The Great Smelling Bee Read Free Page B

my head. “So many buttons. Do I push the blue ones or the red ones?”
    â€œOwww! It’s squeezing my face! Make it stop !”
    I pushed a yellow button. The robot cat coughed up a metal hairball into Sherman’s face.
    â€œOW! OWWWW!

    â€œIt’s SQUEEZING my beautiful face!” he wailed.
    Should I give the guy a break?

Chapter 8
M Y L UCKY D AY
    Hey, Bernie B. is a good guy. Of course I gave him a break.
    A few minutes later, I made the tin cat open its paws. “So sorry, dude,” I said. “I just can’t ever work these things.”
    Sherman staggered to his feet. His cheeks were bright purple. “Thanks, Bernie. That was a close one,” he said. He picked up the robot cat and shook it hard. “Bad boy! Bad boy!” he scolded. “No fresh batteries for you tonight.” Sherman turned to me. “He likes it when I change his batteries.”
    â€œGlad I could rescue you,” I said. “This is my lucky day, after all.”
    Sherman squinted his sky blue eyes at me. “Huh? Your lucky day?”
    I nodded. “Yeah, dude. It’s my lucky day.” I pulled a bunch of raffle tickets from my pocket. “Check these out. Pizza oven raffle tickets. I bought the last ten tickets.”
    Sherman stared at the tickets in my fist. “You bought the last ten tickets?”
    â€œI have the last ten raffle tickets. And I wouldn’t sell them to anyone.”
    I waved them slowly in front of his face.
    Sherman’s mouth fell open, and he started to drool. “The last ten? You’re serious? And you rigged the raffle, didn’t you, Bernie? It’s fixed, right? You made sure you have the winning ticket.”
    I grinned at him. “Would I do that? That would be cheating. You don’t think I’m a cheater, do you, Sherman?” I waved the tickets in front of his face some more.
    â€œI’ll buy ’em off you, Bernie. How much? How much?”
    â€œNot selling,” I said. “Why would I sell the last ten tickets?”
    Drool ran down Sherman’s chin. His eyes bulged. He was breathing hard. “How much, Bernie? Come on. How about two bucks? I’ll give you two bucks each for them.”
    He grabbed for the tickets. I swung them away from him.
    â€œOh, no,” I said. “You want them too badly, Sherman. You know I have a winner here—don’t you! You’re trying to cheat me. Play fair, Sherman. Play fair!”
    â€œOkay,” he said. “Four dollars. Four dollars each. What do you say, Bernie? Four dollars.”
    I pretended to think about it. I rubbed my chin and shut my eyes. “Okay,” I said finally. “It breaks my heart, but…four dollars each.”

    â€œThank you! Thank you!”Sherman cried. He handed me a wad of dollar bills, and I gave him the tickets. “Wow! The last ten tickets!” he said. “Thank you!” He picked up his robot cat and ran off to class.
    I watched him go. Then I counted the money. Forty big ones.
    I should have felt happy. The master had struck again!
    But I was too worried to enjoy the money. Sherman knew about my pets. What if he squealed to Headmaster Upchuck?
    I had to do something to hide them. And I had to act fast!

Chapter 9
S HERMAN S QUEALS
    I caught up to Feenman and Crench. “Sherman was too easy. Too easy!” I said. I waved the wad of dollar bills in front of their noses.
    Their tongues fell out of their mouths, and they started to pant.
    â€œBut, dudes, I’ve got a big problem,” I said. “Mrs. H. almost busted me. She almost saw Lippy and Gassy. And Sherman Oaks knows about them. I’m afraid he’ll tell Headmaster Upchuck.”
    I wiped the sweat off my forehead with a dollar bill. “If we don’t find a better way to hide Gassy, I’llbe waving bye-bye to you guys on the next bus.”
    â€œBernie, that dog stinks !” Feenman said.
    â€œFeenman, you