Chapter 11

Abigail and Timothy were on their third thrift store of the morning, and beginning to get a little

discouraged.

Consolidated charities collected for organizations that ran stores under different names throughout

the city, and they were each a little bit different.

Timothy had plotted a map with a route from store to store, and printed up two copies of the map,

in case they got separated for some reason, which Abigail could not begin to imagine.

At first glance, it seemed like the most efficient way to handle the search,

and if each of the stores had

been identical, maybe that would have been true. As they looked around store number three,

which they had ridden their bikes for 15 minutes to get to and appeared to mostly sell housewares,

Abigail realized there must be a better way.

But the whole route is based on geographic proximity, Timothy protested.

Abigail stood and blinked at him as if daring him to make her ask.

How close the stores are to each other,' Timothy explained sheepishly.

"'He took out his copy of the route map and pointed to it.

"'See? It takes us on a kind of a loop around the city.'

"'Timothy, how long do you think it would take us to finish that loop?

"'My brother's only home for a long weekend, Abigail protested.

Timothy looked a little deflated by this point,

and Abigail felt a momentary twinge of guilt that she could not explain.

Bring that map, she said, even though she had one in her own pocket.

...