The Halloween Hoax Read Online Free PDF Page A

whispered.
    â€œWho cares?” George whispered back. “We’re in!”
    They were halfway down the hall when Nancy spotted Kirby. The strands of his blond hair were sticking way up in the air.
    â€œHi, Kirby,” Nancy said. “New haircut?”
    â€œGotta go!” Kirby blurted. He turned and slipped into one of the studios.
    â€œBess? George?” Nancy asked. “Did you see Kirby? He looked like a porcupine!”
    â€œForget Kirby,” said George. “Look at Chip!”
    George pointed inside the makeup room. Chip was sitting in one of the chairs whileLucinda sprayed her with pink glitter.
    â€œWhat are you doing to my dog?” Nancy demanded.
    â€œCoco is going to be on the five o’clock news,” Lucinda explained. “They’re doing a segment on Halloween makeup that’s safe for dogs.”
    Another woman appeared at the door. In her arms was a little white dog with a ruby collar.
    â€œWhat is that dog doing here?” she exclaimed, pointing to Chip. “Coco and I drove two hours just to be here today!”
    Lucinda froze with the can in her hand. “Coco?” she exclaimed. She looked at Chocolate Chip. “Then who’s this?”
    â€œCoco’s understudy,” George said quickly.
    Chip barked and jumped off the chair. She shot right past Nancy and out the door.
    â€œChip—come back!” Nancy cried.
    People stopped to stare as Nancy, Bess, and George chased Chip down the hall.
    â€œShe’s going crazy!” George said as they ran. “Just like that dog in the movie.”
    â€œMaybe she saw a ghost!” Bess panted.
    â€œNo way!” said Nancy. “That woman must have scared her, that’s all.”
    Chip slid on the floor as she rounded the corner. The three girls ran around the corner too. They skidded to a stop when they saw a man with wild hair and a bright orange lab coat. The man laughed as he held Chocolate Chip.
    â€œMwah, hah, hah,” he said. “Cute puppy!”
    Nancy gulped as she recognized the man at once.
    â€œDr. Funk-n-Stine!”

Chapter Seven
    Follow That Ghost!
    The girls were too scared to scream. They were too frozen with fear to run.
    â€œWoof!” Chip barked. She jumped out of Dr. Funk-n-Stine’s arms and ran straight to Nancy.
    â€œG-g-good girl!” Nancy stammered.
    She scooped Chip up and ran with her friends out of the TV station. Mrs. Marvin’s car was waiting for them.
    â€œThat was him,” George said as they raced to the car. “That was Dr. Funk-n-Stine!”
    â€œHe said he would be back,” added Bess.
    Nancy hugged her puppy tight. She didn’t want to believe in ghosts. But seeing wasbelieving. And she was pretty sure she had just seen the ghost of Dr. Funk-n-Stine!
    â€œTrick or treat, smell my feet!” Henderson sang as he ran through the school yard. “Give me something good to eat!”
    Nancy watched as Henderson’s red superhero cape flapped behind him. It was Halloween morning. Some of the kids at school were already dressed in their costumes.
    â€œOkay, Clue Crew,” George said. “What do we tell Shelby when we see her?”
    â€œIt’s a no-brainer,” Bess answered. “We tell her we saw a real live—I mean, real dead—ghost. Right, Nancy?”
    â€œI guess.” Nancy sighed. She’d been up all night trying to come up with a reason for seeing Dr. Funk-n-Stine. But she couldn’t think of one.
    â€œWell, I declare,” Nadine’s voice said. “I do believe it’s the Clue Crew.”
    Nadine fluttered a lacy fan before her faceas she walked over. She was wearing an old-fashioned dress with puffy sleeves. The dress was so long it skimmed the ground.
    â€œPretty costume, Nadine,” Nancy said. “Are you going trick-or-treating tonight?”
    â€œI should say not !” Nadine replied. She tossed her long curls dramatically.