“Burst pipe!” he called to his fellow workmen inside.  “Somebody turn off the water mains!”

B

ang-bang-bang!  Thwack!  Bang-bang-bang!  Thwack!

Mr. Krankowitz sat up, wondering what the horrible racket was.  He’d fallen asleep in his favorite armchair while reading the newspaper, as usual, only to be rudely awakened by a loud hammering from up the road. The nerve of whoever it was!  He’d jolly well go and give them a piece of his mind.

Grabbing his stick, as well as his coat, hat, and scarf — after all, you never knew when the weather could turn nasty — the old man marched off to investigate.

Meanwhile, Fishel and Faivish were walking down Sunny Lane on their way home from school, complaining about their math homework.

“There should be a law against it,” declared Fishel hotly.  “We’re always being told to eat healthy, and go to bed on time, so we’ll grow big and strong. Well, how’s homework gonna help us be healthy? It just wears us out and uses up our strength.”

Fishel paused to turn a quick somersault to release some of his feelings, before assuming an air of weakness that sat oddly on his healthy frame.

Faivish shrugged.  Although he agreed with his brother, he thought it would be more interesting to take a different view. But he was interrupted by a loud noise.

Bang-bang-bang!  Thwack!