The Children's Crusade by Carla Jablonski Page A

orders.
    Daniel grabbed the soft, thick rope that hung from the upper branches in the enormous tree that held the clubhouse. He gripped it hard, then hoisted himself up to the first wooden slat that led to the entrance.
    Kerwyn and Aiken Drum had built the clubhouse in the sprawling branches, aided by Free Country. As new children arrived, the clubhouse transformed to reflect their wishes. There were nooks and crannies for those who liked hiding, turrets for those who enjoyed castles, big tall windows to let in light for those who wanted it and small low windows for the littler ones.
    It’s a right regular castle in the sky , Daniel thought, reaching the entrance to the main room.No matter how often he saw it, he was always impressed. He swung his legs through the opening and dropped into the clubhouse. Everyone was already here.
    Jack Rabbit, in his extremely realistic bunny outfit, leaned against a wall. Daniel always found it a bit disconcerting to be chatting with a rabbit taller than himself. Sometimes he wasn’t even sure that the bunny thing was a costume—it was that convincing.
    The kid all in green sat at one end of the table, scowling. One-handed Wat was on Kerwyn’s left, and the stuck-up Griselda was on Kerwyn’s right.
    Freaks , Daniel thought. The lot of ’em. Then he had a worrisome idea—did that make him a freak, too? Was the high council for the biggest misfits of all? Is that why Kerwyn had asked them to be part of the group? And was that the reason Marya would never kiss him? At first, Daniel had been honored to be one of the kids in charge—the ones who had important meetings and made decisions and all that. But now, glancing around the table, it made him fidget.
    Kerwyn sat in his usual spot at the head of the table, holding a carved wooden staff—the “talking stick,” he called it. Daniel didn’t know where it had come from. He was fairly certainKerwyn hadn’t carved it. Pretty smiling faces peered out from the top of the stick. They reminded Daniel of the Shimmers or maybe angels. Kerwyn clung to it as if it were made of gold. It was almost his favorite thing, besides the clipboard that sat on the table in front of him, and the Scrabble game.
    â€œThe high council of Free Country will now come to order,” Kerwyn declared. “When I call your name, please say ‘present.’ Daniel?”
    Phew. Just in time. “Present, Kerwyn.”
    â€œJackalarum, also known as Jack Rabbit.”
    â€œPresent.”
    â€œJunkin Buckley?”
    â€œKerwyn, you can see he’s not here,” the kid in green grumbled.
    â€œQuiet, Peter,” Kerwyn scolded. “You have not been announced as present yet. Anyway, I’ve got the talking stick and I don’t recall pointing it at you.” He cleared his throat. “Junkin Buckley did not respond,” he announced formally. He made a mark on the paper on the clipboard.
    â€œHullo, my darlings, here I am.” Junkin Buckley appeared in the entrance of the clubhouse.
    Daniel started. He hadn’t heard Junkin Buckley come in. Junkin Buckley was always sneaking up on a situation.
    Junkin jumped down to the floor and gave a bow. “Loverly Junkin Buckley has popped up, pretty as a picture. You can write that down, too.” He winked at Kerwyn.
    Kerwyn scowled. “You’re supposed to say ‘present.’”
    â€œI said, I’m here.” Junkin Buckley sat down in the empty chair beside Daniel.
    â€œNot ‘here,’” Kerwyn insisted, “‘present.’”
    â€œWill you please get on with it, Kerwyn!” Daniel sputtered.
    Sometimes Daniel enjoyed watching Junkin mix it up with Kerwyn. Kerwyn could be right stuffy and priggish. But today Daniel was irritated by Junkin’s casual air. Marya was still in the Bad World. There was important business to be taken care of at this council meeting.
    â€œYou’re not to speak,