The Heinie Prize Read Online Free PDF Page A

Stand Up for Rotten School. Belzer is so loyal! He told me he’d give his life for this school!”
    Mrs. Heinie stared at Belzer. “He would? That’s very interesting…. Could he do it tonight ?”
    I was getting to her. I could see her brain whirring. “I know you’re thinking of Belzer for the Heinie Prize—and you’re right!” I said.
    â€œDid you see the huge box of chocolates Sherman sent me this morning?” Mrs. Heinie said. “That boy really knows how to bribe. I’m just about ready to engrave his name on the trophy.”
    â€œBelzer doesn’t have to bribe!” I cried. “Because he’s a genius!”
    She groaned and rubbed her stomach. “We’ll see what a genius he is when he hands in his term paper.”
    I gulped. “Huh? Term paper?”
    â€œTerm paper,” she said. “You’ve heard those words, right?”
    â€œBut Belzer is way too brilliant to write a term paper,” I said. “He has to think deep thoughts. He has to keep inventing new games.”
    â€œTerm paper,” Mrs. Heinie said. She spelled the words for me.
    I watched her hobble up to her apartment in the attic, holding her stomach.
    â€œTerm paper,” I muttered. “Term paper.”
    Sherman’s bribes were working. He was way ahead of Belzer. Belzer had to write the best term paper ever written. But—how?
    And then three other words popped into my mind: Billy the Brain.

Chapter 14
B RILLIANT !
    Billy the Brain is the smartest kid at Rotten School. He can read a book with one eye closed!
    I knew he was the perfect person to write Belzer’s term paper for him.
    I trotted down the stairs to Billy’s room. I found him in the hall. He was holding the runaway bowling ball in his hands, studying it closely.
    â€œYo, Billy,” I said.
    â€œLook what I found,” he said. He held up the blue and black ball. “I think it fell through the roof. It’s part of an asteroid that must have exploded.”
    â€œNo—” I started.
    â€œCheck out the blue markings in the ancient rock,” Billy said. “Many centuries ago, those could have been rivers.”
    â€œIt’s not an asteroid. It’s a bowling bowl,” I said.
    â€œI knew that!” Billy replied. “I was just testing you.”
    â€œHow did you do on Mr. Boring’s surprise Science quiz?” I asked.
    â€œI aced it,” Billy said. “A solid 36.”
    â€œExcellent!” I cried. I slapped him a high five. I shouldn’t have done it. He dropped the bowling ball on his foot.
    Billy started moaning in pain and hopping up and down on one foot. Some guys came out of their rooms and started clapping along.
    â€œGo back in your rooms. He isn’t dancing!” I shouted.
    They clapped along anyway, until Billy finally stopped hopping. He limped into his room, and I followed him.
    He has big, color posters of human brains on his walls. And a red and gold sign that reads: I’M SMARTER THAN YOU.
    Well, sure, sometimes he brags a little. But a kid who can read an entire comic book in less than a day has a right to brag!
    â€œI need you to do me a favor,” I said. “How long does it take you to write a term paper?”
    â€œAbout ten minutes,” he said. “Unless I’m having a bad day. Then it takes fifteen.”
    â€œCan you write a brilliant term paper for Belzer?” I asked.
    â€œNo problem,” he said. “What is the subject?”
    â€œâ€˜The History of the Internet,’” I told him.
    Billy rubbed his chin. “Very good subject,” he said. “Did you know that before we had computers, people tried to get the Internet on their toasters? But it didn’t work. Toast kept popping up, and they couldn’t read the screen.”
    â€œWell—” I started.
    â€œAnd back in the day, before we had electricity,” Billy said,