The Stinky Sneakers Mystery by Beverly Lewis Page B

project.”
    â€œYou’re wrong, Eric.” Jason turned to go.
    â€œYou think you’re so smart,” Eric kept talking. “But, Jason Birchall, you just wait!”
    Jason wanted to bop his friend. He really wanted to. But he made a fist inside his pocket and punched it into his pants. Then he headed for the steps.

    â€œNo, you wait,” Jason muttered.

FOUR
    It was Wednesday.
    One more day till the science fair began.
    Miss Hershey’s class was ready. Especially Jason.
    At recess he started bragging again. “ My project will take first place.”
    Eric sat on a swing. He pushed his foot into the sand. He was never like this. Too quiet.
    Jason wondered why.
    Dunkum and Shawn came over.“What’s up?” Dunkum asked.
    Jason said, “Eric’s not talking.”
    Dunkum laughed. “Why not?”
    Shawn spoke up. “Maybe still sick?”
    Jason shouted, “He was never sick!”
    Jason paced back and forth in the sand. He wondered why Eric was keeping his project a secret. It worried him.
    Abby and Stacy came over. They wanted to swing.
    Eric got off and went to play ball. Dunkum and Shawn left, too.
    Jason started to leave. Then he heard Abby tell Stacy about her project.
    â€œI can make it rain,” Abby said.
    Stacy giggled. “Sounds drippy.”
    Jason hung around. Abby’s project sounded terrific.
    Abby laughed with her best friend. “It’s simple. All you need is an ice-cold soup dipper and a teapot.”
    Jason couldn’t believe his ears. Where did Abby get such a good idea?
    Then Stacy told Abby about her project. Jason crept closer.
    â€œMy project is called A Tight Squeeze,” said Stacy. “I’m going to show how to make a giant hole out of paper.”
    â€œSounds easy.” Abby began to swing.
    â€œBig enough to put over your head? Oh, and the paper can’t rip while you do it,” Stacy explained.
    Abby stopped swinging. “Now that sounds hard.”
    â€œSure does,” Jason said.
    The girls looked up. “You were snooping!” Abby said.
    Jason grinned.
    â€œBy the way, how are your super sprouts doing?” Abby asked.
    Jason stood tall. He stuck out his chest. “My sprouts are super and they’re sprouting. That’s how they’re doing.”
    The girls giggled. “What a silly project,” Stacy said.
    â€œIs not!” Jason replied.
    They began to chant. “Jason’s growing super sprouts . . . super sprouts . . . super sprouts.”
    Then they started giggling again.
    Jason couldn’t stand it. He ran to the ball field.
    The girls had no right to make fun of his sprouts.
    Super or not.

FIVE
    On the way home from school, Dunkum told about his science project. “I’m doing a taste test.”
    â€œYou’re going to feed us?” Jason said.
    Dunkum nodded. “Just some turnips, carrots, and an apple.”
    â€œSounds yucky,” Jason said.
    â€œBet you can’t tell the difference between them,” Dunkum said.
    â€œBet I can,” Jason said. “Easy!”
    Dunkum’s eyebrows shot up. “We’ll see.”
    Shawn nodded. “Dunkum have super tongue.”
    Dunkum chuckled.
    But Eric was silent.
    â€œWhat about your project?” Jason asked Shawn.
    â€œI make you see sound,” he said. “I make sound dance on wall.”
    â€œAre you joking?” Jason asked. “You can’t do that!”
    Shawn’s dark eyes were shining. “You will see.”
    â€œTomorrow,” Dunkum said.
    â€œTomorrow!” Jason shouted. But he was thinking about his project. Not Shawn’s.
    Jason dashed home to check his sprouts.
    His mother was waiting at the door. “Time for a snack.” She gave him a hug.
    Jason took his afternoon pill with his snack. Then he ran to his room.
    Sunshine poured onto the windowsill.
    He hurried over to his super sprouts. Bright green.
    Next he touched