Chapter 54

The following morning at school was a memorable one for Gwen, Steve and Billy. The local volunteer fire company had requested a brief assembly first thing in the morning to honor the trio for their daring rescue of the Tucker twins.

Steve, Billy, and Gwen were awarded medals and made honorary members of the company. When the fire company finished, the principal gave a brief speech about how the school had benefited from good publicity in the past few weeks. The school and its students were making state and national news for positive accomplishments. That was every school’s goal and Sparta was doing it far better than any other school in the state.

When Steve and Gwen walked past the school trophy case, they had to stop and stare in surprise. The game ball with Gwen’s name printed on it perched on a small pedestal. Hanging on the back wall of the case was Steve’s football jersey with the number 12 barely discernible because of the blood that had soaked through it. Next t