Lake Rescue Read Free

challenge. Boys could be so incredibly ridiculous about how strong they were.
    “Too bad Mrs. Fields didn’t remind everyone about Pajama Day being the Friday before we leave on the trip,” said Henry. Pajama Day was one of his favorite campaign promises and, to everyone’s surprise, the Yurtmeister had managed to secure permission from Mrs. Fields for it to happen.
    “Do you have Buzz Lightyear pjs, Yurt?” Katani smiled.
    “No, teddy bears,” Henry answered with true Yurt aplomb.
    Isabel tugged at Katani’s arm. “Let’s go see if we cantrade library for art, Katani. I feel an idea coming on.”
    “Can I come with you?” Maeve asked.
    Charlotte picked up her tray. “Isabel, how about your cartoon?”
    “I’m working on it. Hope you’ll like it.”
    “I know I will.” Charlotte hurried to The Sentinel office to do some more work on her article. The trip and supply list weren’t any trouble, but she did want to add a couple of sentences to her feature article.
     
    All five BSG skidded into science class just before the last bell rang.
    Ms. Weston, the new student teacher, frowned at them, but Charlotte didn’t think she could look fierce if she tried. The teacher was petite, with blond hair and such electric blue eyes that Charlotte wondered if she wore contacts.
    Maeve thought Ms. Weston should be singing lead in a band rather than standing in front of a room full of obnoxious seventh graders who were wondering what tricks they could play on her. Isabel and Katani thought she was a really cool dresser because one day, Ms. Weston came to school wearing a peasant skirt, cowboy boots, and a really pretty silk shirt.
    “Looks can be deceiving” was more than a cliché when Ms. Weston spoke. She really knew her science, and had a way of commanding the attention of the whole class. Today she had done her homework on the class trip. “New Hampshire is a fascinating state. Did you know that its residents cast the decisive vote in ratifying the constitution? Also, the first presidential primary is held there each election year, at midnight in Dixville Notch.”
    “Do we get to vote on whether or not to go there?” Sammy quipped.
    “You do not.” Ms. Weston smiled. “The state is known as one of our great outdoor states. There are dozens of lakes and forests, some of which are filled with hiking trails that go all the way to the summits of the White Mountains.”
    “Can we take cameras?” Chelsea Briggs surprised everyone with her question. Usually dressed in a baggy Patriots sweatshirt, and always sitting in the back of the room, Chelsea hardly ever spoke up in class. Some of the kids still called her Chelsea Bigg, a nickname from third grade. However, Ms. R recently gave a boy detention when she overheard him say it. Mostly, kids just tended to ignore her. It was almost as if she were invisible—which was odd, because Chelsea was so large. Charlotte wondered how she felt sitting in the back of the class all the time…quiet and alone.
    “Certainly, Chelsea. I know a camera is on the supply list as ‘nice to have.’” Ms. Weston paused for more questions.
    “I read that the New Hampshire state motto is ‘Live free or die,’” Betsy Fitzgerald interjected. The class rolled their eyes. Leave it to Betsy to have already read up on New Hampshire. She could probably be giving this lecture.
    “I really don’t like mentioning the word ‘die’ along with camping and climbing mountains,” Maeve said.
    “Well, you may not have that much freedom on the trip either,” Ms. Weston said. “But that motto also has to do with New Hampshire’s history. Maybe you students would like to know that New Hampshire was the first state to have a female governor, senate president, and house speaker all at the same time.”
    Avery shot her fist into the air. “Oh, yeah! Just my kind of state. Sounds like New Hampshire has really enlightened voters!”
    Ms. Weston smiled. Avery was one of the outspoken students