Peggy Gifford_Moxy Maxwell 02 Read Online Free PDF Page B

shake the can.
    Moxy loved the sound of the ball rattling inside. It felt like she was getting something done before she’d even started. She also loved the smell. But she wasn’t supposed to smell it. In fact, Pansy was right: Moxy wasn’t allowed to touch another can of spray paint until she was twenty-one.

chapter 48
    5 Reasons Moxy Isn’t Allowed to Touch Another Can of Spray Paint Until She’s Twenty-one
    Mark took this close-up picture of the list of reasons Moxy wasn’t allowed to touch another can of spray paint until she was twenty-one. This list has been sealed to the refrigerator door (with the aid of spilled grape juice and a magnet that says THE VOLVO DOCTOR MAKES HOUSE CALLS !) for just over a year now—ever since Moxy’s mother made Moxy write it.
    Here is the picture Mark took of it.

chapter 49
    In Which Moxy Keeps On Shaking the Can
    But Moxy kept on shaking the can.
    â€œPansy,” she said, “I need eleven more copies of my new thank-you notes.”
    Pansy disappeared into Ajax’s office. As she went in, another thank-you note flew out.
    â€œMoxy’s going to use the gold spray paint,” Pansy announced to Mark and Sam.
    Mark wrapped his camera back around his neck and rushed into the kitchen.
    Pansy, however, was not in a terrific hurry to go back. Even though she had liked being a princess, which was the reason they had spray-painted her hair gold in the first place, she had not liked the haircut that followed it. It was too short, for one thing—one person had even thought she was a boy.
    That was a long time ago, of course—back when Moxy was nine and hadn’t had much experience with spray paint.

chapter 50
    3 Things Experience Has Taught Moxy About Gold Spray Paint
    Now, Moxy knew a good deal more than the average ten-year-old about the uses and abuses of spray paint. Such as:
    1. A little spray paint goes a long way.
    2. Always put something you don’t care about behind the thing you are spray-painting in case the spray paint misses its target.
    3. Don’t spray-paint your sister’s hair.
    As she shook the can (she did love the sound of that ball), Moxy mulled over the second rule. It meant she would have to lean the thank-you notes against something that wouldn’t be ruined if she accidentally missed her target.
    It occurred to her that the Christmas tree might be the perfect thing to lean the thank-you notes against while she spray-painted “Thank You” on the front of them. It was, after all, almost time to throw the tree out anyway. The tree was also almost dead. Plus it had gold ornaments on it, which meant that if a little gold spray paint accidentally hit the tree, it would hardly be noticed.
    The plan had one small flaw: How would the thank-you notes stay on the tree while Moxy spray-painted them? She was wrestling with this problem when Granny George’s cell phone began to play “Rock Around the Clock.”
    It was Uncle Jayne. His car was stuck in slush and other snow-related stuff and he would be there soon but not right away.
    â€œHe’s going to walk over,” Granny George told Moxy after she hung up.
    But Moxy wasn’t listening.

chapter 51
    In Which Moxy (Once Again) Saves the Day
    â€œThank goodness I’m me,” said Moxy. “Otherwise where would we be?”
    â€œPansy!” Moxy called.
    There was no reply.
    â€œPansy!” Moxy called again. Pansy always came when Moxy called—but not this time. This time she stayed in Ajax’s office.
    â€œPANSY!” Moxy called for the third and final time. But Pansy didn’t appear.

chapter 52
    In Which Moxy Is Forced to Stop What She’s Doing and Look for Pansy
    If I were
Pansy and I thought I was a turtle, where would I look for me?
wondered Moxy.
    Moxy looked everywhere she could think of for her sister—in both of the bathtubs and under all the beds. Finally, she tried Ajax’s office.