Sink it Rusty by Matt Christopher Page A

refereeing. But while Rusty watched, an ache started inside him. An ache to be on the floor, to run. An
     ache to scramble after the ball, to dribble it, and to shoot for the basket.

    After a while, when the action was taking place near the farther basket, he went to the ladder and climbed down.
    He was glad nobody was around to see his face when he reached the bottom.

2
    R USTY walked across the cracked cement floor toward the wide, open doorway. Overhead, the boards squeaked from running, thumping
     feet.
    He walked outside into the cool night air. A high moon hung like a glowing crystal ball in the sky. It was about seven o'clock.
     Mom and Dad expected him home soon, anyway.
    He got to thinking about his future. It looked very dim. Alec Daws had taken interest in the boys' playing basketball. He
     would be coming to the barn more oftennow. No doubt he understood the game well. At least, well enough to know how to referee.
    All at once Rusty didn't like Alec Daws. He didn't like him at all. Alec had come and taken away from him the one thing he
     was able to do — referee.
    The evening was so quiet Rusty could hear the soft whisper of the creek water to his left. He walked alongside the concrete
     wall and watched the moonlit water glisten like patches of silver. He reached the bridge, crossed it, and started down the
     paved road.
    On the right was a park. Picnic benches stood empty under shadowy trees. Beyond the park was Cato Lake, a dark-blue mirror
     under the pale moon.
    Ahead, on the left, was the Dawses'grocery store. A dim, yellow light beamed out from its big window. The store was closed.
    Rusty looked up at the hill behind the store. It was steep, covered with pine trees, elms, and oaks. On top of the hill he
     could see the outline of a house. Other houses were up there, out of his view. One of them was his.
    Rusty paused. He could continue on his way home by taking the road. It led past the store, wound around the hill and up to
     the houses. But now he wanted to take the shortcut. He would climb the steep hill.
    He walked behind the store, reached the bottom of the hill, and began climbing. He discovered that the dark tree-shadows made
     it hard to see. The footingwas difficult, too. The ground was hard as rock.
    He slipped on dead leaves and clutched a tiny sapling to keep from falling. He helped himself upward by pulling on the saplings.
     By the time he was a third of the way up the hill his legs ached. His arms were tired. He wished now he had taken the road.
    Suddenly, he slipped again. He reached out in the darkness for a sapling or some brush to stop his fall. He grabbed at a thin
     branch. But he fell so quickly that the branch slid through his hand. He rolled down the hill, panic filling his heart. Twigs
     snapped loudly as he rolled over them.
    Finally, he struck the wide base of a tree. He lay still a moment, breathing hard.

    His breathing was the only sound he heard in the very still night. He shuddered and wondered if he was hurt.

3
    R USTY got up. He wasn't hurt. He brushed the dirt off his clothes. He swallowed and pressed his lips tightly together.
    Just then a voice from the direction of the barn broke the stillness of the night.
    “Rusty! Rusty! Wait for me!”
    Joby's voice.
    “I'm up here, Joby,” he replied. “Wait! I'm coming down.”
    He could see Joby running swiftly toward the bridge. Carefully, Rustyclimbed down the hill. He reached the bottom and walked out of the shadows. Joby came running toward him.
    “Rusty!” he shouted. “What were you doing up there?”
    “I wanted to take the shortcut,” said Rusty, ashamed. “Nobody else ever had trouble climbing that hill.”
    “But it's night!” said Joby. “It's hard to see.”
    “I know,” replied Rusty. “Guess that's why I fell. If it hadn't been for a tree, I might have rolled all the way to the bottom.”
    “You fell?” Joby's voice pierced the night air. “You sure were nutty trying to climb that hill! Come