Megan Stine_Jeffery & the Third-Grade Ghost 01 Read Online Free PDF Page A

said. “There’s a big blob of bubble gum on the sleeve! How did that get there?”
    Jeffrey looked at Max, who just laughed. Then Max blew a bubble with a new piece of gum.
    “Take it off,” Mrs. Becker said. “We can’t buy it now.”
    “Gee, that’s too bad, Mom,” Jeffrey said. And he gave Max a big thank-you smile.
    Max was getting antsy. “When I went shopping,” he bragged, “I told my old lady exactly which coat I wanted to buy. Dig?”
    “And what happened?” Jeffrey asked.
    Max sighed. “She bought the coat
she
wanted.”
    In the end, Mrs. Becker bought the coat Jeffrey had tried on first—two hours earlier.
    By the time Jeffrey, his mom, and Max left the store, Mrs. Becker was worn out. They walked through the mall, looking for a place to get some ice cream.

    Just then, Jeffrey saw Mrs. Merrin. She and her husband were coming out of the pet store. She was carrying a little black puppy.
    “Jeffrey!” Mrs. Merrin said. “We did it! We finally decided to get the cocker spaniel. Isn’t he adorable?”
    The puppy was scared to be out in the world. But he was happy to be in Mrs. Merrin’s arms. Suddenly, though, he started barking and barking.
    “Uh-oh. Troublesville,” Max said quickly. “Animals can see me.”
    The puppy was barking at Max. He didn’t like the ghost one bit.
    “Jeffrey,” Mrs. Merrin teased, “you said dogs love you. What happened?”
    “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Jeffrey said.
    “Try me,” Mrs. Merrin said with twinkling eyes.
    Jeffrey thought about it for a moment.
    “The truth?”
    “The truth,” Mrs. Merrin said. But she was beginning to grin already.
    “Well, I was just shopping for a new winter coat,” Jeffrey explained. “And my mother made me try on so many coats with fur collars and fur linings, I think I got fleas! That’s why your puppy is barking at me. He doesn’t like the fleas.”
    Mrs. Merrin gave Jeffrey’s mom an understanding look.
    “Get Jeffrey a flea collar before you send him back to school on Monday,” she said to Jeffrey’s mom. “I don’t need
two
dogs in my life—one is enough!”
    Then she and her husband took their new, barking puppy and went home.

Chapter Seven

    The next day was Sunday—less than one week before Melissa’s birthday. Melissa rang Jeffrey’s doorbell bright and early.
    “Hi, Jeffrey,” she said. “Can you help me today? I want to see if everything’s going to work out okay for my party.”
    “Sure,” Jeffrey said.
    Just as they were about to leave, Mrs. Becker walked through the living room. “Hi, Melissa,” she said. “Want to see Jeffrey’s new coat?”
    Melissa looked alarmed. “You went coat shopping yesterday?” she asked softly. “How did it go?”
    Jeffrey shook his head. “Don’t ask,” he whispered. “Just tell my mom you love the coat.”
    Jeffrey went to the closet for his coat. He opened the door. Suddenly, someone pulled him inside by the arm.
    “Max!” Jeffrey said. “What are you doing in here?”
    “Like, we need to talk right now,” Max said.Then he closed the door. “Heart-to-heart, face-to-face, cat-to-cat.”
    What could be more embarrassing than standing in a coat closet with the door closed? Jeffrey knew his mother and Melissa were staring at the door. Every time Jeffrey moved his arms, a coat hanger hit him in the face.
    “Why wasn’t I invited to Melissa’s birthday party?” Max asked.
    “You’ve got to be kidding,” Jeffrey said.
    There was a knock at the door.
    “Jeffrey? Did you say something?” his mother called.
    “No, Mom. Be right out.” Then Jeffrey lowered his voice to talk to Max. “For starters, Melissa doesn’t know you exist, Max. And even if she did, she couldn’t see you. And nobody knows your address. So how could she possibly send you an invitation?”
    “Don’t bug me about the details,” Max said. “I want an invitation.”
    Jeffrey could see something on Max’s face—even in the dark closet. Max’s