When the Barths got home, it was getting dark.
"I don't ever want to grow up,"
Jane said, her lips trembling.
"Growing up is not the problem," Panther said kindly.
"It's growing up too fast.
We weren't ready."
"Well, I think people here are just mean," said Bobby.
"In Chicago, nobody would have said nasty things."
"You don't know that, Bobby," said Cy.
"Yes, I do.
This town is full of mean people.
And it's so boring!" Bobby continued.
"If it weren't for Huey, we would have nothing to do."
The children agreed with him on that.
"I think today's wish was a good lesson for us," said Panther.
"At least we know what we're going to look like,"
laughed Cy as he patted his stomach.
Suddenly the Barths felt the same tickling feeling they had felt that morning.
Their arms and legs got shorter.
Cy's stomach disappeared while Bobby's reappeared.
Within a few minutes, the Barths were once again children.
"It's good to be me again," said Jane.
They gave each other hugs.
"Let's go inside and have something to eat," said Panther.
During dinner, Aunt Martha told them about her day.
"I took Lamb to the park," she said.
"We saw these adults running around behaving like children."
"Maybe they just wanted to have fun," Cy said in quiet voice.
"Having fun is no problem.
But people should act their age!" Aunt Martha said.
The children looked at each other.
"I agree with Aunt Martha," said Jane.
"We should act our age."
The next morning, the children got ready to go out.
Aunt Martha took Lamb outside to the garden.
"It's your turn, Bobby," whispered Cy.
"I don't have a wish," he said.
"Can I do it tomorrow?"
The others thought about it.
Then Panther said, "We can all use a break."
"So today we won't go see Huey," said Cy.
Panther read a book.
Jane played with her dolls.
Cy went for a bike ride.
And Bobby did nothing.
He didn't want to go outside.
He hated reading.
He didn't want to play with his toys.
"It's so boring here," he kept saying.
"Why don't you do something then?" said Panther.
"There's nothing to do.
This town is so boring!" he complained.
"I miss Chicago.
Something exciting always happens there."
"Bobby, we've had so many adventures lately," said Panther.
"And you're still bored?"
"I want something exciting to happen here!
Here in this town," said Bobby with feeling.
Panther rolled her eyes and returned to her book.
Suddenly Bobby sat up and snapped his fingers.
"That's it!" he shouted.
"I know what I'm going to wish for."
The next day, Bobby was in a better mood.
"It was nice not having a wish yesterday," said Cy.
"Yeah, I finally finished my book," said Panther.
"I didn't have to worry about dinosaurs.
Or mean people," giggled Jane.
"Well, I'm ready to make my wish today," Bobby said excitedly.
For some reason, the others did not feel as eager.
But they went to Huey's well.
When Cy pulled him up, Huey did not come out right away.
They had to tap lightly on his shell.
"Oh, it's you! I thought you weren't coming back,"
Huey said when he appeared.
Cy explained that they hadn't come up with a wish the previous day.
"But today I have," beamed Bobby.
"I wish," he said dramatically, "that something exciting would happen in our town."