Chapter 1

PIGEON


“Calling Junior Science Hero Polly. Calling Junior Science Hero Tad. Report to the laboratorium, and quickly!”

Polly and Tad raced to their uncle’s lab. A huge metal bird filled the room.

“Behold! Our newest ship! I call it … Pigeon,” said the Science Hero.

“We shall be … BLASTING THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM!”

“Pigeon?” asked Tad.

“Yes,” said his uncle.

“That’s the bird you chose?” asked Tad.

“THAT VERY ONE!” said his uncle. “Pigeons are the wisest and most noble of creatures in the kingdom of birds!”

“No they’re n—” began Tad.

“PIGEON, I say!” said his uncle. “Come inside.” The scientist pulled out a chart. “There are eight planets in the solar system.”

“And Pluto,” said Polly, “which is a dwarf planet.”

“Dwarf planet?” asked Tad.

“We’ll get to that in Chapter 12,” said his uncle. “They all whip around the star we call … the sun! We will visit that, too.”

“Won’t we melt?” asked Tad.

“We’ll find out in two more chapters,” said his uncle. “There are also asteroids and comets,” he added.

“Which chapter are those?” asked Tad.

“I’ll surprise you,” said his uncle.

“Why aren’t you answering questions?”

“Suspense, my nephew, SUSPENSE! One of my favorite things to wait in! Who is coming aboard?”

“Junior Science Hero Polly reporting for duty,” said his niece.

“I have homework,” said Tad.

“Do it between planets,” said his uncle.

“I have to clean my room,” said Tad.

“You have a robot for that,” said his uncle.

“Okay, okay,” said his nephew. “Junior Science Hero Tad coming, too.”

“Let’s go!” said Polly.

The hero of science tugged some levers. He twisted some knobs and punched some buttons. The ship lurched into the air!

“I see you added the A-C-H button,” said Tad.

“Yes! The ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN button,” said his uncle. “But you know NOT to press it!”

“Then why do you always put one in the ship?” asked Polly.

“You never know,” said her uncle.

“You do know that I will press it,” said Tad.

“I do know that you shall not!” said his uncle.

Tad’s finger inched toward the button. “You do know I can’t stop myself,” he said.

“Self-control, Tad! Self-control!” shouted Polly.

Tad’s finger touched the button. “Must … press … shiny … button!” grunted Tad.

“Oh, go ahead,” said his uncle.

“Now I don’t want to!” said his nephew.

“Ha!” barked his uncle. “You fell for my trick!”

“Well, don’t YOU press that button,” said Tad.

His uncle put his finger on the button. “For some strange reason, I now feel that I must,” he said.

“I am telling you not to,” sang Tad.

The hero of science pressed the button. “Drat, nephew Tad,” he said. “You used my own trick against me!”

“Now what?” asked Polly as they rocketed into space.

The Science Hero sighed. “Good question.”


Copyright © 2021 by John Himmelman