Fabulous Five 013 - The Christmas Countdown Read Free

idea," agreed Christie. "And
I'll bet if someone asked the principal, he'd let us put up a table in the
cafeteria to collect money for the animals."
    "Would you do it, Christie?" asked Melanie. "You've
got an in with him." Melanie cringed the moment the words were out of her
mouth. Christie hated to be reminded that Mr. Bell and her mother were good
friends because they both were school principals.
    Christie shrugged. "Oh . . . okay. It's for a good
cause."
    "It's still a lot of money to raise," said Jana, "and
most kids are broke from buying Christmas presents. But if we try, just maybe we've got a chance to get it."
    "I hate to be a party pooper," said Katie. They
all turned to look at her. "Suppose we are able to get the money.
We still haven't answered the big question. What are we going to do with
fifteen dogs and cats? "

CHAPTER 3
    "You want us to do what? " asked Tony
Calcaterra, looking at Melanie with a surprised expression on his face.
    It was the following afternoon and Tony, Keith, Randy,
Scott, and Jon were squeezed into a big corner booth with The Fabulous Five and
Mona at Bumpers. Shane was leaning against the side of the booth, and Matt was
standing next to him.
    "We want you to help us earn money to free some dogs
and cats from the animal shelter. They're going to be put to sleep on Christmas
Eve if no one buys them," said Melanie.
    "That's right," insisted Beth. "Those poor
animals will die while the rest of the world is singing carols and opening
presents." She cast her eyes down for dramatic effect. Then her face
brightened a little and she said, "You should see them. They're sooo sweet
and adorable."
    "I've got a better idea," said Shane. "Why
don't we bake some dog biscuits with metal files in them and sneak them into
the animal shelter?"
    "Yeah," said Keith. "The animals could saw
their way out, and we'd have a getaway van waiting outside."
    "With fake tags to give them so no one would know they
were escaped convicts," added Randy.
    "And Igor could be the getaway driver," Shane
offered. "He'd love it. He watches cop shows on TV all the time, and the
chase scenes are his favorites."
    "Guys!" said Jana. "We're serious. We've got to help these poor animals."
    "That's right," agreed Christie. "Do you want
their deaths on your consciences?" She looked sternly at each of
the boys.
    "Look," said Melanie. "It won't be hard to
earn three hundred and seventy-five dollars if we work together."
    "Three hundred and seventy-five dollars?" asked
Matt, his voice rising in disbelief. "That's a lot of money."
    "And we can't wash cars or mow lawns," said Randy.
"It's winter, remember?"
    "Right," agreed Keith. "Besides, what would
we do with fifteen cats and dogs, anyway? Don't think you're going to ask me to
take two home. My mom and dad would kill me, even though it is Christmas."
    "My mom and dad work and wouldn't want one either,"
said Jon.
    Melanie looked down into her lap. What to do with the
animals once they had saved them had been worrying her, too. In fact, it was
just as big a problem as raising the money. They couldn't buy fifteen dogs and
cats and just turn them out onto the street.
    "Let's not worry about that now," Melanie said,
crossing her fingers behind her back. "We'll give them away at school, or
something. We'll figure that out later, but first we've got to find a
way to earn money to save them."
    "We don't have much time," said Tony. "Christmas
is only ten days away."
    "It was ten days from yesterday, " corrected
Katie. "It's nine days from today."
    "I said I'd talk to Mr. Bell to see if we can set up a
table in the cafeteria to ask for donations," said Christie. "Lots of
charities make appeals during the Christmas season because people are in a
giving mood. I'm sure that if I explain that to Mr. Bell, he'll let us."
    "That's a good idea," Shane agreed. "Would he
let us make an announcement over the public address system, too?"
    "Maybe," answered Christie. "I'll ask."
    "What about advertising in the