Betty was called in once more to the principal office.
"What has Trevor done now?" She asked sitting down.
"Nothing Miss Beauté, I called to talk about the essay he wrote as punishment. When I read it, if I didn't know it was written in detention, I would of thought he had help.
Trevor is a brilliant gifted child. I want him to be tested for the Mensa program. The basic test we gave him he scored really high on so he was placed in an advanced class but I think he is smarter then that."
"Have you talked to him about this already?" Betty asked.
"No, I like to talk with the parents first."
"Then I say we ask him. He has been through a lot so he should have a say in how he goes forward in life." Betty said.
The principal called Trevor to the office.
"I did not do anything, why is my mom here?" Trevor asked.
"I called your mom here to talk about a test I want you to take. It's a Mensa test to see how smart you really are."
"If I take this test then what?" he asked.
"You would go into a special school with kids as smart as you are?"
"Can Bobby go with me and take the test too?" Trevor asked.
"If he likes, anyone can take the test."
"I'll do it if Bobby does but I won't leave him here alone." Trevor said.
"Ok, I'll need to talk to Bobby's fathers before I can set it up."
Betty smiled at her son, he was already a better perosn then she was growing up.
Ben and Josh came to the school right away and agreed if Bobby wanted to take the test with Trevor then they would let him.
So the next day testing was set up. A score of 130 is required for the Mensa program.
Trevor scored 142 which is gifted and in the top 2%.
Bobby scored 149 which is very gifted and in the top 0.1%
When Betty and Ben found out they could not believe they had geniuses in the family.
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇
Everything went on smooth for a while the holidays were coming up soon.
Betty had the mayor's party. Babs would be due soon and so would Sally. They were both really round.
Bert and Lily were planning on a Christmas Wedding that Rose and Betty were planning together.
Ben had healed and help with getting the kids ready for bed and playing basketball with Bobby.
Trevor and Bobby loved their new school. They were learning things that highschool students learn and after the first of the year would be taking classes that would give them collage credit.
Bella was getting a tummy now. She still seen the Psychiatrist twice a month but did not need to be put on medication.
Jillian's pregnancy was going fine. She was taking care of herself for the baby's sake but still thought that Zane loved her.
Bella stopped going to school so she could make sure her health stayed good and to let Zane not worry as much about her.
Zane kept his promise to always put Bella first. She was rereading some old Fairytales as she waited for him to come home.
◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇ THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS cont.
Keo dashed into the water, dived to the bottom and left the black people struggling to swim out. But Glinkomok had heard the laughter of Keo and knew what to do.
When the Jolly One rose to the surface and blew the water from his throat there was no black man to be seen.
Keo returned alone to the village, and Gouie asked, with surprise: "Where are my brothers:"
"I do not know," answered Keo. "I took them far away, and they remained where I left them."
Gouie would have asked more questions then, but another crowd of black men impatiently waited to ride on the back of the laughing hippopotamus.
So they paid the price and climbed to their seats, after which the foremost said: "Run, mud-wallower—run!"
And Keo ran as before and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok's cave, and returned alone.
But now Gouie became anxious to know the fate of his fellows, for he was the only black man left in his village.
So he mounted the hippopotamus and cried: "Run, river-hog—run!" Keo laughed his jolly "guk-uk-uk-uk!" and ran with the speed of the wind.
But this time he made straight for the river bank where his own tribe lived, and when he reached it he waded into the river, dived to the bottom and left Gouie floating in the middle of the stream.
The black man began swimming toward the right bank, but there he saw Uncle Nep and half the royal tribe waiting to stamp him into the soft mud.
So he turned toward the left bank, and there stood the queen mother and Uncle Nikki, red-eyed and angry, waiting to tear him with their tusks.
Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly One, who swam near him, he cried: "Save me, Keo! Save me, and I will release you from slavery!"
"That is not enough," laughed Keo. "I will serve you all my life!" screamed Gouie; "I will do everything you bid me!"
"Will you return to me in a year and a day and become my captive, if I allow you to escape?" asked Keo.
"I will! I will! I will!" cried Gouie.
"Swear it by the bones of your grandfather!" commanded Keo, remembering that black men have no tusks to swear by.
And Gouie swore it by the bones of his grandfather.
Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his back again.
In this fashion they came to the bank, where Keo told his mother and all the tribe of the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to return in a year and a day and become his slave.
Therefore the black man was permitted to depart in peace, and once more the Jolly One lived with his own people and was happy.
When a year and a day had passed Keo began watching for the return of Gouie; but he did not come, then or ever afterwards.
For the black man had made a bundle of his bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold ornaments and had traveled many miles into another country, where the ancient and royal tribe of hippopotamuses was unknown. And he set up for a great chief, because of his riches, and people bowed down before him.
By day he was proud and swaggering. But at night he tumbled and tossed upon his bed and could not sleep. His conscience troubled him. For he had sworn by the bones of his grandfather; and his grandfather had no bones.