly, “This is from the material you guys got from the Nome Convention and Visitors Bureau. It says three lucky Swedens, Jafet Lindberg, Erik Lindbloom and John Brynteson, discovered gold on Anvil Creek in 1898. When the news reached Klondike, thousands came and built a camp called Anvil City. No trees to build with so they had to set up tents that covered the thirty miles between Cape Rodney and Cape Nome. From about one hundred people, it grew to over ten thousand. Huge storms and fires left little in that first camp.”

“Now me,” Benji took the paper. “During World War II, Nome was the last stop for planes flying to Russia. U. S. troops were stationed in Nome in Quonset huts. Today air travel has taken the place of steam ships.”

“Listen,” Jim read on, “nowhere else is there so many bear and fantastic fishing. Caribou, reindeer, moose, deer, elk, bison, seals, otter and numerous birds are familiar sights.” The boys all started talking about animals, and hunting, with camera, of course.

Tim read, “Because of the many people who came during the gold rush, this area became a supply and transportation center. A big Federal building was built, but Juneau became the capital.”

Jason started giggling and hissed. “That reminds me of a joke. This boys went up to his teacher and said, “What’s the capital of Alaska?” She answered, “Juneau.” He said, “No, that’s why I’m asking you.”

The boys laughed so hard they were asked to leave the library. They walked side by side with arms around each other until they met someone they had to allow to pass. Then they ran and tagged each other, trying to trip each other as they made their way.

This stopped when Alex staggered and fell off the sidewalk. The boys were concerned about the blood that showed through his jeans on his right knee. He assured them it was just a scrape. The boys went on more calmly.

Being normal boys they soon left the memory of Alex’s misadventure behind and again ran down the sidewalk chasing, jumping up in the air pretending to shoot baskets and making up games as they ran. Life was good and they were enjoying every minute.

That night Herb took Anna into Washington, D.C. to eat dinner and then attend a stage play at the Kennedy Center. It was late for her birthday, but Herb wanted to keep his promise to do something special for her.