CHAPTER 17

JUNE ...

Leaning on his crutches, Billy Freeman gazed nervously at the swift, eddying current of Butternut Creek.

"I don't know, guys ... "

Butternut Creek meandered lazily through Crawford County, broadening into wide pools here and there before emptying into Strawberry Lake.  It flowed gently for the most part -- except at one spot, where a vein of bedrock had forced it to carve a deep, turbulent channel about thirty feet wide.  Billy Freeman was standing at the edge of the channel, watching the brown water surge past. 

"Are you sure I'll be okay?  I mean ... "  He glanced down at his thin, atrophied legs.

"Aw, you'll be fine," Clark assured him.

"Yeah," Freddy Muldoon chimed in.  "You've got good strong arms.  You'll be across in no time."

Billy nodded, but doubt lingered in his eyes.  "I don't know," he repeated.  "Maybe I should ... "

Clark was getting impatient.  "C'mon, Billy," he said.  "All the other eighth-graders did this yesterday.  Freddy and Jeff and me -- we all did it two years ago.  It's kind of an initiation into high school."  He pointed to Tom Bradford, who was standing on the other side of the creek.  "Once you swim across, Tom will help you up onto the bank.  See?  Nothing to it."

Billy nodded.  "All right -- I'll do it."  He lowered himself carefully to the ground and laid down his crutches.

"Gosh, fellows -- do you think that's a good idea?"

Clark turned around, scowling.  Lex Luthor was standing on the path that ran along the creek.  From the swim trunks he was wearing, and the towel slung over his shoulder, Clark guessed that he was on his way to the swimming hole by the old wooden bridge.

"Stay out of this, Loser," Clark growled.  "Just go down to the kiddie pool and mind your own business."  Glaring, he took a step forward.

Involuntarily, Lex stepped back.  "Are you sure about this, Billy?" he asked.  "The current is awfully strong ... "

Billy looked back over his shoulder.  "It's okay, Lex," he said.  "I'll be fine -- really."

"There, you see?" said Clark.  "Now why don't you make like a tree and leave?"

"Well ... "  Lex hesitated.  "If you're sure you'll be all right ... "  He turned to Clark.  "Just watch out for him, okay?"

Clark rolled his eyes.  "Jeez, what a worry-wart," he sneered.  "Just get going, Loser."

With a last glance at Billy, Lex turned and walked off down the path.  Clark and Freddy and Jeff stood looking after him until he passed out of sight in a grove of birches.

Clark turned round.  "Ready, Billy?"

Billy was sitting at the edge of the creek, his thin legs dangling over the bank, staring anxiously into the current.  "I guess so."

He slid into the water and pushed off from the bank.  "Brr-rr-rr!"  He waited a few moments, using his arms to stay afloat as he got accustomed to the cold water; then he struck out for the opposite bank.

A dozen strokes brought him half-way across the creek.  "Attaboy, Billy!" Clark shouted.

But Billy was no match for the strong current.  Clark's shout of encouragement died on his lips as he watched Billy spin helplessly in the grip of an eddy, then sink beneath the surface.  He reappeared a moment later, his blond hair plastered over his forehead, his eyes wide with terror as the current swept him downstream.  A gurgling cry rose from his throat.  "Help!"

On the opposite bank, Tom was peeling off his sweatshirt, getting ready to dive after Billy.  Clark cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted across the river.  "We'll never catch up to him that way!  We'll try to head him off downstream on our bikes!"  He turned and ran for his bicycle, Freddy and Jeff close behind him.

"Gosh, Clark, what if something happens to him?" Jeff asked.

Clark swore.  "Don't even think about it!"  He was already straddling his bike.  A moment later, he was pedaling furiously down the path to the old wooden bridge.

----------

Lex was feeling uneasy as he walked along the path to the swimming hole.  I should have stood up to those guys, he told himself reproachfully.  If anything happens to Billy, I'll never forgive myself.  I should go back.  Maybe it's not too late to stop him from doing something stupid ...

He turned around and began trotting back up the path.  But he'd hardly taken a dozen steps before he saw something in the river that made him stop short.

Billy Freeman was being swept downstream, coughing and gasping, thrashing frantically against the current.  Lex watched, horrified, as Billy sank beneath the surface.  His pale blond head emerged a moment later, but it was obvious that he couldn't last much longer ...

Lex threw his towel to the ground and raced to the river-bank.  Kicking off his sneakers, he ran splashing through the shallow water at the edge of the creek, then flung himself forward in a flat dive.  A few practiced strokes brought him abreast of Billy.  Billy had stopped struggling; his face was deathly white and Lex could see water dribbling from his open mouth.

"Hang on, Billy!" Lex shouted.  "I'm almost there!"

But Billy went under again before Lex could grab him.  Lex took a deep breath and dove.  He could see Billy's pale body sinking through the murky water.  Swimming up behind him, he wrapped his arms around Billy's chest and kicked his way back up toward the surface.

Gasping for breath, Lex trod water as he tried to hold Billy up.  He saw that they were closer to the side opposite the footpath.  Slinging his left arm around Billy's shoulder, Lex struck out toward the river-bank, using the sidestroke he'd learned in Boy Scouts. 

Despite Billy's small size, it took nearly all of Lex's strength just to keep him from sinking.  Lex's muscles were aching in the cold water, and he seemed to be making little headway.  He paused, treading water, hoping his feet might touch bottom, but the river was too deep.  Summoning his last reserves of energy, he swam toward the river-bank with grim determination ...

A few agonizing moments later, Lex felt his toes graze the bottom of the river.  Weak, breathless, he managed to stagger onto dry land and pull Billy up after him.   

Trembling from exhaustion, Lex rolled Billy onto his stomach and knelt beside him.  Billy's skin was cold to the touch.  Lex pressed his hands against Billy's back, between the shoulder blades, and pushed, again, and again, forcing the water out of Billy's lungs.  He rolled Billy over on his back and laid two fingers against his neck.  Feeling a pulse -- albeit a weak one -- Lex heaved a sigh of relief.  But he could see that Billy wasn't breathing ...

He bent over Billy and started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.  Seconds dragged into minutes as Lex breathed air into Billy's lungs, over and over, pausing only to see whether Billy was responding.  At last, Billy gave a feeble cough.  Hurriedly, Lex rolled him on to his side.  Billy retched up a final mouthful of muddy water, then lay back, wheezing.  His eyelids fluttered ...

"L-Lex?" he asked weakly.  "What -- what -- ?"

Lex grinned.  "You swallowed half the river, but it looks like you coughed most of it up."

"Did you -- were you -- ?"

"Yeah, I had to give you mouth-to-mouth, but don't go blabbing about it, okay?"

"Oh, man.  Thanks.  I thought I was a goner for sure."  He tried to sit up, but Lex pushed him back down.

"Hey, you're okay now.  Just lie back and take it easy."

Billy shut his eyes and lay still.  A sudden wind rustled the leaves overhead.  Out of the corner of his eye Lex was aware that someone was standing nearby.  He looked up.

"Supergirl!"

Supergirl was looking down at him, her arms folded across her chest and her shapely legs silhouetted against the sunlight.  Her skirt and cape stirred softly in the summer breeze, but otherwise she stood as motionless -- and as imposing -- as a statue.

Then she spoke.    

"How could you?" she demanded.

"Huh?"  Lex scrambled to his feet.  He could see that Supergirl was frowning angrily.  She strode forward, waving him aside with an impatient sweep of her arm, and knelt by Billy.  Lex watched in silence as she felt the boy's pulse, checked his breathing, lifted his eyelids.  Billy had begun shivering.  Supergirl removed her cape and carefully wrapped it around him; then she narrowed her eyes and ran her gaze back and forth along his swaddled body.

Fascinated, Lex looked on.  He'd heard that heat vision was one of Supergirl's many incredible powers, and he guessed that she was using it to warm Billy.  Sure enough, the boy stopped shivering.  His breathing became steady, and the color returned to his face.

Lex stepped forward.  "Gosh, Supergirl, I sure am glad -- "

Supergirl looked up, still frowning.  "How could you be so foolish?  Letting Billy swim across the river!  You know about his polio, don't you?  Why do you suppose he has crutches?"

"I -- um -- "  But Supergirl wasn't finished.

"I know all about that initiation you older boys make the eighth-graders go through.  I was watching yesterday, with my super-vision, just in case something happened.  I never imagined you'd come back today, just to put poor Billy in danger.  I'm very disappointed in you, L -- "

She stopped just as she was about to say "Lex."  She didn't want him wondering how she knew his name.  Her eyes were resting on Lex's chest, his shoulders, his arms.  Despite her anger, she couldn't help noticing that he had a nice body -- not as muscular as Clark's, of course, but fit and toned ...  Snap out of it, Lana, she told herself sternly.   

" -- very disappointed in you boys."

"But -- I -- you don't -- "  Lex was about to tell her what had happened; but he stopped and hung his head.  True, he hadn't been the one who dared Billy into swimming across the river; but instead of standing up for Billy, he'd backed down from Clark and those other guys.  He was just as much to blame as they were ...

Supergirl stood up, lifting Billy in her arms.  Wrapped snugly in her cape, Billy lay quietly, eyes closed, breathing gently.  Lex could see one frail foot sticking out from the red cloth.

"I'm taking Billy to the hospital in Crawfordsville," Supergirl said.  "He seems to be okay, but I should get a doctor to look at him.  I hope you boys have learned a lesson."  And with that, she sprang into the air with Billy cradled in her arms.

Lex let out a long sigh and slumped to his knees.  His tired limbs felt as heavy as lead.  He knelt motionless for several minutes, then rose wearily to his feet.  His towel and sneakers were on the other side of the creek, but he didn't have the strength to swim back across.  He turned and started trudging downstream toward the old wooden bridge, picking his way carefully through the brush.

Oh, no!  Too late, Lex noticed that he was walking through a patch of poison ivy.  He shook his head with wry resignation.  Could the day get any worse?

----------

Screened by a thicket, three pairs of eyes watched furtively from the opposite bank. 

"Gosh," whispered Freddy.  "Supergirl is really laying into Lex."

"Yeah," said Jeff.  "She must think he's the one who made Billy swim across the creek."

"Do you think he'll rat on us?"

"He'd better not," growled Clark.  "If he's a genius like everyone says, he'll know what's good for him."

"Aw, don't worry about Lex," said Jeff.  "He may be a square, but he's okay.  He won't tell on us."

Supergirl had flown off, and Lex was starting to trudge off downstream along the opposite bank.  The three boys turned and got on their bicycles.  There was an awkward silence.

"So what do you wanna do now?" said Freddy. 

"I dunno," shrugged Jeff.  "I guess we could see if Pete's home, maybe shoot some hoops."

"Coming, Clark?"

"Can't," said Clark.  “I gotta pick up a few things at the store and get back home.  I've got chores to do.”

“Okay.  Well -- see you later, big guy.”

Clark pedaled off toward the main road.  Now that school was out for the summer, Pa expected him to work on the farm, all day, every day, until football practice resumed in August.  It was a prospect he dreaded -- three long months of back-breaking toil in the hot, humid Kansas summer.  To make matters worse, he and Pa seemed to be constantly at odds lately. 

Ma sent Clark into town just about every day, to run some errand for her.  Clark was sure she did it to give him a little break from farm work, and he was grateful.  He'd been on his way to the general store that morning to pick up some groceries when he met up with Freddy and Jeff.  Of course, he should have been home an hour ago.  He'd make up a story about getting a flat tire.  Pa would be annoyed, but that couldn't be helped ...

Ten minutes later, Clark walked out of the Smallville General Store with a bag of groceries in his arms.  He put it in the side basket of his bicycle.  Noticing that the rear tire was a little soft, he pushed the bicycle round to the side of the store and unhooked the hose by the hand-lettered "FREE AIR" sign.

Squatting by the tire, Clark looked up as a shiny black late-model Chevrolet pulled into the parking area.  The driver, a small wiry man with a thin mustache and a snap-brim hat, sat thumbing the pages of a tattered memorandum book.  After a few moments, he put the book back in his shirt pocket and glanced out the window.  His eyes met Clark's and he nodded in greeting.

"Hiya, kid," he said affably.

"Hi," said Clark.  "That's a nice car you've got."

"Thanks.  You've got a nice set of wheels yourself.  I bet those tassels on the grips add a lot of speed."

Clark turned away with a grunt.

"Hey, I'm just kidding," the man called.  "You're Clark Kent, aren't you?  The Boy of Steel?"

Clark brightened.  It was always flattering when people outside Smallville recognized him.  "That's right."

The man stuck his arm out of the window of the Chevy.  "It's an honor to meet you, Clark.  I saw you pitch that shut-out against the Marmots last month.  You've got a great arm.  I'm Joe Petersen."

Clark walked over to the car and shook hands.  "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Petersen.”

"Call me Joe."  He squinted up at Clark.  "Say, Clark, how'd you like to have a motor bike to ride around on -- and a little pocket money?  You see, I own a used car lot in Shelbyville, but I have to spend a lot of time on the road looking after a couple other little business ventures.  I don't like to be away from the lot so much, so I could use a smart young fella like yourself to help me run some errands."

"What kind of errands?"

Joe waved his hand.  "Little of this, little of that, you know what I mean?  We can discuss the details later.  Are you interested?  Like I said, I can set you up on a nice little motor scooter."

"Well, sure.  I mean, that sounds great.  I'll have to ask my parents -- "

"Whoa.  Before you do that, why don't you come talk with me?  Here's the address."  He handed Clark a business card.  "I'll tell you what the job involves, and then you can talk it over with your folks."

"Well -- okay ... "

"Attaboy.  I'll be at the lot all day tomorrow.  Drop by anytime.  But in the meantime" -- he gave Clark a conspiratorial wink -- "let's keep this on the QT, all right?"

"I guess ... "

"Listen, Clark, I've got to get going.  No rest for the weary, you know what I mean?  But I'm glad I ran into you.  See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Uh -- okay.  Thanks, Mr. Petersen."

"What did I tell you, Clark?  Call me Joe.  Mr. Petersen is my father."  The Chevy's motor purred as he turned the key in the ignition.  Flashing a toothy smile, he waved good-bye as he pulled onto the road and drove off toward Smallville.

----------

Mrs. Lang was standing at the kitchen sink, peeling potatoes for dinner, when she heard the trapdoor slam shut down in the cellar.  A few moments later there came the sound of footsteps on the cellar stairs; then the cellar door swung open and Lana walked into the kitchen, adjusting her brunette wig. 

"Hello, dear," said Mrs. Lang.  "Busy day?  I heard about that forest fire on the radio."

Lana was taking a carton of chocolate ice cream from the freezer.  "Yeah.  It's under control now.  I just flew back."  She filled a bowl with ice cream and took it to the kitchen table.

Mrs. Lang raised her eyebrows.  She knew that Lana wouldn't put on any weight or spoil her appetite for dinner, but she could tell that something was bothering her. 

"The man on the radio said that you saved several communities from being destroyed -- and saved a dozen lives."  She sat down at the table and gave her daughter's hand a squeeze.  "I'm so proud of you."

Lana turned up a corner of her mouth.  "Thanks, Mom."

"So what's wrong?"

Lana sighed and put down her spoon.  "Billy Freeman almost drowned in Butternut Creek this morning," she said.  "Some of the older boys dared him to swim across that dangerous spot.  You know that stupid initiation they make the eighth-graders go through every summer?  I had to fly him to the hospital."

Mrs. Lang nodded.  "I heard about that.  Mrs. Freeman says he's doing fine."

"That's good.  But you know who dared him to swim across?  Lex!  Lex Luthor."

"Really?  That doesn't sound like him.  He seems like such a responsible young man."

"Well, he might have been responsible for Billy's death.  I guess he swam after Billy when he saw that Billy was in trouble, and he managed to get him onto dry land -- but still, I never in a million years would have dreamed that he'd do something so thoughtless, so -- "  Angrily, she ate a spoonful of ice cream.

"Well," said Mrs. Lang gently, "maybe he didn't."

Lana looked at her mother inquisitively.

"Did you see him dare Billy to swim across the creek?"

"Well ... no.  I mean, I saw the two of them lying there on the river-bank -- "

"You see, Mrs. Freeman told me that Billy told her that some other boys made the dare -- and that Lex tried to talk him out of it."

Lana blinked.  "What other boys?"

"Billy wouldn't say.  But Tom Bradford came forward and admitted that he was one of them.  He wouldn't say who the others were."

Lana narrowed her eyes.  "I can guess."

"Well, dear, so can I.  But let's not jump to any more conclusions, shall we?"

Lana looked down, red-faced.  "So Lex didn't -- and not only that, he saved Billy's life."

"It looks that way."

"And I accused him -- he risked his life to save Billy, all because I wasn't there.  Oh, Mom, I was so angry at him -- "

"I don't thnk so, dear," said Mrs. Lang.  "I think you were angry at yourself."

Lana blinked.  "What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself, just now -- you think you should have been there to save Billy."  She gave Lana's hand another squeeze.  "Oh, honey, you do so much good with those gifts of yours, you help so many people.  But not even Supergirl can be everywhere and save everyone."

"Not everyone in the world.  But Billy -- Lex -- they're my friends."  She hung her head.  "How can I ever face Lex again?"

"I'm sure if you talk to him -- as Supergirl, I mean -- tell him you're sorry ... "

Lana stood up.  "I'll do better than that," she said.  She took the empty bowl to the sink, then went down into the cellar.

She came back up into the kitchen a few moments later, carrying a dusty cardboard carton.  She set it down on the table and began rummaging through it.  It was full of medals and plaques and other testimonials that Supergirl had been given in gratitude.  Lana always felt awkward about accepting these awards, but she felt that it would be ungracious to refuse them or throw them out.  So they had been allowed to accumulate in a carton down in the cellar.

She pulled out a silver-plated medal attached to a ribbon.  Her "S" emblem was engraved on one side, and the words "FOR BRAVERY" on the other.

Lana shook her head ruefully.  "There's nothing brave about what I do," she said.  "Nothing can harm me, so I'm never in danger.  But Lex -- "

She ran upstairs to her bedroom and came back down a few moments later with a sheet of plain stationery.  She sat down at the table and began printing in neat block letters:

TO A REAL HERO:

YOU DESERVE THIS

MORE THAN I DO.

She signed the note "Supergirl" -- in the disguised handwriting she used to protect her secret identity -- and folded it neatly.

Mrs. Lang nodded in approval.  "That's a lovely gesture, dear.  I'm sure Lex will be pleased.  Listen, why don't you give Suzy a call?  I think Supergirl's done enough for one day."

Lana shook her head.  "She's probably at rehearsal."  Suzy had recently won the role of Juliet in the Crawfordsville Community Theater's summer production of Romeo and Juliet.

"Well, in that case ... " said Mrs. Lang.  She opened the refrigerator and took out a crock-pot covered in aluminum foil.  "Maybe you could take this casserole over to the Freemans?  I doubt that Mrs. Freeman has had much time to cook today."

"Sure," said Lana.  Mrs. Freeman could tell her how Lex had saved Billy ...  

----------

Clark gulped down the last of his orange juice and rose hurriedly from the kitchen table.

"I gotta go," he said over his shoulder as he headed for the screen door.

"What about your chores?" asked Ma.

Clark turned round.  "I got a head start on those yesterday, remember?  I told you last night I'm going over to Pete's house to help him clean out his dad's storage shed."

"Well ... that's nice of you, dear, but don't spend all day there.  Your father needs your help, too."

"Okay."  Clark was already out the door and on his bike.

"Let him go, Martha," muttered Pa, frowning into his coffee cup.  "It's not as if he's much help even when he is here."  He winced as he set the cup down.

"Are you all right?" asked Ma.

"Just a touch of indigestion," said Pa.  "I'm fine."

"I really wish you'd see Doc Adams," sighed Ma.  "You've been awfully tired lately, and you're always out of breath."

"For gosh sakes, Martha, I'm running a farm -- or trying to.  When have I ever not been tired?  I'll see the doctor soon as the harvest's in.  There's nothing wrong with me that a little help from Clark wouldn't fix."

----------

Clark heaved a rusty fertilizer drum into the bed of the pick-up and wiped his hands on his dungarees.  "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's it," said Pete.  He was already climbing into the driver's seat.  "Let's get going.  The dump closes at noon." 

Clark hopped into the passenger's seat, Pete let out the clutch, and the pick-up rattled along the dirt driveway and onto the main road.

"Okay," said Pete.  "So I'll drop you off at this guy Joe's place, then I'll take this stuff to the dump, then I'll pick you up on my way back."

"You don't have to do that," said Clark.  "I can ride back on my motor bike."

"No, don't do that.  I want to check it out.  We'll put it in the truck and go back to my place.  Remember, I get to use it when you're not."

"Okay."  Clark grinned.  "Man, having our own motor bike is going to be so cool!"

"So when are you gonna give Suzy a ride on it?"

"I dunno.  She spends a lot of time in Crawfordsville these days, rehearsing for Romeo and Juliet.  And when she's not a rehearsal, she's got her nose in the book, memorizing her lines.  Sometimes I help her practice."

"Wow.  Clark Kent -- and Shakespeare?  I don't believe it."

"Oh, I don't understand a word of that stuff.  I just help her with the kissing scenes."

"You dog," chuckled Pete.  "So have you gotten to second base yet?"

"Hey, I don't kiss and tell," said Clark virtuously.

"In other words, no," grinned Pete.  "You know, a lot of guys still think Suzy is Supergirl."

"Yeah, well, they can go to hell."

"I guess if anyone would know, it would be you," said Pete.  "But how can you be so sure?"

"I just am, okay?  Case closed.  Let's drop the subject."

"I don't get it -- it's like you don't want Suzy to be Supergirl.  Man, if I found out that Tami was Supergirl, I'd flip!"

Clark slouched in his seat.  Despite his protestations, he wasn't one-hundred percent sure that Suzy wasn't secretly Supergirl.  He kept thinking about that night at the bridge, trying to remember if he'd actually seen the two of them at the same time, but he couldn't make up his mind.

Soon, the pick-up was cruising along the main drag in Shelbyville -- a four-lane street lined with liquor stores, taverns, nightclubs, pool parlors, and used car lots.  The Diamond Bar was back in business:  It had closed for renovations about a year ago, and there were rumors that Supergirl had trashed the place.  Pete was about to mention it to Clark, but on second thought decided not to say anything.  For some reason, Clark had a real bug up his ass when it came to Supergirl.

"Hey, there it is," Clark suddenly blurted out.  Sure enough, a used car lot was coming up on their left, under a banner that proclaimed "HONEST JOE'S AUTOMOBILES."  Pete pulled over across the street, in front of the Blue Lagoon Liquor Store.

"Good luck, buddy," said Pete as Clark hopped out.  "I should be back in about a hour.  I can't wait to see our new set of wheels!"

Clark trotted across the street and walked up to the low cinderblock building in the middle of the lot, glancing at the cars on display.  Most of them looked to be at least ten years old, and in pretty shabby condition, but there were a few nice late-model cars parked close to the office.  A hand-lettered sign -- "E-Z CREDIT" -- was taped to the glass door.  A bell jingled as Clark pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Cheap wooden chairs lined the walls of the room; rickety tables were strewn with magazines about sports and cars.  A strip of flypaper swayed in the breeze from a fan in one corner.  A door stood open in the back wall.  Clark guessed that it was the door to Mr. Petersen's private office.  The room was empty, silent except for the hum of the fan.  Clark was about to go back outside when he heard Mr. Petersen's voice coming from the back room.

He seemed to be talking on the telephone.  "Well, sorry don't get it done, you know what I mean?"  He sounded annoyed.  "Tell him he's got until five o'clock.  After that -- "

Clark tapped on the door frame.  Mr. Petersen was sitting behind a shabby wooden desk strewn with papers, holding the receiver of a telephone to his ear.  He glanced up.  His scowl turned into a grin when he saw Clark standing in the doorway.  He winked and held up a finger as he continued talking on the phone.

"All right.  Well, he knows where to find me.  Listen, I've got to go.  Call me back."

He hung up.  "Clark!" he beamed.  "Thanks for coming.  So I guess you've decided to take me up on my offer."  He waved toward a chair facing the desk.

"Well," said Clark, sitting down, "I'd like to know a little more about it."

Mr. Petersen nodded in approval.  "Very smart.  I had you pegged right.  Well, Clark, let me explain it to you."  He folded his hands on the desk and leaned forward.  His voice became serious, confidential.

"I need someone to run errands for me on Saturdays.  That's the busiest day here at the lot, and I hate to be away."

"What kind of errands?"

"I'm going to give it to you straight, Clark.  Honest Joe, that's me.  Maybe you noticed that liquor store across the street?  Well, I own it, and my brother-in-law runs it for me.  Now here in Shelbyville, if a man wants to have a beer at the end of a hard day's work, or enjoy a glass of wine with his dinner, no problem.  He can buy it at my store, or any other liquor store in Shelby County.  But if a man lives in Smallville -- well, there's no place where he can buy so much as a bottle of beer, because Smallville is in a dry county.  Am I right?"

Clark nodded.

"Doesn't make sense, does it, Clark?  Something that's perfectly legal in Shelbyville is suddenly against the law just because you've stepped over a county line.  Well, that's where you come in.  You see, I offer a little service to the hard-working citizens of Smallville.  They can order beer, or wine, or liquor, from me and I deliver it -- so they don't have to come all the way into Shelbyville at the end of a long hard day on the farm, you know what I mean?"

Clark frowned.  "So you want me to deliver liquor?"

"No, no, Clark.  My brother-in-law takes care of the actual deliveries.  No, I just need someone to make the rounds of my customers on Saturdays, pick up orders, collect money, deliver receipts -- that sort of thing.  Everything's in sealed envelopes.  You won't be doing anything illegal.  Even if the cops were to find out what you're doing -- and that's a big if -- well, I'd tell them you didn't know what's in those envelopes.  I wouldn't want to get you in any trouble."

Clark sat gazing uncertainly at the dirty linoleum floor.

"Tell you what, Clark.  While you're thinking it over, let's go round to the back and take a look at that motor bike."

He stood up and led Clark out of the building and around to the back lot, talking all the while.

"Your friend Robbie McMillan used to make the rounds for me.  But he graduated last month.  He's going to Kansas State on a basketball scholarship, am I right?  He always spoke highly of you.  I'm sure he'd be glad to know that you're taking over for him.  He took really good care of this little beauty, too.  Speaking of which -- "

Clark stared in admiration at the Vespa scooter. Its smooth contours gleamed like silver in the sunlight.  Clark pictured himself roaring down the highway, a warm breeze blowing in his face, with Suzy's arms wrapping him tight from behind, her chin resting on his shoulder, her shiny blonde hair streaming behind her ...

Mr. Petersen put an arm around Clark's shoulder.  "What did I tell you, Clark?  Isn't she a beaut?  And you can use her as much as you want as long as you're on my payroll.  So what do you say?  Do we have a deal?"

"Sure," said Clark.  "I mean -- it sounds great."  He hesitated.  He was counting on an athletic scholarship to a Division I school, and he didn't want to put his chances in jeopardy.  "But can I, uh, have a little time to think it over?"

Mr. Petersen pursed his lips.  "Cold feet, huh?  Well, I can't really blame you -- you being from Smallville.  Supergirl's home town, you know what I mean?  I bet the folks in Smallville think twice before they so much as toss a candy wrapper on the sidewalk.  Funny, though -- I never figured the Boy of Steel would be scared of a -- "

Clark's face reddened.  "That's not -- I'm not -- "  He took a deep breath.  "All right, it's a deal."

"Attaboy!"  Mr. Petersen shook Clark's hand.  "I knew I could count on you.  Now let's go back to my office and I'll explain how my operation works ... "

Half an hour later, Clark and Pete were loading the motor bike into the back of Pete's truck.  Mr. Petersen stood waving as the boys drove off, then went back to his office and picked up his telephone.

"Vinny?  It's me ... Yeah, Kent's in the bag ... Nah, it was a piece of cake ... I think this guy is even dumber than that McMillan kid!" 

----------

In a secluded clearing in the woods near Strawberry Lake, a camouflaged trapdoor suddenly sprang open.  Rocketing from her secret tunnel, Supergirl was high above the treetops by the time the door snapped shut.  She hovered for a moment as she got her bearings, then flew off toward the outskirts of Smallville.

Seconds later, she was descending toward the modest one-story house where Lex and his mother lived.  Mrs. Luthor's old Chevrolet was parked in the driveway, in front of the shed that Lex used as a laboratory and workshop.

Lana walked up to the front door, taking a neatly wrapped parcel from the pouch of her cape and mentally rehearsing the speech she'd prepared.  She was just about to knock when the door suddenly opened and Lex's mother stood blinking at her in surprise.

Mrs. Luthor was pulling a thin cardigan sweater over her nurse's uniform.  She had her son's wavy brown hair, his thin nose, his serious blue eyes.  Her face was kindly but careworn.  Lana knew that things hadn't been easy for her and Lex after her husband's death. 

"Oh -- hello, Mrs. Luthor," said Lana.  "I'm sorry -- I didn't mean to startle you."

"Supergirl!  I was just leaving for work.  Is -- is something wrong?"

"No, no," Lana assured her.  "It's just -- well, I guess you know what happened at the river yesterday."

"I know that Billy Freeman nearly drowned.  Lex told me how you showed up and flew Billy to the hospital."

Lana was puzzled.  "That's all?  He didn't mention that he was the one who saved Billy?"

"No.  I learned that from Billy, before he left the hospital."  Mrs. Luthor smiled ruefully.  "Lex doesn't talk about himself very much -- not even to his mother."

"Oh.  So I guess he didn't mention that I -- well, that I kind of jumped to conclusions.  The fact is, I -- I misjudged him, and I'm sorry."  She held out the parcel.  "Could you please give this to him?  It's just a little something to say I'm sorry and I hope he'll forgive me."

Mrs. Luthor took the parcel from Lana's hands.  "Of course.  No, Lex didn't say anything about that, but whatever it was, I'm sure he doesn't think any the worse of you.  We're only human, right?  Even Supergirl."

"That's right," grinned Lana. 

"Listen, would you like to come in and wait for him?  He's running a few errands in town, but he should be back soon.  And I don't have to leave right away.  I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Luthor, but I have to be going.  It was nice meeting you."  She paused.  "What your son did was very brave," she said.  "You should be proud of him."

Mrs. Luthor beamed.  "Oh, I am."  She stood on the doorstep, smiling and waving, as Supergirl leapt into the air and flew out of sight.

High above Smallville, Lana let out a sigh of relief.  The conversation with Mrs. Luthor had been less awkward than she'd feared.  Well, she thought ruefully, Supergirl might be too scared to face Lex -- but Lana isn't.

Scanning Smallville with her super-vision, she spotted Lex in the general store, taking a bottle of calomine lotion down from a shelf.  She winced as her x-ray vision revealed that underneath his trousers his legs were covered with the blisters of a poison ivy rash.  Poor Lex, she thought sympathetically.  Maybe I can cheer him up.        

----------

"Hi, Lex!"

Lex was standing at the counter, waiting for Mr. Henkle to ring up his purchase.  He turned at the sound of Lana's voice.  "Lana!  How's your summer?"

"Pretty quiet so far.  But I understand you had kind of an adventure yesterday."

Lex made a wry face.  "Misadventure is more like it.  I ran into some poison ivy."

"My mom says you did more than that.  Want to get a soda and tell me about it?"

Lex blushed.  "I'd like that.  But I just spent the last of my allowance on this lotion."

"My treat."

"Gosh, Lana, I can't let you -- "

"Oh, you'll earn it," she grinned.  "You'll tell me everything that happened at the river yesterday."

"Well -- "  He smiled shyly.  "All right."

Lana laid a quarter on the counter.  "Mr. Henkle," she said grandly, "I'd like to buy my friend a soda."

Mr. Henkle raised a bushy eyebrow, but he made no comment as he stepped over to the soda fountain at the back of the store.  "The usual, Lex?" he asked.

Lex nodded.  Lana's eyes widened as she watched Mr. Henkle fill a glass with Coca-Cola, then add a shot of chocolate syrup.

"There's nothing 'usual' about that," she remarked.

Lex grinned.  "Don't knock it till you try it."  He slid into a booth and took a straw from the dispenser.  "Aren't you going to get a soda?"

Smiling mysteriously, Lana shook her head as she slid into the seat facing Lex..  Lex stared, open-mouthed, as she unwrapped a straw and stuck it into the glass, then leaned over and took a sip.

"What are you staring at?" she giggled.  "That was the last of my allowance, too, so we'll just have to share.  Now tell me everything that happened yesterday.  Don't leave out a single detail."

TEN MINUTES LATER ...

" ... and then Supergirl showed up and flew Billy to the hospital.  That's about it."

"Golly," said Lana.  Her chin was propped on her hands as she gazed admiringly at Lex.  "So you're a hero."

Lex squirmed uncomfortably.  "Well, let's just say I happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"I don't think Billy would put it that way -- or Mrs. Freeman."  She leaned forward.  "But I heard that when Supergirl showed up, she thought you were to blame for what happened to Billy."

"Well -- yes."

"Who does she think she is?" Lana cried indignantly.  "You saved Billy's life, and then she shows up and scolds you for it."

"Well, I can see how it must have looked ... and besides, if I'd only stuck around -- tried harder to talk Billy out of taking that dare -- the whole thing might not have happened."

"Still, she had no right to judge you like that.  I bet she's made plenty of mistakes.  Ooh, if I ever meet her, I'll -- I'll give her a piece of my mind!"

"Lana, calm down."  Lex was grinning.  "It's no big deal.  I'm sure she just snapped at me because she was concerned about Billy."

"Well, maybe."  She took a sip of the soda.  "So you met Supergirl.  What's she like?  Do you think she's -- pretty?"  Blushing, she lowered her eyes.

Lex shrugged.  "I guess.  Of course, I'm sitting with the prettiest girl in Smallville right now."

"Stop it!"  Lana took a chip of ice from the glass and flicked it in Lex's face, giggling as he yelped in surprise. 

Grinning happily, Lana leaned back against the worn upholstery of the booth.  I sure am lucky to have a friend like Lex, she thought.  He's smart and brave and kind and he always makes me feel good about myself ...  She remembered how he'd stood up for her that day in the cafeteria, how he played her favorite songs on his radio program ...     

Her eye fell on the clock behind the soda fountain.  "Uh-oh," she said.  "It's later than I thought.  I'd better get going."  Lex stood up politely as she slid out of the booth.

"Oh, I almost forgot," said Lana.  "Mrs. Freeman asked me to give you something."

"What's that?"

"This."  She threw her arms around Lex and gave him a grateful hug.  Standing there with her body pressed against his, her head resting on his shoulder, she felt strangely reluctant to let go ...  She stepped back, smiling awkwardly as she pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.  Lex was gaping at her, red-faced.

"Well ... " said Lana.  "I'll ... I'll see you around."  She turned abruptly and hurried out of the store.

Outside, she could barely refrain from leaping into the sky.  Running behind the store, she looked round carefully to make sure nobody was watching; and then, in the blink of an eye, she changed into her Supergirl costume and sprang into the air ...

Below her, the Kansas farmland rolled by in a blur.  Faster and faster she flew, the wind in her face, light-hearted, carefree.  A sonic boom split the air as she hurtled along; farmers looked up from their fields, puzzled to hear thunder rumbling in a cloudless blue sky.  Lana lifted her face to the sun and flung out her arms and soared in wide, joyful loops high in the air above Smallville.

 "Wheeeee!"

Five minutes later, Mr. Henkle glanced up from his newspaper.  Lex was still sitting in the booth, staring at the empty seat across from him with a wide, happy smile spread across his face.

* * * * * * * *