Computer Clues Read Online Free PDF Page B

said. “I just got your letter. I am glad you are learning how to use E-mail. I am working hard, but I wish I was outside. It is a fine, sunny day. Have a good time. Love, Mrs. Duff. P.S. Molly, don’t forget to clean your room when you get home!”
    The Pee Wees giggled. Molly’s face turned red.
    “Was that ever fast!” said Patty.
    “An E-mail letter can go anywhere in the world in just a few minutes,” said Mrs. Peters. “It doesn’t even cost as much as a stamp.”
    “I want to write to my uncle!” said Roger.
    “I do too,” said Tim.

    “You have to be sure they have a computer that’s hooked up to the Internet,” said Jody.
    “That’s right,” said Mrs. Peters. “That’s the only catch. You have to write to someone who has a computer. But every day more and more people are getting hooked up to the Internet.” She showed them how easy it was to answer a letter using E-mail.
    Then she let each of the Pee Wees write an E-mail letter to Mr. Peters at his office. After they finished, and Mr. Peters had written back, they had cupcakes and sang their Pee Wee song. Before they left for the day, their leader said, “This week I want each of you to write and send an E-mail letter all by yourself.”
    “Who should we send it to?” asked Jody.
    “You can write to whomever you like. I want you to press the PRINT button afterwardso you can bring a copy of your letter to our meeting next Tuesday.”
    “Do we bring a copy if we get a letter back from someone?” asked Lisa.
    “Yes, I think that would be a good thing. It would help us understand how easy and fast it is to communicate,” Mrs. Peters said. “And it’s fun.”
    “Mrs. Peters, I could just print out some of the E-mails I’ve sent before and bring them. I send E-mail all the time,” said Rachel.
    Mrs. Peters frowned. She didn’t like shortcuts. “I want you to write and send a new one, Rachel. With the current date on it.”
    Rachel nodded.
    The Pee Wees’ heads were swimming with E-mail talk. Molly was thinking about who she would write to.
    “Do we get extra credit if we send more than one letter?” asked Rachel.
    “Send one, or however many you want, but you don’t get extra credit. This isn’t school. You just get your badge,” their leader answered.
    No extras was fine with Molly. One badge would be all she’d need. She only hoped she wouldn’t erase any of her parents’ E-mails while she was using the laptop!

CHAPTER
            8
Molly’s Secret Admirer
    O n the way home, all the Pee Wees could talk about was who to write to.
    “Maybe I’ll write to my dad’s friend in Africa,” said Roger.
    “Hey, no E-mail goes that far!” said Sonny. “Not to the jungle with all those trees and wild animals. Some animal would jump up and eat it!”
    “Animals don’t eat E-mail,” scoffed Kevin.
    “I might write to my dad at work,” said Mary Beth. “But that isn’t very exciting.”
    “We don’t get extra credit for being exciting,” said Tracy. “We get our badge if we write to Africa or to the woman next door.”
    Molly thought she might write to Jody. Kevin would be her second choice. True, her mother had said she was too young to have boyfriends. But when someone was as nice as Jody and Kevin, it was good to plan ahead. People should marry someone they’d known a long time. When her aunt got divorced last year, her dad said it was because she had hardly known the man when she married him. Molly didn’t want to make that mistake. No sirree bob. She would plan ahead. She would send her letter to Jody.
    At the corner, the Pee Wees separatedand went to their own houses. Molly remembered her mother’s E-mail about cleaning her room. She did that first. Then she sat down and turned on the laptop. Molly liked the cozy hum it made while it was warming up. A computer wasn’t a book, but Molly was liking it better every day.
    Molly clicked on NEW MESSAGE . Then she clicked on Jody’s name in the address