Horns & Wrinkles by Joseph Helgerson

there."
    "So what do they smell like?" I wanted to call his bluff.
    "A little like a grilled cheese sandwich that's been burned." His nose twitched. "Only sweeter."
    The sandbar we stood on rose as high as a good-size hill, with a crown that was as flat and large as a football field. Duke and I dragged the screens and other mining stuff up top and waited for instructions. It took several trips, and for once in his life Duke did most of the work. He didn't want me touching anything valuable, and when it came to his friend's mining equipment, most everything was priceless.
    The night was dark and, so far, moonless. We wouldn't have been able to spy Jim Dandy, Biz, or Stump if they hadn't been carrying torches. By then I'd figured out that I was probably going to need help finding the stone feather and, unlikely as it seemed, Duke was my best bet. I started my campaign to win him over with a shot in the dark.
    "So what's Jim Dandy promising you?"
    "Nothing." Duke answered way too quickly.
    "Whatever it is," I predicted, "he'll never deliver."
    "Which proves that you don't know doodley about Jim Dandy Eel-tongue."
    "I know his own friends don't trust him."
    "They're river trolls," Duke shot back. "What'd you expect?"
    "I don't think they brush their teeth either."
    "Never." Duke was happy about that. "Don't floss either."
    "How about cleaning up their rooms?"
    "They don't have rooms."
    "Go to school?"
    "Unheard of." Duke grew happier by the minute.
    "Sounds perfect," I said. "Think I could join up?"
    Not that I had any intention of signing up, but I had to burst my cousin's bubble somehow. Wanting to tag along was tried-and-true.
    "Not a chance," Duke cautioned, stiffening.
    "What'd they say when you asked to join them?"
    "Never mind about that," Duke growled.
    He took such an active dislike to my questions that I naturally kept right on asking them.
    "Maybe you could ask for me," I begged. "They'd probably listen to you."
    "Look," Duke threatened, shaking a fist in my face, "we both know you brush your teeth twenty times a day and keep your room neat as a box of fancy chocolates, except for all the toads and turtles and stuff. So let's not pretend you actually want to be a troll. Okay? We both know that what you're really up to is finding out what Jim Dandy's promised me. Right?"
    "True enough," I cheerfully admitted.
    "All right, then." Duke checked over his shoulder to make sure we were alone, then spoke out the side of his mouth. "Jim Dandy says he can get me a second horn."
    "That's all?" I knew there had to be more because Duke still wasn't looking me in the eye.
    "And a tail."
    "Whoopee."
    "And maybe some hooves," Duke snapped, finally looking me square in the eye. "But not for sure on those."
    "What do you want with all that?"
    "If I'm going to run with river trolls," Duke said, "I'll need them."
    I never got a chance to ask where he came up with that brilliant idea. Just then Stump came rushing up with his toy-size poodle in one hand and a burning stick in the other. A guilty look was slipping off his face.

Twenty-five
Duckwad

    "Jim Dandy wants you," Stump relayed to Duke. "Over that way."
    The troll waved toward the back side of the island, and Duke took off at a full gallop, no questions asked.
    As soon as Duke was gone, Stump turned shy, but not so shy that he left me standing atop that sandbar all alone. He stood there petting the toy poodle and sneaking peeks at me.
    "I suppose you're wondering about my brother?" Stump said at last, cranky and defiant at once.
    "The one Jim Dandy mentioned?" I asked, feeling my way.
    "That's right." Stump nodded slowly. "Duckwad was his name, and you can call him a fool, if you want. I don't mind that. But all that other bad stuff that trolls say, that don't belong on him. That's not called for. Uh-uh."
    "What other stuff?"
    "What other? Like his cutting little trolls' hair off when they sleep. Duckwad only got caught at that once. Said he'd never do it again. See? Far as I know,