Sly the Sleuth and the Sports Mysteries Read Online Free PDF Page B

better.”
    â€œHow’s that acting then? I mean, if you experience it, you’re not acting.”
    â€œDon’t argue with me, Sly. It’s not my idea. I just thought that if the coach saw me swimming good, he’d think I was a natural for the part.”
    â€œYou are a natural for the part.”
    â€œYou’re just saying that because you’re my best friend.”
    â€œI’m saying it because you’re so dramatic.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYou’d be better if you had a fish tail,” said Brian.
    â€œThe costume will have a fish tail,” said Melody.
    â€œGood.” Brian jumped in a circle. “I want a fish tail too.”
    â€œIf I get the part, I’ll let you wear it sometimes.”
    â€œYay.”
    â€œNow you can quit the swim team,” I said. “Let’s celebrate.”
    â€œI’ll go get more cookies,” said Brian.
Cleats
    On Friday Melody came into the lunchroom with her backpack on again.
    I stared. “What now?”
    â€œSoccer shoes.” Melody put her backpack on the bench beside her. “Beat-up ones. They smell.”
    â€œWell, at least this proves you aren’t losing your mind,” I said.
    â€œWho would put smelly old soccer shoes in my cubby?”
    Disappearing ballet slippers. Disappearing swim fins.And now magically appearing soccer shoes.
    They all had to do with feet.
    â€œWho cares about your feet, Melody? Besides you, I mean.”
    â€œMy daddy does. He tickles them.”
    â€œOther than him?”
    â€œNo one.”
    â€œLet’s be logical about this. Someone took away your ballet slippers, so you couldn’t have a good lesson.”
    Melody nodded.
    â€œAnd someone took away your swim fins, so you couldn’t have a good practice.”
    Melody nodded.
    â€œSomeone doesn’t want you dancing or swimming. But someone wants you playing soccer.”
    â€œI don’t like soccer,” said Melody. “I’ll just throw them away.”
    She opened her pack and I saw the shoes inside.
    â€œThose aren’t for soccer. The spikes are metal. Those are for baseball.” I turned a cleat over. Written in red crayon on the bottom was the number 2. I recognized red crayon numbers. “Eat, Melody. And when Jack sits down with us, don’t leave, no matter what he says.”
    â€œWhat makes you so sure Jack will sit with us again?”
    Just then Kate came over. She looked me up and down. “It doesn’t matter if you’re short.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œCheerleading.You can do it,” said Kate.
    Jack jumped out at all of us.
    â€œYou’re good at jumping,” said Kate. “You’d make a good cheerleader.”
    â€œI’m a guy,” said Jack.
    â€œGuys can be cheerleaders,” said Kate. “I’m putting together a squad.We’re going to jump high.”
    â€œYou better not jump higher than me,” said Jack. “I’m tired of people doing things better than me.”
    Suddenly a memory came. A while back Melody had told Jack she kicked better than him. That cinched it. “What else did you get at Goodwill yesterday, Jack?”
    â€œHow did you know I was there?”
    â€œJoin the cheerleading squad,” said Kate. She can be very persistent.
    â€œYou bought these.” I put the smelly baseball cleats on the table.
    â€œThat’s disgusting,” said Kate. She left.
    â€œYou’re the one who took Melody’s ballet slippers.”
    â€œI gave them back,” said Jack.
    â€œAnd you took her swim fins.”
    â€œI gave them back too,” said Jack.
    â€œAnd you left these cleats in her cubby.”
    â€œAnd they smell,” said Melody.
    â€œThere’s no rule against that,” said Jack.

    â€œThere is a rule against stealing,” said Melody.
    â€œIt’s not stealing if you give it back,” said Jack.