[legendsport]

November 17, 1920: Washington, DC:

Claudia Barrell was pulling laundry off the clothesline at the back of the townhouse, and reflecting that it would soon be too cold to put the clothes outside to dry when she noted some furtive movement in the corner of the backyard.

Frowning, she called out, "Hello? Is someone there?"

Danny seated behind her in the kitchen had just finished his breakfast and was begrudgingly getting ready for another day of school and he stood up and came to the window after hearing Claudia call out.

"What's going on?" he asked as he peered over Claudia's shoulder into the early-morning shadows of the yard. Like all the yards in their Georgetown neighborhood, the yards were brick-fenced, though only about four feet high. Danny didn't see anything.

Claudia pointed and said, "There, behind the trash bin. I think I saw something."

Danny went to the backdoor and was turning the knob to go outside when he heard Claudia give him a standard "be careful" admonition. With the standard bravado of a 16-year-old boy, he replied with a muttered, "Yeah, yeah," and ventured into the yard as Claudia stepped into the open doorway.

Frowning, Danny walked quietly to the trash bin. To his surprise a boy was crouched there as if trying to melt into the brick beside him.

"What are you doing?" Danny asked. Claudia, who had followed him out into the yard, craned her neck for a better view.

To Danny the kid looked like a caricature of a Dickens character: dirty clothes, sooty face, and a near-feral look in his wide eyes.

"Nothin' - wanted to see if you had any food," the kid replied.

"Stand up," Claudia said in what Danny thought of as her "No-Nonsense Nurse" voice.

The kid stood up. He was rail thin, but of a decent height, and if Danny had to guess, was maybe a couple years younger than himself... 13 or 14 perhaps.

"What is your name?" Claudia asked.

The kid's eyes had dropped to the ground and his reply was barely audible. "Clyde," was all he said.

"Well, Clyde, why don't you come inside? I believe we have some food we can give you."

Danny turned to Claudia and whispered, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

Claudia just gave him a stern look and said simply, "It is the Christian thing to do."

Danny couldn't argue with that. He was about to say something else when he heard, "Why are you standing out here in the cold?" from behind them. Thomas Potentas had appeared in the doorway. With Claudia and Danny standing in front of the boy, Potentas could not see him.

The kid's eyes widened even further and he looked like he was about to bolt. Danny put a reassuring hand on the kid's shoulder, cringing a bit at touching the dirty coat. He'd get a rap on the knuckles from his teacher if he showed up at school with grimy hands.

"We have an unexpected visitor, Thomas," Claudia said and stepped back so Potentas could see the boy.

Potentas frowned, but to his credit simply said, "I see." Then he stepped back and with a slight bow and an extended hand, added, "Please, come in out of the chill."

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When Danny returned home from school that evening, tired after practicing the high jump in the school gym, he found the kid sitting in the kitchen with Claudia and Thomas.

"Still here, I see," he said with a bit of annoyance in his voice. Then he noticed two things: first, the kid was wearing clean clothes - Danny's clean clothes (that were too big for him to boot) - and second, he was feeding baby James. Claudia almost never let anyone else feed her son.

Claudia recognized the tone in Danny's voice and with a warning glance replied, "Yes, Mr. Potentas has graciously extended an invitation to Clyde. He will be staying with us for a bit."

Clyde cooed at James and the baby gurgled in happiness. Danny was liking this less and less.

"Really?"

Thomas spoke up. "Yes. Clyde is a fine and intelligent boy who has run into a bit of bad luck. His father was a salesman - he brought his son here from Washington on business."

He stopped and looked at the boy, who was staring at his feet again.

"And..." Danny prompted.

Thomas frowned but continued, "And his father left their hotel a week ago and never returned."

Now Claudia joined in, saying, "He was kicked out of the hotel room and has been living on the street for the past five days."

Danny felt sorry for the kid, but couldn't help himself, so he asked, "And now we're going to take him in? For how long?"

Thomas glared at him and said, "For as long as it is needed."

Danny shook his head and was about to say something else when Claudia put in, "You'll be taking him with you to school starting tomorrow. We've already arranged it."

Claudia filled Danny in on the kid - his full name was Clyde Hinzman, and he was 13 years old. He'd be in the eighth grade class at the Academy until they could find some family. Under no circumstances would she or Thomas consider sending the kid to an orphanage. So Danny, who already had several younger brothers, apparently had just gotten himself a new one.