“Look at this,” Riley said, grabbing a dinosaur. “He’s even got the spikes on the tail.”

They sat down on either side of him and examined all of Danny’s carvings, their comments filled with awe and respect for his talents. This was the first time in his whole life that his brothers had taken him seriously. Usually, they just ignored him and left him behind. But now, he could do something they couldn’t. And that was like gold.

“Would you like one, then?” Danny asked.

His brothers looked at each other. “We can have one?”

“Sure,” he said. “Any one you like.”

“Can ya make me something?” Kellan asked.

Danny nodded. “I can. If you find a picture, I can carve it.” He rummaged in his rucksack until he found the photo he’d torn out of a magazine. “I’m going to make this troll for Ma’s garden, for her birthday, but I have to find a big piece of wood.”

“We’ll help you find one,” Riley said. “There’s got to be a good piece around here somewhere.”

He and his brothers searched the beach for a long time, climbing over the rocks and talking about Danny’s carvings. It was the best day of Danny’s whole life, better than any day he could remember. Somehow, he knew things had changed, that he was someone important to Riley and Kellan now. The duo was now a trio.

“I can show you something else,” Danny offered. “It’s a secret and you can’t tell Da or Ma or they’ll take the strap to us all. And you can’t tell anyone else. None of your friends. It has to be for Quinn brothers only.”

“We swear,” Kellan said.

“You have to make a blood oath,” Danny said. He opened his pocketknife and held out his hand. Without flinching, he cut the tip of his index finger, then handed the knife to Riley. “Do it,” he said. “Or I won’t tell you.”