Young Indiana Jones: Adventures Out West
Chapter Five

by IndyAnna





It was Friday night and Tommy had persuaded his mom to let him sleep in Indy's room since Prof. Jones wasn't returning that night. "But Ma," he reasoned, "What if Indy gets up in the middle of the night and needs help?" He was referring to the injured leg, Indy played along and nodded at all the right moments. "I'll be right here. I think that would be the best thing." He said trying to sound very matter-of-fact like his mom always did when making a point. Mrs. Johnson barely kept a straight face, knowing full well the two boys just wanted to talk. She knew Tommy was happy having someone around that was his age and decided to indulge him.

"Okay Tommy, if you're sure it's 'the best thing'. I don't want you two talking all night though, understand?"

"Yes ma'am!" Tommy couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice.

"And you be sure to help Indy if he needs you."

"Oh, I will! I will, I promise."

"Well, it's getting late, you and Indy both need some rest, so you two get ready for bed THEN you can talk for a while. Okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Both boys answered in unison.

Mrs. Johnson couldn't help smiling as she left. She just knew the two boys together were a recipe for trouble, but decided to ignore that feeling for now.

Tommy turned into a non-stop chatter box. Both boys were changed and laying in their beds and he was still going on about school and the people in town. Indy had heard so many names and stories in the past twenty minutes that he would be lucky to remember half. When Tommy finally took time to actually breath, Mrs. Johnson walked back into the room.

"Well boys, I think it's time for bed."

"Aww Ma! It's early yet. Can't we..."

"Uh-uh Tommy, you can always go back to your own room." she warned. He sighed and sunk down lower in the bed.

She stood between the two twin beds, her hands on her hips, a somewhat common stance for her, and gave the boys a playful look. "You are both going to go to sleep, right? No talking all night, right?" She watched as they both nodded in agreement. She then sat on the edge of Tommy's bed and brushed his dark wavy hair back off his forehead, her hand sliding down to caress his cheek. "Goodnight sweety. Don't talk Indy's ear off all night, ok?"

"I won't."

She gave him a kiss on both cheeks and pulled the covers up a little higher. "Goodnight."

"G'night ma."

She walked around to the other side of Indy's bed and sat on the edge and moved a glass of water on the night stand closer so he could reach it easier. She then brushed Indy's sandy-blond hair back in the same manner. "I think you two might need your hair cut soon." She said absently. "Are you okay honey? Is your leg hurting at all?"

Indy glanced down, his long eyelashes brushing his slightly blushing cheeks. "No ma'am, I'm fine. Thank you."

"You call me if you need anything."

"I will."

"Goodnight." She said as she gave him a big kiss on his forehead. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight."

"No more talking you two." She warned as she turned out the light and closed the door.

After she was out of the room Indy heard Tommy mimicking his mother's voice, "Are you okay honey?"

"Shut up."

Tommy's laughing was contagious and soon both boys were laughing uncontrollably.

"I told you boys, no more talking." Came a voice from the hall. "Don't make me come back in there."

"Shhhhh!" Indy tried to stop laughing, burying his face in the pillow.

"What did you say 'honey'?" Tommy said laughing the whole time.

"Shhhhh!!" Indy sat up only to be whacked in the face with a pillow. "Hey!" He sent the pillow back over. One thing led to another and soon both pillows were flying back and forth between the beds. The bedroom door opened and the two boys dove under the covers and pretended to be asleep. Of course they were out of breath and couldn't help breathing heavily and loudly.

"If I have to come back in here, I know two boys that will be going to bed with very red bottoms. Now, go to sleep." She left the room and waited out in the hall for a few minutes and when there were no sounds coming from the room she went downstairs to finish up for the evening.



The boys awoke on Saturday morning to find the room awash in sunshine. It was a beautiful day. As they began moving about it wasn't too long before Mrs. Johnson entered the room with water and clean bandages.

"Tommy, why don't you go get cleaned up and go down to the kitchen while I check Indy's bandages."

"Oh, okay." The dark-haired boy was still rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he left the room.

She began removing the old bandages and Indy hissed as they stuck to his skin.

"Sorry honey, but it has to be done."

"Yes, ma'am." he said as he lay on his side, clutching the blankets tightly.

Soon she was finished and Indy could get dressed and regain some of his dignity. "Most of the bandages have to stay off so air can get to the stitches, so I want you to be careful today, okay?"

"Yes ma'am, I will."

After breakfast was over and the dishes done, Mrs. Johnson put her apron away and picked her list up from the counter. "I'm going to get some groceries boys, I won't be gone long. You two will behave while I'm gone, right?" She gave them both a playfully stern look.

"We're just going to sit here and work on a puzzle Ma, don't worry."

Somehow that really didn't reassure her, but she nodded anyway. "Try not to get into any mischief, okay. I'll be back soon." she said as she left through the back door.

She was barely gone thirty seconds when Tommy jumped out of his seat, grabbed Indy's arm and pulled him toward the cellar door. "C'mon Indy! I've got something I want to show you!" Indy let himself be dragged along, down the stairs, past the set-tubs and work bench and behind a tall shelf full of boxes and canned food. He watched as Tommy struggled to pull a large trunk off a high shelf.

"Give me a hand." the younger boy directed.

Indy helped and between the two of them, they managed to get the large trunk to the floor without actually dropping it. Tommy pulled a knife out of his pocket and poked at the lock till it snapped open.

"This is what's left of my dad's stuff."

"Are you sure we're supposed to be doing this?" Indy asked.

"Nooo!" Tommy answered sarcastically. "But what fun is to do only what you're supposed to do?"

"None, I suppose." Indy shrugged.

The trunk was filled with all sorts of things. Clothes, shoes, papers, boxes, books and even an old holster and 45. Tommy pulled out a book from under the clothes so quickly that Indy was positive that this wasn't the first time the trunk had been explored. He took an envelope from it and tossed the book back into the trunk.

"Look!" He held up a number of small black and white photos. "Naked women." he said in an excited, but hushed tone. He handed one picture to Indy, "Look at this one."

Indy blushed slightly at the woman dressed only in high-button boots and a black ribbon around her neck. She was draped provocatively over some large shipping trunks like it was normal to wait for your train in the nude.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Johnson had not gone too far before she realized she'd forgotten a letter she wanted to send and returned to the house. Tommy had just handed Indy the rest of the pictures when he heard the back screen door squeak and slam shut and, in his haste to close the trunk, he knocked a jar of canned carrots off the shelf. It landed on the stone floor with a loud crash.

"Shit! Hide those! Quick!"

"Where?!"

Tommy pulled them out of Indy's hand, pushed him toward the trunk and shoved them into the back pocket of his pants.

"What's going on down there!?" came his mother's voice.

"Nothing Ma!... Cover up the trunk." he whispered to Indy. Quickly they threw an old blanket over it then Tommy pulled Indy over to the sink with him. His eyes dashed around the room and just as his mother's footsteps were nearing the bottom of the steps, he picked up two paintbrushes and slapped one into Indy's hand.

"What are you two up to now?"

"We were going to surprise you and paint the fence out front." Tommy answered, the picture of innocence. He followed her eyes to the broken jar on the floor. "Sorry about that. I was looking for the paint and I guess I knocked the jar off the shelf."

She wasn't buying the innocent act, but decided to play along. "Well, what fine young gentlemen you both are. If you get the whole fence painted I'll fix you both something special for dessert." Whatever they were up to a least the fence would get painted finally.

Indy couldn't get his mind off the naughty pictures in his back pocket and nodded whenever he heard Tommy say something not trusting his own voice.

"Oh, here's the paint." Tommy said as he pulled the can off a nearby shelf. "I guess we'll get started then."

They waited hoping Mrs. Johnson would leave, but she started to clean up the broken jar.

"I'll do that Ma."

"No, you boys get started on the fence. I don't need you to cut yourself on the glass."

"Yes ma'am."

Both boys reluctantly went up the stairs. Once outside Indy turned to Tommy, "I still have the pictures!"

"Better you than me."

"Great. Thanks. Do you think she'll find the trunk?"

Tommy shrugged. "Hope not."

"Great. You're really not helping."

"Well, I guess we'd better start on the fence." Tommy sighed heavily. "Just what I wanted to do today."

They both stood and looked at the picket fence that ran the entire length along the front of the house and down one side. They sighed in unison, this would take all day. Soon Mrs. Johnson came back out of the house and left for the store, never mentioning anything about the trunk. Again the boys breathed a sigh of relief, but were now left with no option but to paint the fence. They moved along pretty good at first, but soon the task became quite boring to both of them and boredom and two boys is not a good mixture.

Indy heard Tommy call his name and looked up. As he did he saw the brush in Tommy's hand jerk forward and he ducked just in time to avoid being splattered with white paint.

"Hey! Don't!"

"Okay." Which was immediately followed by another spray of paint this time connecting with Indy's face.

"Tommy!!"

SPLAT! More paint appeared across Indy's shirt.

"That's it!" Indy returned paint from his brush catching Tommy across the back as the other boy fled, paint pail in hand. An all out paint war ensued. Finally winded, both boys fell to the ground laughing. It wasn't too long before it dawned on them that Mrs. Johnson would soon be back and not only had they not painted much of the fence, but they and most of the yard were covered in paint. This was not good.

"We are in so much trouble." Tommy said in a hushed voice as he helped his new friend and cohort in crime to his feet. Indy rubbed his leg, all the running causing it to ache. They looked at each other's clothes and then around the yard.

"I'm pretty sure your mom's gonna' notice this." said Indy as he surveyed the damage.

"Quick," Tommy gave him a shove. "Start kicking the dirt over the spilled paint."

They both ran around the yard kicking at the dirt to hide the evidence. Tommy was near the fence when he noticed hs mother's precious roses were also splattered with white paint.

"Shit!" He ran his finger over some leaves. There was no way he could hide this, all he could do was pray for rain in the next five minutes. He looked up and noticed his mother coming down the street. "Shit!" he repeated out loud. He bolted for the back yard grabbing Indy on the way. They ducked behind a shed that stood out from the back porch.

"Just act normal." Tommy said, an tinge of dread coming through in his voice.

"Normal?! Look at us, we're covered with paint."

"Shit. We've got to get inside and change before she sees us."



As she approached the fence, Mrs. Johnson expected to see the two boys painting. When they weren't there, her trouble radar kicked up a notch. As she passed through the gate she looked at her roses, the one thing she doted on other than her vegetable garden. What's this, she put down one of her bags and touched one of the many white dots on a red rose. Paint? Looking closer she spotted more paint, lots more. In fact, there was also quite a bit on the ground. She picked up her bag and followed the 'trail' of paint noticing here and there how the dirt had been kicked around to cover the worst areas. As she neared the house she noticed paint on her rugs that were hanging out to dry. Now she was getting angry.

"Tommy? Indy?" she yelled out. By the back steps sat the now half empty can of paint and the two discarded brushes. Putting her bags of groceries down on the steps she again scanned the yard for the two young scamps responsible for the mess.

"Thomas Andrew Johnson! Henry Jones Jr.! You had both better be standing right here in front of me before I count to five if you know what's good for you!"

Behind the shed both boys grimaced at the sound of their full name.

"One!"

"Now what?" Indy whispered.

"Two!"

"I don't know." Tommy wished he could take back the last half hour.

"Three! You two are only digging a deeper hole!"

"I think we're in for it." Tommy took in a deep breath.

"Four!"

The two boys slowly stepped out from behind the shed, their heads lowered and their hands in their pockets and slowly and cautiously shuffled to Mrs. Johnson.

"Look at you two! Look at this mess! What were you thinking!"

Not sure if these questions required an answer, the boys continued to study the ground intently.

"Who's brilliant idea was this?"

Still no response.

"I would have thought this was Thomas' handiwork, but since you both are covered equally in paint I see you also participated Indy." She put a hand under each of the boy's chins and lifted their heads till she made eye contact with both. "You are BOTH going to go down to the basement, put those clothes in the sink to soak and scrub every bit of that paint off. Do you hear me!?"

Both heads nodded up and down.

"I SAID, Do. You. Hear. Me."

"Y...yes, ma'am!"

Mrs. Johnson looked at both pairs of worried eyes intensely as they realized this question did require an answer.

"Move!" she pointed at the back door.

The boys took off like a shot, scrambled onto the porch, through the kitchen and down to the basement. Indy ran to the sink and began to take off his shirt.

"Indy!" Tommy whispered loudly. "Help me put the trunk back!"

"Okay... Wait!" Indy's hand flew to his back pocket. "Got'ta put these back." He opened the trunk, pulled out a book and shoved the photos inside. Just as he was putting the book down something else caught his attention. At the back of the book an old tattered peice of parchment poked out from the rest of the pages. As he opened it he noticed it was a map of some sort.

"Look at this!" he showed it to the other boy. "It's a map and it looks like it's from around here, see. Here's Contention City and the San Pedro River."

"I don't hear any water running down there!" Came a warning voice from upstairs.

Tommy grabbed the map from Indy's hand and threw it back in the trunk. "We'll check it out later. C'mon, help me get this trunk back on the shelf." They replaced the trunk in it's original position just in time.

"I told you two to get those clothes in some water, didn't I!?"

There was the sound of footsteps just starting down the stairs and both boys scrambled to the sink, pulling off their shirts at the same time. Tommy started the water and threw the shirts in. Both of them were bent over the large washtub scrubbing the paint from their faces and arms as Mrs. Johnson walked up behind them. She gave both of the stuck out backsides a sharp smack with the back of the hairbrush she brought down with her.

"Pants too!"

They both toed off their shoes and quickly stripped off their pants adding them to the now milky water. Indy blushed deeply as he realized he was now just wearing socks and rather snug fitting cut-off long johns. At least Tommy had on loose fitting shorts. Mrs. Johnson grabbed her son by the back off the neck and held his head under the running water. She added soap and washed his hair a little rougher than necessary. Indy began washing the paint from the clothes, trying to be helpful. After Tommy's hair was rinsed she said, "Switch!" and Indy soon found his head under the cold water. After they were both thoroughly scrubbed and dried they turned to face the angry woman, her arms crossed over her ample bosom, the hairbrush clutched tightly in her right hand.

"Who's idea was it to put the paint everywhere except the fence! Hmmm!?"

No answer.

"Did either of you notice that my rugs are covered in paint?! Not to mention the side of the house and the back steps!"

Both boys shook their head side to side. Even though Mrs. Johnson was only a few inches taller, she seemed to tower over them and the more she scolded, the more they felt like naughty little boys.

"Well young man," she said looking at Tommy, "You've earned yourself a good hard spanking. As for you Indy, you have a choice. You can either take a spanking from me now, or you can wait till your father comes home and I'm sure we both know what he'll do."

Indy swallowed hard as the realization of that idea sunk in. He knew his dad would take his belt to him at least, if not more, but more importantly he thought how disappointed he would be considering what happened at the dig a couple days ago and that was almost worse. And to think, his butt was just starting to feel better too.

"I... I... guess I'll t-take the... sp-spanking from you Mrs. Johnson." He kept his head lowered, too embarrassed to make eye contact.

"Okay, you first Tommy." She pulled an old straight back chair away from the wall, sat down and patted her knee.

"I'm sorry Ma, really." He grimaced and moved closer, his hands protectively covering his bottom. "Please don't spank me."

"You just get that naughty bottom over my lap right now mister."

"But I don't want a spanking!" he said as he lowered himself over his mother's knees. "Please?"

"You should have thought of that before." She hooked her fingers into the waistband of his shorts and quickly drew them down.

"NOO!" Tommy pleaded as his hand flew back to cover his exposed bottom. "Not bare Ma! Please!"

His mother took his hand and held it at the small of his back. "Yes bare. Maybe next time you'll think before you pull such a childish" Whack "stunt." The first of many smacks of the hairbrush fell.

Tommy started to yell out almost immediately, not caring who heard him. "OOOWWWW! Nooooo Ma! Please!"

"Are you going to do something like that again young man?" The smacks still fell rapidly, covering the small bottom many times, a nice red beginning to develop.

"Nooo! Oh, pleeease, it huuuuurts!"

Indy couldn't help but watch as the brush did it's work, his own bottom clenching knowing he was next.

"You're going to clean up the backyard today, right?" Smack, Smack, Smack

"Yeeeessss! OOwwww! Pleease, I'm sooooorrrry!" The tears were rolling off his cheeks and his legs were kicking up and down.

"And, young man, if any of my roses die, you're going to get a good switching. Do you hear me!?"

"Yeeeeeess! Owwww Maaaa! Please!!"

Deciding a bright enough red color had been achieved, his mother stood him on his feet and pulled up his shorts. "You stand right there." she said moving him next to Indy. "And you, young man," she grabbed Indy's wrist and pulled him to her side, "are next."

Indy didn't resist and soon found himself in the exact position Tommy was just in. He braced himself with his palms flat on the floor and noticed his feet didn't touch on the other side making him feel very vulnerable.

Mrs. Johnson rested her hand on the still covered bottom. The hair washing had left his underwear wet and they clung like a second skin. "Since this is the first time I've had you over my knee I'll let you keep these up." She patted the very round bottom that just seemed to beg for attention and heard a sigh of relief come from the up-ended boy. "Are you ready for your spanking young man?" She patted the back of the brush lightly on the right cheek.

"Y-yes Ma'am." came the soft reply.

SMACK! Left cheek. SMACK! Right.

Indy inhaled sharply as the first two swats fell. Mrs. Johnson grinned slightly knowing the wet underwear added to the sting of the brush. She brought the brush down over and over till she covered every inch of the wriggling backside at least three times. Indy tried to keep quiet, still embarrassed at finding himself in this position, but finally, "Ooooowww! Ahhhh-oowww!" he yelled not able to stay quiet any longer. Once he began to sob and become vocal Mrs. Johnson repeated the same questions she used with Tommy.

"Are you going to throw paint around again, young man!?" She kept up the hard swats with the brush.

"No Ma'am! Owwww! I won't! I woooon't!" He watched as his tears fell on the stone floor.

"And your going to help Tommy clean the yard?"

"Y-YESSS! Yeessss! Please, stop!"

She landed another ten swats right at the base of both cheeks then stopped. Resting her left hand on Indy's back, she used the right to lift up the waistband of the knit shorts, yes, there were a pair of very red cheeks under there. She let the waistband snap back then helped the sobbing boy to his feet. The boys stood there side by side frantically rubbing their sore behinds, their cheeks wet with tears. The sight immediately softened Mrs. Johnson and she pulled them both into a big hug.

"You know I don't like to have to punish you so why do you do these things?" she said as she squeezed them tighter and rocked slightly.

"We're sorry Ma." Tommy said against her shoulder and she felt Indy nodding his head in agreement.

She stepped back and held a hand under both chins. "Well, it's all over now. We have a clean slate to work with." She pushed the wet hair back on both boys, her hands coming to rest on a shoulder of each. "But tomorrow you will finish painting the fence the right way, right?" she said looking at Tommy.

"Yes ma'am."

She kissed him on the cheek then looked at Indy. "Right?"

"Yes ma'am."

She kissed Indy's cheek then directed them towards the stairs. "The backyard's waiting. I want you both out there as soon as you get some clothes on." She couldn't resist a soft swat to each warm bottom to send them on their way.



"Indy! You're bleeding!" Tommy said stopping his friend on the stairs.

Indy looked down at his leg and there was in fact some blood around one of the deeper cuts. "All that running must have pulled open some stitches." he said touching the area gingerly.

"You'd better show Ma."

"I don't know, she told me to be careful today and now look. She's probably still mad about the paint, I don't think now is a good time."

"I'd show her if I were you." Tommy warned. "If you wait I guarantee you she will be more upset, believe me, I know."

"I guess." Indy started back toward the cellar. Now that he was past the adrenaline rush of the paint incident he was surprised that his leg was actually throbbing a bit. He listened at the top of the cellar stairs and heard Mrs. Johnson mumbling under her breath about the ruined clothes and was again unsure if he should bother her. He was just turning to leave when he heard her call him from the bottom of the steps.

"Indy? Did you want something?"

"Well, uhm..." he said half turned away, still hiding his leg.

"Go ahead."

"Well ma'am, it's my... my leg. It's kind of sore and, well... it's bleeding a little."

"Oh honey, let me take a look at it." She came up the steps and turned Indy toward the light coming through the back door. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I guess I was a little preoccupied." he said with a lop-sided grin. "You mean you wouldn't have spanked me if I showed you earlier?"

"No. You deserved that spanking. I might have waited though." she said ruffling his hair. "Go up to your room, I'll be up in a minute."

Once in his room, Indy changed out of his still damp shorts into a dry, looser fitting pair. He stood in front of the dresser mirror before pulling them up and checked out the damage to his still smarting backside. It was very red and still dark in the middle of each cheek, a little bruising from the last paddling from his dad.

"I'll put some lotion on that for you."

Startled by the voice, he quickly pulled up his shorts and blushed a deep red as he was caught checking out his butt by Mrs. Johnson. He didn't know what to say, so he quietly went to the bed and sat down only to wince a stand back up immediately when his sore cheeks met the mattress. He decided to lay down on his side instead. Mrs. Johnson sat next to him on the bed and began to inspect the injured leg. She used a damp cloth to clean around the stitches.

"Didn't I tell you to take it easy, young man?" she said shaking her head.

Indy began to worry if his butt was in danger again and rubbed his hand over one still warm cheek as a fretful look spread over his face. Mrs. Johnson noticed this and chuckled. "Don't worry. I won't spank you again, even though you do deserve it for not listening to me. This is going to sting though." She swabbed a little alcohol over the cut that opened. "Just in case you got any dirt in there."

Indy took a deep breath and scrunched his eyes closed as the stinging burn set in. "Ow, ow, ow." he barely whispered. He used his hand to fan the sting away. Soon the burn subsided and he relaxed, laying his head down on the bed.

Just then Tommy stuck his head in the door, "Is he okay?"

"I ought to put you right back over my knee. You knew Indy was supposed to take it easy. You march yourself right out to that backyard and get busy or I might do just that."

Tommy was already halfway down the stairs as she finished. "I'm going, I'm going!" Right now he just wanted some distance between he and his mom.

"And you can clean up the yard all by yourself young man! I want Indy to stay off his feet for a while!" she shouted after him.

Indy thought about Tommy having to clean their mess up by himself, but it only took him a second to get past the tiny bit of guilt he felt. It was Tommy's fault to begin with anyway.

"Roll over on your tummy Indy."

"Really Mrs. Johnson, it's not that bad"

"Oh really? Well, I'll remember that for next time."

"No! That's not what I meant! I mean..."

"Roll over and I'll forget you said it." she said sitting back down on the bed, lotion in hand.

Indy sighed with defeat and rolled onto his stomach. He figured she already has seen his butt twice so what difference did it make. The way things seemed to be going he was pretty sure she'd see it again anyway.

"Lift up a little." she said as she started to pull down his shorts. A small moan escaped his lips as he did. "You look like you have two ripe tomatoes back here." she joked which only caused Indy to blush and hide his face in the bed covers. She smoothed the lotion over the reddened cheeks and Indy eventually started to relax. "You know, I wouldn't do everything Tommy suggests if I were you. Take it from me, he's quite a handful." Indy nodded and was very relieved when he felt his shorts pulled back up to where they belonged. "You just stay up here and rest for a while. I'll call you when supper is ready." With a final pat to the upturned bottom she pulled the blankets over Indy and left the room. Being more tired than he realized, Indy fell into a deep sleep and didn't wake up till he was called for supper a few hours later.



The next day Indy woke early and found his dad asleep in the next bed. He didn't hear him come in so it must have been late. He quietly dressed and went downstairs.

About mid-morning the boys decided to get busy on the fence. Indy did the upper part so he wouldn't have to bend his leg so much and Tommy scooted along the ground painting the lower half. Including a break for lunch the whole project took about 4 hours. Indy noticed his father and Mrs. Johnson were having quite a conversation the whole time. He hoped she wasn't telling him too much about yesterday, she did say they had a 'clean slate' after all. It wasn't until supper on Sunday that the meat of the conversation came out.

"Junior," his father started, "I've been talking with Mrs. Johnson today and I've decided that you can hang around here and do chores for her to work off that fifty dollars to pay for the new transit I bought to replace the one at camp."

"Yes sir." Indy agreed at the pause in the conversation.

"And, I also think you ought to go to school with Tommy during the day."

"What! But Da-ad!"

"Don't interrupt Junior." his father admonished and then continued. "I think you need to occupy your time a little more and you do know how I feel about proper schooling."

Between the long day, his aching leg and his disappointment about this latest news, tears of frustration were very near to falling. Indy couldn't seem to find the right words to say so he quickly got up from the table and ran upstairs, throwing himself across the bed and softly sobbing. This whole trip was turning out to be nothing like what he expected. And now, to top it all off, he had to go to school. He tensed a little as he heard his father say his name and sit on the bed next to him.

"Junior?" The Prof. rested the palm of his hand on Indy's back and rubbed it soothingly. "I know you're disappointed son, but you'd just be bored out at the dig and with your leg still hurting you it would be too difficult."

"But Daaaad, school? Here?" He couldn't keep the whine out of his voice.

"There's nothing wrong with the school here, besides, it will keep you out of trouble. Tommy's really excited about it,"

"Yea, I bet he is."

"Come on Junior, you'd be going to school if we didn't come here. It's not like this is a vacation you know."

"I know, it's just... just that I was hoping... to work with you."

The Prof. ran his fingers through Indy's soft hair, "Well, we'll see. Maybe if we come across something more interesting at the site."

Indy knew from past experience that once he was started at school he would most likely not go back to the dig, that's just how things were. His dad did tend to become kind of distracted once he got into a project. Indy wiped the tears off his face and sat up in the bed. His fingers traced the patterns in the blankets as he kept his gaze lowered.

"Mrs. Johnson tells me your going to need some new clothes," Indy bit his lip, wondering if his father knew why, "so I left her some extra money to take care of it. You'll start school tomorrow in Tommy's class. Do you want me or Mrs. Johnson to go with you?"

Indy blanched at that idea. It was bad enough going, he didn't need to start off with the other kids thinking he was a baby. "No dad, I can manage by myself, thanks though."

"It'll be fine Junior, you'll see." The Prof. gave him a quick squeeze on the shoulder and left.

Indy sat there shaking his head, coming to terms with this new course of events when Tommy popped into the room.

"Wow Indy, isn't this great! We'll be in the same classes."

"I'm a year, almost two years older than you. How will we be in the same class?"

"Well, there aren't that many kids around here to have separate classes, besides, there's a couple kids your age in my class now. Just remember that 'Pecker-head' expects more from the older kids and you'll be fine."

Great, 'Pecker-head'. Indy had forgotten about him. He could tell already that this was going to be a real treat.

"Tommy! Get ready for bed young man! You too, Indy. You both have to get up early tomorrow!" came Mrs. Johnson's voice from downstairs.

Great! Just great!

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