Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes Read Online Free PDF Page B

It’s only the steps.
    I tiptoed through the darkened living room and into the kitchen. I heard a
low, rustling sound behind me. My heart started to pound.
    I whirled around.
    Nothing there.
    You’re hearing things, I told myself.
    I stumbled forward in the dark. Closed my hand around the doorknob.
    And two powerful hands grabbed me from behind!

 
 
10
     
     
    “Where do you think you’re going?”
    Mindy!
    I breathed a sigh of relief. And yanked myself away from her grasp.
    “I’m going for a midnight snack,” I whispered, rubbing my neck. “I’m going to
eat the rest of Mr. McCall’s stupid melons.”
    I pretended to cram my mouth full and chew. “Yum! Casabas. I need more
casabas!”
    “Joe! You’d better not!” Mindy whispered in alarm.
    “Hey, I’m kidding,” I said. “Buster is howling like crazy. I’m going out to
calm him down.”
    Mindy yawned. “If Mom and Dad catch you sneaking out in the middle of the
night…”
    “It’ll just take a few minutes.” I stepped outside. The damp night air sent a
small chill down my back. I gazed up at the starless night sky.
    Buster’s pitiful howls rose from the back.
    “I’m coming,” I called in a loud whisper. “It’s okay, boy.”
    Buster’s howls dropped to quiet whimpers.
    I took a step forward. Something rustled through the grass. I froze in place.
And squinted into the darkness. Two small figures scampered by the side of the
house. They scraped across the yard and disappeared into the night.
    Probably raccoons.
    Raccoons?
    That’s the answer! The raccoons must have eaten Mr. McCall’s melon. I wanted
to wake up Dad and tell him. But I decided to wait till morning.
    I felt much better. That meant that Buster could be set free. I made my way
over to Buster and sat next to him on the dew-wet grass.
    “Buster,” I whispered. “I’m here.”
    His big brown eyes drooped sadly. I threw my arms around his furry neck. “You
won’t be tied up for long, Buster,” I promised. “You’ll see. I’ll tell Dad about
the raccoons first thing in the morning.”
    Buster licked my hand gratefully. “And tomorrow I’ll take you for a long
walk,” I whispered. “How’s that, boy? Now go to sleep.”
    I slipped back inside the house and jumped into bed. I felt good. I had
solved the mystery of the melon. Our troubles with Mr. McCall were over, I
thought.
    But I thought wrong.
    Our troubles were just beginning.
     
    “I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!” Mr. McCall’s cries cut through the
quiet morning, waking me from my heavy sleep.
    I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock radio. Six-thirty A.M.
    What’s all the screaming about?
    I hopped out of bed and hurried downstairs, yawning and stretching. Mom, Dad,
and Mindy were at the front door, still in pajamas and robes.
    “What’s happening?” I asked.
    “It’s Bill!” Dad cried. “Come on!”
    We piled outside and stared into our neighbors’ garden.
    Mr. McCall hung over his vegetable patch in a tattered
blue-and-white-checkered robe. He grabbed frantically at his casaba melons,
screaming.
    Moose and his mother stood behind Mr. McCall in their robes, wide-eyed and
silent. Instead of her usual friendly smile, Moose’s mom wore a grim frown.
    Mr. McCall lifted his head from the garden. “Ruined!” he roared. “They’re
totally ruined!”
    “Oh, boy,” Dad muttered. “We’d better get over there, Marion.” He started
across our front lawn. Mom, Mindy, and I followed.
    “Take it easy, Bill,” my dad said calmly as he stepped into the McCalls’ front yard. “Nothing is worth getting so upset
about.”
    “Easy? Take it easy?” Mr. McCall shrieked. The vein in his forehead throbbed.
    The raccoons, I thought. They attacked the casabas again. I’ve got to tell
Dad. Now. Before Buster gets blamed for this, too.
    Mr. McCall cradled his four casaba melons in his hands. They were still
attached to the vine.
    “I came out to water my casabas and I found this…