The Johnnies, meanwhile, were still having everyone on. They continued inventing new tricks, and even held something like a conjurer’s show, in which Johnny, dressed in one suit of cloths, jumped behind a bush only to jump out an instant later dressed in something altogether different. Sally had not seen the ‘two Johnnies’ this time around, so no one suspected the truth behind the conjurers trick.
   In fact, now being better practised and at ease, no one would have suspected anything, except that it was time for Johnny to have a haircut.
   ‘Johnny,’ said Grandpa, ‘You’re starting to look like a little girl, the hair as long as it is.’
   So, after tea, while it was still light, Johnny was positioned on a stool under the tree as Grandpa cut his locks down to size with the shears. Grandpa believed that the shorter he cut it, the longer it would have to be before it would have to be cut again. When he was finished, Johnny looked like he was wearing a bowl on top of his head, whereas before, his hair had come well below his shoulders.
   Soon after the haircut, it was Johnny’s bed time.
   Since Johnny wasn’t used to gazing at himself in a mirror, he hardly had any consciousness as to what he looked like — except what the other Johnny looked like. When the other Johnny saw the haircut, he thought no more about it except that this is how he looked with a haircut.
   However, when Johnny appeared at the breakfast table, Grandpa looked at Johnny in a peculiar way.
   ‘Did I or did I not give you a haircut last evening?’
   Johnny just looked bewildered.
   ‘Well, Paw,’ said Milly, ‘I’m sure you did!’
   ‘The child’s appetite is affecting the growth of his hair! Look at it! It’s every bit as long as it was before I cut it!’
   Everyone at the table sat staring at it with their mouths open.
   ‘But how could this be?’
   Johnny didn’t know what to say. Then, he didn’t have to, because no one asked him.
   He never got the chance to run to the out house, so the other Johnny was never able to make an appearance with the short hair.
   At school, no one knew Johnny had had a hair cut, so no one said anything.
   At the noon break, the Johnny with the short hair came to lunch.
   ‘Ah, did Miss Grissel give you a hair cut Johnny?’
   ‘Er — yes.’
   That’s all he said. However, when he had to go to the out house, he grabbed the hat on the way.
   ‘You better wear this,’ he said as they exchanged clothes. They think we had a hair cut at school now.’
   However, when he got in wearing the hat, Grandpa just said, ‘Johnny, don’t wear that hat to the table.’
   ‘But Grandpa, I’m cold!’
   ‘No you aren’t. It’s a hot day today.’
   ‘B-but my hair looks funny. I don’t want people to see it!’
   ‘Take that hat off!’
   ‘But grandpa...!’
   ‘Johnny!’
   Whenever Grandpa said ‘Johnny!’ with that tone of voice, and with that look in his eyes, it was a sure sign that a very sore behind was likely to follow.
   ‘Yes sir,’ said Johnny weakly.
   Off came the hat, and down came a full crop of hair.
   Now there was no thought of any spanking. Wrath was immediately transformed into wondrous amazement. Grandpa reached over and tugged on a lock of hair to see if it were real.
   Johnny just looked back with wide sheep eyes.
   For a few minutes there was wide eyed open mouthed silence.
   Finally, Grandpa spoke. ‘Johnny. Tell me right now. Where did your hair come from?’
   After a long pause, during which Grandpa repeated the question, Johnny said, weakly, ‘From my head.’
   ‘Did I not cut it yesterday?’
   ‘No — I mean yes — I mean ...’
   ‘Did I or did I not cut your hair?’
   ‘I don’t know.’
   ‘How is your hair short one minute and long the next?’
   Johnny was now in a corner, and it looked like there was no getting out until he told the truth.
   ‘Th-there are two,’ he said even more weakly than before.
   ‘Two what?’
   ‘Er — t-two Johnnies.’
   ‘Did I year you say two Johnnies?’
   Johnny only nodded.
   ‘Where is the other Johnny?’
   He pointed to the out-house.
   Everyone immediately got up to their feet and rushed out to the out-house. However, by now, the other Johnny was half way up to the hide-out.
   Johnny was, of course, obliged to lead them there.
   Half way up, they caught up with him.
   No one could believe their eyes. Milly, especially, looked dismayed as she looked first at one, then at the other. But soon, her dismay subsided, because somehow, she knew it all along. She knew some nights that it really was Johnny who went to sleep in her bosom. Other nights, she was equally sure it wasn’t. These feelings had, up until now, posed as two opposite feelings in the same heart, and she had been inclined to hide them from herself. Now, they were open and revealed.
   The group went back to the hut, and then the questioning began.
   ‘How is it that there are two of you?’ asked Grandpa
   ‘I prayed for a twin, and God answered my prayer,’ said Johnny.
   ‘But God doesn’t simply create people like that as answers to prayer,’ said Grandpa. ‘Which of you is the original Johnny?’
   ‘I am,’ said both at once.
   ‘No, but I am!’
   ‘No you’re not I am!’
   ‘All right, all right...’
   ‘I’m the one who’s your Grandson. Your name’s Timothy, isn’t it?’
   ‘Yes, it is. And what about you?’ Grandpa asked the other. ‘What’s your grandfather’s name?’
   ‘Thomas Rankle, and my grandma’s name is Jill.’
   ‘Thomas and Jill drowned in the sea. How could they be your grandparents?’
   ‘The same way there are two Johnnies, I suppose,’ said Todd.
   ‘Quite true, I suppose,’ said Grandpa.
   ‘And my teacher’s name is Miss Greschen, and she had a sister named Grissel who drowned in the sea...’
   ‘But this teacher is Miss Grissel, and it was her sister Greschen who drowned in the sea,’ said the other Johnny.
   ‘Where does your grandfather live?’ asked Grandpa.
   ‘On this island — I think — or maybe he’s dead — but maybe he’s alive sometimes and you’re dead...’
   ‘What are Joey’s parent’s names?’ Grandpa asked one of the Johnnies.
   ‘Mildred and Alex.’
   ‘What are their names where you come from?’ he asked the other.
   ‘Mirtle and Philip,’ he said.
   ‘And what are Billy’s parents names?’ he asked, again alternating Johnnies.
   ‘Thurston and Lucy.’
   ‘Bertram and Lilly,’ said the other.
   Thus, he went through the names of all the other parents on the island, as well as those survivors who were as yet unwed.
   Finally, he asked, ‘Who is your mother?’
   One pointed without hesitation at Milly, and the other faltered.
   ‘And where is your mother?’ Grandpa asked the one who faltered.
   ‘With my grandpa — I think.’
   ‘Who’s your papa?’
   ‘Ernesto Ortiz,’ said both with confidence.
   After a pause, Todd said, ‘You know, Paw, this could explain Senhor Ernesto’s terrible problem with his memory.’
   ‘Come to think of it, you’re right. Everything about this whole affair is beginning to fit like a puzzle — all except for one piece...’
   He didn’t specify, because at that moment, he glanced at Milly, who now had her handkerchief to her face and looked like she was about to cry.
   ‘Oh, Milly dear, I know this is difficult for you — being two Johnnies and all ..’
   ‘It’s not that, Paw, it’s — it’s Ernesto — our marriage ...’
   ‘Oh dear yes!’ said Grandpa. ‘This also explains the matter of the confused wedding arrangements.’
   ‘That bigamist!’ said Todd indignantly.
   ‘No, wait. It could very well be that he is just as confused as us. He may believe that Milly and her cousin were the same person. Why, he always got everyone’s names mixed up didn’t he! I wondered how he came up with everyone’s twin’s names when forgetting their own names.’
   ‘We’re just going to have to ask him when he comes then,’ said Grandma.
   Grandpa called an island meeting where he presented the two Johnnies, and explained the situation as far as he understood it.
   It also came out that the Johnnies had quite a lot of apologising to do. This they did, with a sorrowful heart. Sally’s good name was restored, and all the other boy’s toys lost to wagers were given back to them, and, on this island anyway, things were back to normal.

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