Jacob Two-Two-'s First Spy Case Read Online Free PDF Page B

pit out of his mouth and dumped it into Jacob Two-Two’s hand. “Tricked you again, didn’t I? Now be a good kid and drop that in the garbage.”
    Jacob Two-Two got rid of the disgusting peach pit, washed his hands, and then entered the living room. His heart thumping, he said, “Now I’d like to show
you
a trick, Mr. Louse.”
    â€œHo ho ho. That’s rich,” said Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse, winking at the other card players. “What kind of trick, kid?”
    â€œA card trick,” said Jacob Two-Two. “A card trick.”
    â€œWowee!”
    As everybody, including Daniel, Noah, Emma, and Marfa, watched, Jacob Two-Two lifted the deck of cards off the poker table.
    â€œI want you to pick a card,” said Jacob Two-Two, as the others gathered round, “any card. Show it to me, and then I will phone my friend the Clair-voy-ant, and he will tell you which card you picked.” And to himself, Jacob Two-Two added,
please, please, let this work
.
    â€œOh, yeah? Great,” said Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse. “How much money have you got on you?”
    â€œDon’t tell him, Jake,” said Noah.
    â€œA dollar eighty-five,” said Jacob Two-Two.
    â€œOkay. I’ll bet you a dollar you can’t do that.”
    â€œDon’t do it, Jake,” said Marfa.
    â€œLeave my kid brother alone,” said Emma.
    â€œDo I need the kid’s dollar?” asked Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse. “No.” Then, turning to the other poker players, he said, “I’m just trying to make things interesting.” Next, Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse picked a card and showed it to Jacob Two-Two. It was the seven of hearts.
    Jacob Two-Two, his heart pounding even harder, went to the phone and dialed the number he had memorized. “Hello,” he said, his voice trembling just a little, “can you tell me if Mr. Clair-voy-ant is there, please?”
    There was a pause.
    â€œIs that you, sir?”
    There was another pause.
    â€œSomebody would like to speak to you,” said Jacob Two-Two twice.
    â€œThis is going to be good,” said Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse. Wiggling his eyebrows at the others, he scooped up the receiver, all smiles, and barked, “Okay,Mr. Clairvoyant, what’s the card I’m holding?” And he held the receiver away from his ear so that the others could listen in.
    Eerie, outer-space music could be heard over the phone.
    â€œ This is the Clairvoyant ,” said a man in a low, menacing voice. “ Only the Clairvoyant knows where the dinosaurs have gone; why the earth continues to go round the sun, which must be boring, considering how many trips it has already made; and how many glasses of water there are in the Atlantic Ocean. The Clairvoyant can interpret the past and predict the future. I also sell Canadian military secrets at bargain prices. Your card , amigo , is the seven of hearts .”
    â€œAtta boy, Jake,” said one of the poker players, slapping him on the back.
    â€œWay to go, kid,” said another player.
    As everybody roared with laughter, Perfectly Loathsome Leo, his cheeks burning red, slammed down the phone and turned on Jacob Two-Two. “Okay, you were lucky once,” he snarled. “But I’ll bet you can’t do it again.”
    â€œShouldn’t you pay up first?” asked Jacob Two-Two’s father.
    Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse dug into his pocket for his thick wallet and dropped three dollars on the table. “We’re going for double or nothing. If you can do it again, Jacob, four dollars will be yours,” he said, “but, if not, all the money is mine.”
    â€œYou don’t have to do that if you don’t want to,” said Jacob Two-Two’s father.
    â€œI want to. I want to.”
    Perfectly Loathsome Leo Louse picked another card, the jack of clubs, and showed it to Jacob Two-Two. Then he watched closely, as Jacob