Chapter 16

Scottie couldn’t believe it. For that matter, neither could Merlin. There they were staring at a crisp new five dollar bill just laying on the ground. “Go ahead, pick it up,” Sally said.

“Quack,” Merlin agreed as Scottie reached to pick up the five dollar bill.

“Well,” Sally said, “it looks as if someone is going to get to see Donald Duck.”

“Quack, quack, quack,” Merlin excitedly quacked, flapping his wings and hopping up and down, “quack, quack, quack!”

Scottie thanked Sally for letting them spend the night as did Merlin. Even the hopping box hopped-up on Sally’s shoulder as if it were whispering something in her ear, but Sally only smiled as the box hopped to Scottie’s shoulder. “Do you know your way back to the theater?” Sally asked.

“Quack,” Merlin replied.

“I thought you would,” Sally grinned. “Have fun at the movies and don’t forget to visit, okay?”

“Okay,” Scottie replied.

“Quack,” Merlin replied.

“Bye,” Sally said. “See you again soon.”

“Bye,” Scottie said as he turned to walk away.

“Quack,” Merlin said. I think you know what he said, right?

It didn’t take long before Scottie and Merlin found themselves back at the movie theater. The same man was waiting in the ticket booth looking down at the Lolly Daily News. “Quack,” Merlin said as they walked up to the ticket window.

“Ducks always get in free,” the man said still looking down at his newspaper.

“Then I’ll have one ticket to see Donald Duck,” Scottie said as he proudly pushed the five dollar bill through the slot at the bottom of the ticket window.

“I can’t take your money,” the man said as he pushed the five dollar bill back through the slot.

“Quack?”

“I said, I can’t take your money,” the man repeated.

“But why not?” Scottie asked.

“’Cause you’ve got a hopping box,” the man said pointing to the hopping box on Scottie’s shoulder.

“So?” Scottie asked.

“Quack?” Merlin asked.

“Why,” the man laughed, “’Cause anybody who has a hopping box get in for free.”

“But what if it’s not my hopping box?” Scottie asked.

“Hopping boxes always pick their owners,” the man explained. “If a hopping box is sitting on your shoulder then it has to be yours. That’s the law. And it’s also the law that anyone with a hopping box gets to get in for free.”

“It is?”

“It sure is,” the man laughed. “Now you and your friends go on inside and get a seat before the movie starts. Hurry up, it’s almost time.”

“Okay,” Scottie said, “thanks.”

“Quack,” Merlin expressed his thanks too.

“And don’t forget to pick up your free popcorn and soda pops,” the man shouted as Scottie, Merlin, and the hopping box walked into the theater.

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