Punk'd and Skunked Read Online Free PDF Page B

dinner in the woods? Does a guppy take his vacation in a fishbowl?
    Of COURSE we won big-time.
    I know. I know. I said we weren’t going to play. But Bernie B. just couldn’t say no.
    Feldspar, Corky, and Nicki showed up to play. Belzer had a stomachache from swallowing a chicken leg whole at dinner. So it was just Feenman, Crench, and me. We found a table in a quiet corner of the game room.
    Check it out. This was not like the game room at Rotten School—two card tables, a candy vending machine, and a Ping-Pong table.
    The game room at this school looked like a huge electronics store. Every video and arcade game you could think of—and big flat-screen monitors to play them on. I saw pinball machines and a bowling alley, Skee-Ball, and a basketball court.
    That’s a game room! How did these rich dudes ever get to class?
    Feldspar shuffled the cards. “So, you guys have never played poker before?” he asked.
    â€œIs it anything like Go Fish?” I asked.
    â€œA little,” he said.
    â€œGambling! I feel so bold !” Corky said. “Maybe I’m starting a new Pigge family tradition tonight!”
    Feldspar piled a big stack of poker chips onto the card table.
    â€œI’ve never played with those little plastic things,” I said. “Is it hard?”
    â€œLet’s keep it simple,” Feldspar said. “We’ll just use the dollar chips.” He started to deal the cards.
    â€œIs it good to have a five?” Corky asked.
    â€œWhat does a two count for?” Nicki asked.
    My heart was pounding. I didn’t want to do it. I knew I should be back at the dorm, dreaming up an invention. But my fingers were itching! I had to play. And I had to win. It’s in my blood.
    I’ll skip the gruesome details. Two hours later I had a big grin on my face and two tall stacks of chips in front of me.
    The three Preppy Prep Prepsters didn’t look happy. They were moaning and making soft, whimpering sounds. I saw teardrops on their polo shirts.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said. “Wouldn’t you know it? I had all the luck tonight.” I counted the chips. “You owe me twenty dollars each,” I said. “Pay up.”
    The three of them pulled out their wallets.
    â€œDo you have change for a hundred?” Feldspar asked.
    â€œHuh?” I stared at the hundred dollar bill in his hand. “No. I…uh…”
    â€œThe smallest I have is a five hundred,” Corky said. “Can you change it?”
    â€œI just have credit cards,” Nicki said. “I never carry cash.”
    Whoa. She’s in fourth grade, and she only carries credit cards?!
    â€œI don’t have change,” I said. I forced a smile to my face. “Besides, I’d never take your money. We were just playing for fun—right?”
    â€œWe can donate the money to charity,” Feldspar said. “How about the Bow Tie Fund?”
    I sighed. “Yes,” I said weakly. “Bow Ties for the poor. Such a good cause.”
    They put their money and their credit cards back in their wallets and hurried away.
    Feenman, Crench, and I couldn’t move. We stayed hunched at the table, staring sadly at the piles of chips.
    â€œWe got nothing,” Crench muttered. “Zero. Nada .”
    â€œWe’ve been punk’d and skunked,” Feenman said.
    I looked up and saw Alli and Feldspar running back to us. “By the way, guys,” Alli said. “I hope you downloaded the schedule. Round One of the Make-a-Great-Invention contest is first thing tomorrow morning.”
    I started to gasp, but I held it in and made it looklike a burp. “Round One?” I asked.
    She nodded. “Yes. The judges will look at all five inventions. The kids whose invention comes in last will be out . They’ll have to go home.”
    â€œBut we just got here!” Feenman cried.
    Feldspar grinned at us. “Hope I didn’t keep you