“Look, there’s Casey,” Marvin said. “Watch. I bet you she’ll talk.”
Casey was buddies with Judy.
“I don’t care,” said Stuart.
“I don’t care either,” said Marvin.
Mrs. North started out at the front, but then she drifted back until she was walking next to Judy and Casey.
“Darn!” said Marvin. “Now she won’t say anything with Mrs. North right there.”
“I don’t care,” said Stuart.
“Me neither,” said Marvin.
“I hope it’s all right for you to be outside,” he heard Mrs. North say. “I wouldn’t want your throat to get worse.”
Casey shrugged.
“The fresh air will be good for her,” said Judy.
Marvin turned to Stuart. “How does Judy know?” he asked. “Is she a doctor?”
“Who cares?” asked Stuart.
“Not me,” said Marvin.
There was a big playscape at Lake Park and a huge spider web made out of rope, which was fun to climb.
Mrs. North told the class to have fun.
Marvin didn’t feel like having fun. He watched Casey and Judy walk down the path to the lake.
“C’mon, Marvin!” Stuart called as he ran to the spider web.
Marvin stayed behind. He knew Casey and Judy were going off by themselves so they could talk. This was his chance to catch her. He waited for them to get a head start, then followed them.
There were lots of trees on either side of the path. Marvin crept quietly from tree to tree.
The two girls stopped near the edge of the lake. Marvin remained behind a tree. It looked as if they were talking, but Casey had her back to him. He was still too far away to hear.
He moved closer.
He heard a laugh. He
didn’t know if it came from Judy or Casey, but either way it proved Casey could talk. If Judy was the one who laughed, it meant that Casey must have said something funny.
He carefully moved to a closer tree, then quickly darted to a bush, less than ten feet away from the girls. He tried not to breathe.
“Sh!” said Judy. “I think I hear someone.”
Marvin remained very still.
“We know you’re there, Marvin!” said Judy.
For a moment, Marvin didn’t say anything. Then he stepped out from behind the bush.
“I heard you!” he declared. “Casey talked.”