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

feelings were hurt, although he was trying not to show it. “Max, there’ll be other parties,” Jeffrey said. “And you’re definitely invited to
my
birthday party.”
    “Like, I’m hip there will be other parties,Daddy-o—but not like this one,” Max said with a strange laugh. “Like, count on it.”
    What was that supposed to mean? But Max disappeared before Jeffrey could ask the question. He stepped out of the closet wearing his new coat and a very worried look on his face. Max sounded like a ghost with a plan.
    “Totally awesome coat, Mrs. Becker. You did it again,” Melissa said.
    Good old Melissa. She always came through.
    “Thanks, Melissa,” said Mrs. Becker. “Jeffrey, why were you in the closet?”
    “Uh, I was checking to see if I could put my coat on in the dark, Mom. We’re having a big test on it in class this week,” Jeffrey said. “Come on, Melissa.”
    Jeffrey and Melissa went next door to Melissa’s house. They headed through the kitchen, turned right at the refrigerator, and bumped smack into danger.
    “Hi, slimeballs,” the danger said. It was Melissa’s older brother, Gary. He was lying on his stomach in the living room, reading the Sunday comics.
    “Don’t worry, Jeffrey,” Melissa said. “My brother’s been fed. He won’t attack.”
    “Hey, Melissa,” Gary said. “I accidentally put my foot through one of your stereo speakers in thebackyard. Hope that doesn’t ruin your party.”
    “You’d better not,” Melissa said. She hurried through the house and into the backyard.
    Melissa looked at her speakers and took a deep breath. “They’re fine,” she announced.
    They could hear Gary laughing inside the house.
    “Okay, here’s the problem,” Melissa said. “I’ve got my record player up in my tree house. That will be the disc jockey’s booth. And I’ve set my speakers down here on the deck. But I need help stringing the extension cords and speaker wires. I don’t know if they’re going to reach.” Melissa’s father worked at a radio station, so Melissa knew a lot about stereo systems.
    Melissa leaned a ladder against an old oak tree. Then the two friends immediately got to work. Jeffrey started stringing the extension cords. They had to stretch from an outlet at the back of the house to Melissa’s tree house.
    “I’ll turn on some music. Tell me if it’s too loud,” Melissa said.
    Jeffrey waited. But the music didn’t start. The speakers were silent.
    “Too loud!” someone shouted. It was Gary. He had come outside to watch.
    “Gary, what did you do up here?” Melissashouted from the tree house. “Nothing works.”

    “I didn’t do anything,” Gary said, sipping his soda.
    Jeffrey followed the wires from the tree house and quickly discovered the problem. “Melissa,” he called, “the cord came out of the wall, that’s all.” Jeffrey plugged the cord back in.
    “Try it again,” he shouted to Melissa.
    “Still no power,” Melissa called back.
    Jeffrey looked back at the electrical outlet on the wall of the house. The cord was unplugged again.
    “Ha ha haha!” Gary laughed. “He can’t even plug in a cord.”
    Gary laughed himself into the house. He drop-kicked his empty can of soda at Jeffrey as he left.
    Jeffrey was angry at Gary. But that was nothing compared to how angry he was at the person who
really
pulled the cord out of the wall.
    “I can’t see you, Max. But I know you’re here,” Jeffrey said.
    “Like, I can’t be. I don’t have an invitation,” said Max’s voice close to Jeffrey’s ear.
    “Get lost, Max,” Jeffrey said quietly.
    “Can’t do that, Daddy-o,” Max whispered back. “The screaming’s just about to start. I left a little surprise for the birthday girl in her tree house.”
    “Screaming? Max, what are you talking about?” Jeffrey said.
    “I’m not talking about anything,” Max said with a laugh. “I’m not here, remember?”
    “Look at this! Look what I found in the tree house,” Melissa