The Stinky Sneakers Mystery by Beverly Lewis Page A

the phone.
    â€œHello?” Jason said.
    â€œHi,” Eric said. “You know that sprout project of yours?”
    Jason yawned. “Uh-huh.”
    â€œWell, don’t plan on winning first place.” Eric sounded too sure of himself.
    â€œWhy not?” Jason asked.
    â€œBecause there’s no chance,” Eric replied. “No chance you’ll get first place.”
    Jason took off his glasses. He stared at them. “That’s what you think!” he said and hung up the phone.

    The next day was Tuesday. Eric was absent from school. He never missed!
    Jason felt jumpy. He got that way when he didn’t take his pills. Being an A.D.D. kid was hard. But the pills helped him think about his work.
    Today was different. He’d taken his pills at breakfast, but he was still jumpy. Jason jittered. He twittered.
    Something kept zipping around in his brain. He worried all through math and history. Through recess and lunch.
    Eric Hagel was never sick. Why had he stayed home?
    During afternoon recess, Dunkum shot baskets with Jason. “Stop worrying,”Dunkum said. “Eric’s probably just sick.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Jason asked.
    Dunkum shrugged. “I don’t.”
    Jason told him about Eric’s sneaky smile. Then he told him about Eric’s phone call. “He’s acting weird,” Jason said.
    Dunkum only laughed. “Eric wouldn’t stay home to do a science project. No way!”
    Jason dribbled the ball. He aimed, shot, and missed. “Well, I think something’s up.”
    Dunkum’s turn. He shot and made it. “You’ll see. There’s probably nothing to worry about.”
    The bell rang.
    Jason raced into the school building. Maybe Dunkum is right, he thought. Maybe there isn’t anything to worry about.
    He went to his desk and opened hismath book. But Jason couldn’t get Eric’s sly smile out of his mind.
    â€œJason,” Miss Hershey called, “please come to the board.”
    Jason went. He tried not to look at Eric’s empty desk.
    Why had Eric stayed home?
    What was really going on?

THREE
    The last bell rang.
    Jason didn’t walk home with the Cul-de-sac Kids. He ran straight to Eric’s house. Right up to his front porch.
    Eric’s grandpa sat in a wicker chair. “Hello, Jason,” Mr. Hagel said.
    â€œHow are you today?” Jason asked.
    The old man chuckled. “Not too bad for my age.”
    Jason wondered, Should I ask about Eric?
    Mr. Hagel peered over his newspaper.“If you’re looking for Eric, he’s upstairs in bed.”
    Jason remembered what Dunkum had said. “Is . . . is Eric too sick for company?” he asked.
    â€œMy goodness, no.” Mr. Hagel waved his hand. “Go wake him. He’s sleeping the daylight away.”
    Jason wondered about that. “What’s wrong with Eric?”
    â€œAh, nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
    â€œSleep?” Jason said. “Eric’s not sick?”
    The old man shook his head. “My grandson is mighty busy these days. I think he was up half the night.”
    â€œBusy with science?” Jason asked.
    Mr. Hagel chuckled. “That’s right.”
    Jason opened the screen door and marched into Eric’s house. Up the stairs and right into his friend’s bedroom.
    Eric was working at his desk. Still wearing pj’s.
    â€œLooks like you’re not very sick,” Jason said.
    Eric leaped out of his chair. He stood in front of his desk. “What . . . what are you doing here?”
    Jason inched closer, but Eric didn’t move.
    â€œI said, what are you doing here?”
    Jason pushed up his glasses. “Your grandpa told me to wake you.”
    Eric shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”
    â€œGo and ask,” Jason said.
    â€œIt’s a trick,” Eric said. “You just want to see my science