Fabulous Five 013 - The Christmas Countdown Read Free Page A

newspaper?" asked
Katie excitedly. "You know, we could prepare one of those ads that really
tugs at the old heart strings. My mom could write it, if your mother can get it
in the newspaper, Jana."
    "That's a great idea!" responded Jana. "Since
my mom's the classified ad manager, she could probably get it in. And we can
include information about where people can send donations. Whose address shall
we put in?"
    No one said anything for a moment, and Melanie held her
breath. Her parents might not like it if they found out she was involved in a
scheme to rescue dogs and cats, especially since she had been begging so hard
for a puppy of her own for Christmas. Still, no one else was volunteering, and
it would be a couple of days before donations would start coming in and they
would have to find out. Surely she could think of something to tell them by
then. Taking a deep breath, she said, "People can send the money to my
house."
    "Good. I'll ask Mom to work on our ad tonight,"
said Katie. "Since she's a free-lance writer, it won't take her any time
at all."
    "If you call me, I can copy it over the phone, and my
mom can take it to work with her in the morning," said Jana.
    "I'll make up a schedule for sitting at the donation
table," said Melanie. "Two of us at a time can take care of it. We'll
have a boy and a girl there each day," she added, looking at Shane out of
the corner of her eye.
    "I'll make a poster to tell people what it's all about,"
said Beth.
    "I'll make a sign-up sheet for kids who want a cat or
dog," joined in Christie.
    "And I'll ask Mrs. Graham if she would please talk to
her board of directors to see if they will give us a discount," said Mona,
her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
    "Great," said Melanie. "And then we can all
meet by the fence in the morning and make our last-minute plans."
    "One for all and all for the dogs," said Keith,
raising his cola cup high in the air.
    "And for the cats, too," said Mona as she bumped
his cup with hers. They all cheered.
    On the way home, Melanie thought about the pet project and
wondered if she was getting herself into more than she could handle. It was one
thing to want to help save the animals, and there was no question that she was
determined to do that. But her parents would have a fit when they found out
that the donations were being sent to their house . And what about
finding places for all the animals once they had been adopted? Was she being
too optimistic in thinking that people would volunteer to take them? she
wondered.
    On the other hand, she thought, smiling to herself, there
were some good things about rallying so many kids to work together, also. For
one thing, it gave her the chance to be around Shane and maybe even to impress
him with what a kind and caring person she was. After all, he loved Igor, and
he seemed very interested in saving the dogs and cats. Surely he would like her
more than ever for being involved in such a worthwhile cause.
    "Oh, Melanie!" Mrs. Miller, the widow who lived
next door to the Edwardses, called just as Melanie was turning up her sidewalk.
    "Hi, Mrs. Miller." Melanie noticed the older lady
had a worried look on her face.
    "Hello, dear. Have you seen my Duchess?" Duchess
was Mrs. Miller's Pomeranian dog. It was small with a pointy nose and long
blond hair, and Mrs. Miller kept a little pink bow between its ears. She
treated Duchess, who was old, too, as if she were her baby.
    "No, I haven't," Melanie replied thoughtfully. "Has
she been missing long?"
    "I let her out in the backyard a couple of hours ago,
and when I went to let her in, she wasn't there. I don't know how she
could have gotten out. The gate was closed and locked and there are no holes
under the fence."
    "I'm sure she'll come back when she wants her supper,
Mrs. Miller. But I'll keep an eye out for her, just in case."
    Melanie's mother was in the kitchen, as usual. Mrs. Edwards
liked staying home with her children and hadn't had a job outside the home
since before