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Show On the bandstand the mayor was now talking about how glorious it was that the town of Jericho had been a settled a century ago by gold seekers. Everybody already knew the story of how the miners had hit it rich on Windfall Creek and had started the town three miles below their diggings. The mines had long ago petered out, but the town remained. And Jericho was proud of its mining origins. On the stage Mayor Okleberry was waving his arms as he warmed to his subject. His round face grew red and his pot belly jiggled as he gestured grandly. Josh frowned and scuffed his toe in the grass. He was eager to be on with unveiling the gold. It had been the mayor's idea. To celebrate Jericho's hundred year birthday, all the taxes that Jericho collected for the state were used for the gold bar. When Governor Siams came Saturday he would collect the gold bar for the taxes. Everyone thought it was a glorioas pubicity stunt. It had even made the television news in the big cities. From behind Josh came a sing-song voice. "Well, Josh, I thought they told you to keep that dog of yours out of town." Josh turned and scowled at Avery Snodgrass. Now Avery wasn't exactly an enemy. It was just that at school he always had all the answers, always was dressed impeccably, and would never for all the world wrestle in the grass with the other boys. What was worse, Cap Mullins had told Josh on good authority that Avery even took ballet lessons every week. Josh reached to touch the rope that held Chinook. "Aw, he's |