The Upside-Down Day Read Free Page B

Jason. “And her husband can’t be a king—”
    â€œBecause Miss Hershey isn’t married!” Abby broke in.
    â€œHey . . . . Maybe the king rules on a secret island somewhere,” said Eric.
    â€œYeah, right ,” Abby replied. “This is getting us nowhere. We need solid clues.”
    Ellen had an idea. “Maybe there isn’t any secret. Maybe that’s the secret.”
    Jason sputtered between apple bites. “Leslie better not set us up for nothing.”
    â€œJason’s right,” Abby said. “That would be a mean trick.”
    Just then, Leslie approached their table. She was licking a pink lollipop. “What’s Jason right about?” She glared at him.
    The Cul-de-sac Kids were silent.

SIX
    Leslie repeated her question. “Are you going to tell me or not? What’s Jason right about?”
    Jason ignored her. He slurped on his apple and spit out the seeds. Then he stuffed them into his shirt pocket.
    Abby giggled about the seeds.
    Without blinking, he said, “You never know when I might get hungry.”
    The kids roared with laughter.
    Leslie’s face turned red. “You’re a big show-off!”
    â€œ You can’t call him that,” Dunkum scolded.
    â€œAnd why not?” Leslie demanded, her hands on her hips.
    Dunkum scowled at Leslie.
    She began to squirm and opened her mouth to say something. But the lunchroom teacher marched over to their table. All of them were sent out for recess.
    But Leslie didn’t head for the playground. She walked back toward the classroom.
    Where’s she going? Abby wondered. She wanted to follow Leslie, but her friends called to her from the doorway.
    â€œOK, I’m coming!” Abby said.

    Outside, Abby and Stacy hung upside down from the monkey bars. Ellen’s guide dog, Honey, rested in the sand nearby.
    Abby kept her eyes on Ellen, who swung straight across the bars. “You’re good at that,” she said.
    â€œThanks,” Ellen replied.
    â€œI’ve never known a blind person before,”Stacy said. “I wondered what you were like.”
    Ellen swung on the bars. “I’m no different than anybody else.”
    Abby thought about that. “Your riddle was terrific,” she said. “Did you make it up?”
    Ellen dropped down from the bars. “I listen to the radio and TV a lot. If I hear something once, I never forget it.”
    â€œThat’s so cool,” Stacy whispered.
    â€œCan you keep a secret?” Abby asked.
    â€œSure,” both girls answered.
    â€œI’m going to play a joke on Miss Hershey.”
    â€œYou are?” Stacy whispered. She moved closer to Abby. “Tell us more.”
    â€œI’m going to make the whole class disappear.”
    Ellen coughed. “How?”
    â€œDuring library, when Miss Hershey has a break, I’ll ask the librarian to tell the class about it. Then, during social studies, I’ll see if the principal will page Miss Hershey. When she gets back fromthe office— poof! The whole class just disappeared to the library!”
    â€œWill the principal and librarian help you?” asked Ellen.
    â€œI think so,” Abby said. “Mr. Romerez, the librarian, is a friend of my dad. And Mrs. Millar teaches Sunday school at our church. She likes a good practical joke. I’m sure she’ll help me play a trick on Miss Hershey.”
    â€œYour plan sounds great,” said Ellen. “I hope it works.”
    â€œToo bad we won’t get to see Miss Hershey’s face!” Stacy said.
    When the kids filed in from recess, Leslie Groff was sliding her desk close to the teacher’s.
    Now what’s she doing? Abby wondered. She picked up her pencil and headed for the pencil sharpener.
    When she walked past Ellen’s desk, Ellen touched her arm. “Abby, please bring Leslie here to me,” she said.
    Abby looked startled. “How did you