Ben the Inventor Read Free Page B

o’clock, Ben and Jack were ready to go. Ben stood on the deck steps. Jack bent down. Ben scrambled onto his shoulders. The cloak was tied around his neck. It hung down below Jack’s knees. All that showed was Ben’s head at the top, and Jack’s running shoes at the bottom.
    Ben had drawn on a mustache with his mom’s eyeliner. He had the construction hat on. It was time to put Plan C into action.

Chapter Nine
    â€œHurry up,” Ben said. It felt odd sitting on Jack’s shoulders. Wobbly.
    â€œYou’re heavy!” Jack said. He was walking carefully across the speed bump. “And I can’t see where I’m going.”
    â€œKeep going straight,” Ben said. “Now stop. Step up on the sidewalk.”
    â€œAre you sure this is a good idea?” Jack asked.
    Ben was not sure. He didn’t have any better ideas though. “It will be fine,” he said. “Keep going. You’re on the front path. Almost at your front door.” He could see people walking around inside. Mostly strangers, but there was the woman from two doors down, and the man who lived in the corner house. Jack’s mom had been right about the neighbors coming to look.

    â€œAre there lots of people?” Jack asked.
    â€œCan’t you hear them?”
    â€œYeah.” Jack stopped at the front door. “Should I just walk in?”
    Ben nodded. Then he remembered Jack couldn’t see him. “Yes,” he said. “Straight ahead. Then a couple of steps left. Yes, perfect.”
    â€œNow what?” Jack whispered.
    â€œStop talking,” Ben said. “You are the body, remember? I am the head.” His heart was racing. The real estate agent was across the room. She was looking right at him. Ben looked away quickly.
    A man with a beard was walking toward the front door. Ben waited until the man was a few feet away. “Ahem,” he said.
    The man looked up at him.
    â€œThis house is falling apart,” Ben said. He tried to make his voice low, like a grown man. “There is a rat living in the roof. And, um, it leaks when it rains.”
    â€œThe rat leaks?” The man hid a grin behind his hand.
    Ben shook his head. “The roof leaks. And a new roof costs thousands of dollars.”
    â€œIt does indeed.” The man waved over a woman who was admiring the stained glass window in the living room.
    She smiled and crossed the room. “Yes?” She looked at Ben and laughed. “Well, hello.”
    Ben noticed that she was very pregnant. “Hello,” he said.
    â€œDarling, this gentleman was telling me the house needs a new roof.” The man put an arm around her waist.
    â€œIs that right?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry to hear that. A new roof costs a lot of money.”
    â€œExactly,” Ben said. “So you don’t really want to buy this house.”
    The real estate agent appeared behind them. She grabbed Ben’s cloak and yanked it off. “You two again!”

    Ben jumped off Jack’s shoulders and stood beside him. He was so scared, he could hardly breathe.
    â€œOff you go,” the real estate agent said. “Go on. Out!”
    â€œOh, it’s okay.” The pregnant woman was laughing. “They’re just having fun.”
    â€œWell, their fun cost me a sale.” The real estate agent glared at them. “The man who looked at the house this morning said he didn’t want to live across the street from a couple of badly behaved kids.”
    Good , Ben thought. He didn’t want to live across the street from a grumpy bald man.

Chapter Ten
    â€œSuccess!” Ben said once they were back in his yard. “It worked! No grumpy bald man!”
    Jack looked less sure. “She was pretty mad,” he said. “I hope she doesn’t tell my parents.”
    â€œMe too.” Ben didn’t think his mom would be too happy about Plan B or Plan C. He looked across