you’ll be bringing horses to Longfellow School.’
‘We have our own animals,’ she said. ‘The families could do something that has to do with hamsters and frogs.’
‘Spin a wheel like Humphrey?’ Mr Brisbane said.
His wife nodded. ‘Run a maze.’
Just then, Og made a spectacular leap into the water side of his tank.
‘A water tank?’ Mrs Brisbane asked.
‘Leapfrog,’ Mr Brisbane said.
Suddenly, they both laughed. I laughed, too, at the thought of frogs leaping over each other.
‘I think we’re on to something,’ Mrs Brisbane said.
Bert nodded. ‘Thanks to Humphrey and Og … as always.’
‘You’re welcome!’ I squeaked.
I didn’t sleep much that night. I was too busy thinking about animal acts for the circus.
I knew that Og and I couldn’t do what the fearsome animals did. But still … we could help our human friends if we just found a way.
Mrs Brisbane slept late on Saturday and spent the rest of the day cleaning out a cupboard and filling boxes with clothes and books and all kinds of things to give away. She called it ‘spring cleaning’.
Bert cleaned out his cupboard as well.
‘What about the circus?’ I squeaked when they both settled down in the living room for a cup of tea after dinner.
‘Humphrey, you’re always telling us what to do,’ Mrs Brisbane said. ‘If we could only understand you.’
‘I do have great ideas sometimes,’ I said. ‘Iwish you could understand me, too!’
I was never completely sure whether Og could understand me, either, but he chimed in with a very loud ‘BOING!’
The Brisbanes both laughed long and hard.
‘I wish they could come here every weekend,’ Mr Brisbane said.
Mrs Brisbane nodded. ‘But my students get so much out of having Humphrey come home with them.’
It was true. I was a big help to my fellow students. But I wanted to help my teacher as well.
‘I have some new thoughts about the circus acts,’ Mr Brisbane said. ‘You’ll need a ringmaster. Or ringmistress.’
‘GOOD-GOOD-GOOD!’ I exclaimed.
Mrs Brisbane yawned loudly. ‘Good idea, Bert,’ she said. ‘But right now I just want to get some sleep.’
‘Tomorrow,’ Mr Brisbane said.
‘Tomorrow,’ Mrs Brisbane agreed.
They headed towards the bedroom.
‘Og,’ I squeaked to my friend. ‘It sounds like we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to findout what Room Twenty-six is doing for Family Fun Night.’
‘BOING,’ he said.
It was a very disappointed ‘BOING’.
9 A Change of Plan
The Brisbanes’ house was calm and cosy. I slept a lot more there than I do in Room 26. I guess maybe I needed a holiday just like everybody else!
Early in the week, Mrs Brisbane got a call from Cassie’s mum.
I knew that because I could hear Mrs Brisbane say, ‘Thanks for calling me back. How is Cassie?’ And, ‘I’m glad the doctor said she’s fine.’
That was GOOD-GOOD-GOOD news.
Mrs Brisbane listened for a while. Then she said, ‘If you’re free, would you like to come over here so we could talk?’ She paused and then said, ‘Yes, of course, bring Cassie. I think Humphreyand Og could do with some company.’
As much as I love the Brisbanes, it was true. I missed my classmates. After all, I am a classroom pet.
Later in the day, the doorbell rang. Mrs Brisbane led Cassie and her mum into the living room.
I leaped up and squeaked, ‘HI-HI-HI, Cassie!’
Even Og splashed around in the water side of his tank. ‘BOING-BOING-BOING!’ he shouted.
Cassie raced over to see us. She looked unsqueakably happy, as if her stomach didn’t hurt at all. She asked if she could put me in my hamster ball, and before I knew it, I was rolling around the room.
Mr Brisbane offered them lemonade, and they all gathered around the living room table to talk.
‘The doctor said that Cassie gets very anxious about tests and things like that,’ Cassie’s mum said. ‘Cassie told me you suggested deep breathing, which I think is great.’
‘Does it help, Cassie?’
‘We have our own animals,’ she said. ‘The families could do something that has to do with hamsters and frogs.’
‘Spin a wheel like Humphrey?’ Mr Brisbane said.
His wife nodded. ‘Run a maze.’
Just then, Og made a spectacular leap into the water side of his tank.
‘A water tank?’ Mrs Brisbane asked.
‘Leapfrog,’ Mr Brisbane said.
Suddenly, they both laughed. I laughed, too, at the thought of frogs leaping over each other.
‘I think we’re on to something,’ Mrs Brisbane said.
Bert nodded. ‘Thanks to Humphrey and Og … as always.’
‘You’re welcome!’ I squeaked.
I didn’t sleep much that night. I was too busy thinking about animal acts for the circus.
I knew that Og and I couldn’t do what the fearsome animals did. But still … we could help our human friends if we just found a way.
Mrs Brisbane slept late on Saturday and spent the rest of the day cleaning out a cupboard and filling boxes with clothes and books and all kinds of things to give away. She called it ‘spring cleaning’.
Bert cleaned out his cupboard as well.
‘What about the circus?’ I squeaked when they both settled down in the living room for a cup of tea after dinner.
‘Humphrey, you’re always telling us what to do,’ Mrs Brisbane said. ‘If we could only understand you.’
‘I do have great ideas sometimes,’ I said. ‘Iwish you could understand me, too!’
I was never completely sure whether Og could understand me, either, but he chimed in with a very loud ‘BOING!’
The Brisbanes both laughed long and hard.
‘I wish they could come here every weekend,’ Mr Brisbane said.
Mrs Brisbane nodded. ‘But my students get so much out of having Humphrey come home with them.’
It was true. I was a big help to my fellow students. But I wanted to help my teacher as well.
‘I have some new thoughts about the circus acts,’ Mr Brisbane said. ‘You’ll need a ringmaster. Or ringmistress.’
‘GOOD-GOOD-GOOD!’ I exclaimed.
Mrs Brisbane yawned loudly. ‘Good idea, Bert,’ she said. ‘But right now I just want to get some sleep.’
‘Tomorrow,’ Mr Brisbane said.
‘Tomorrow,’ Mrs Brisbane agreed.
They headed towards the bedroom.
‘Og,’ I squeaked to my friend. ‘It sounds like we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to findout what Room Twenty-six is doing for Family Fun Night.’
‘BOING,’ he said.
It was a very disappointed ‘BOING’.
9 A Change of Plan
The Brisbanes’ house was calm and cosy. I slept a lot more there than I do in Room 26. I guess maybe I needed a holiday just like everybody else!
Early in the week, Mrs Brisbane got a call from Cassie’s mum.
I knew that because I could hear Mrs Brisbane say, ‘Thanks for calling me back. How is Cassie?’ And, ‘I’m glad the doctor said she’s fine.’
That was GOOD-GOOD-GOOD news.
Mrs Brisbane listened for a while. Then she said, ‘If you’re free, would you like to come over here so we could talk?’ She paused and then said, ‘Yes, of course, bring Cassie. I think Humphreyand Og could do with some company.’
As much as I love the Brisbanes, it was true. I missed my classmates. After all, I am a classroom pet.
Later in the day, the doorbell rang. Mrs Brisbane led Cassie and her mum into the living room.
I leaped up and squeaked, ‘HI-HI-HI, Cassie!’
Even Og splashed around in the water side of his tank. ‘BOING-BOING-BOING!’ he shouted.
Cassie raced over to see us. She looked unsqueakably happy, as if her stomach didn’t hurt at all. She asked if she could put me in my hamster ball, and before I knew it, I was rolling around the room.
Mr Brisbane offered them lemonade, and they all gathered around the living room table to talk.
‘The doctor said that Cassie gets very anxious about tests and things like that,’ Cassie’s mum said. ‘Cassie told me you suggested deep breathing, which I think is great.’
‘Does it help, Cassie?’
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