Maybelle Goes to School (5 page)

“Ohhh,” Mr. Peabody moaned. He held her at arm's length so she wouldn't ruin his clothes. “The beautiful stripes! The shiny coat! Gone!”

“Our poor Precious! It isn't her fault this school is full of revolting bugs,” Mrs. Peabody said. “I expect you to complain to the Principal, Herbert.”

“I intend to, dear,” Mr. Peabody said.

The Peabodys carried their cat off in a huff.

Maybelle grabbed Henry and hid under a table while the children in the lunchroom settled down.

“I'm keeping the pants, Maybelle,” Henry announced. “They make my legs look longer.”

Maybelle rolled her eyes. “Well, come on, then.” She took one of Henry's legs and pulled him along. “We have to figure out a way to get home.”

“We have to go the same way we came,” Henry said.

“Then we can't let the Peabodys leave school without us.” Maybelle pulled Henry faster. She headed back to the Tower of Taste.

All she had to do to get there was cross the lunchroom dragging a Dressed Flea. And scurry through dozens of small humans with little eyes to see her and little feet to squash her. And …

Oh dear!

 

11

ZOOOM!

On the way to the Tower of Taste, Maybelle stopped to rest under a napkin.

“BRRZZZT! Coming down!” Maurice landed on the napkin and peeked at Maybelle and Henry.

“Whoa! I like your pants, little fella.” He turned to Maybelle. “There's better stuff to eat around here than a napkin with mustard on it, Missy,” he said to her. “Try the Mystery Meat. Yum! BRZZZT!” Maurice rubbed his greasy legs together.

“I'm scared and tired, Maurice. I just want to go home. I've got to get back to the Tower of Taste.”

“You need wheels,” Maurice said. “There's a kid playing with a windup car at the next table. Follow me.”

With Maurice flying overhead and buzzing directions, Maybelle and Henry made their dangerous way up onto the table.

“Now, Missy,” Maurice called down, “hide behind a carton of milk. When the car goes by, jump in. ZRRRT!” Maurice did a loop-the-loop in the air. “BZRRRT!”

Beau Snodgrass wound up his little red race car as tight as tight could be. He let it go.
ZOOM!

“Hang on to me, Henry.” Maybelle counted
one, two, three
. As the car raced past, she jumped in.

WHOA! That little car was fast! It tore down the table, over the edge, and into the air.

“Going up!” Maurice yelled. “BZZRT!”

The two friends were flying!
ZOOM!

 

12

The Last Straw

The car hit the floor with a
thump
. Maybelle and Henry almost bounced out. Then the tires squealed and the car took off across the lunchroom.

The Red Racer was fast, but—

“Steer!” Henry cried. They just missed hitting a tennis shoe.

“I don't know how, Henry!”

Maybelle and Henry squeezed their eyes closed.

Meanwhile, the Peabodys looked at what was left of Mrs. Peabody's famous Ten-Layer Tower of Taste. It was sadly reduced in height. There were paw prints all over it. There was a bit of cat hair stuck in the icing.

“Such a shame about your cake,” Mildred Snodgrass said. “I myself don't keep cats.” She gazed proudly at her own Mocha Majesty. Now
she
had the prettiest cake at the bake sale.

“It isn't Ramona's fault. This school is crawling with bugs,” Mr. Peabody said.

Mrs. Peabody sniffed and wiped her eyes. “This is Absolutely, Positively DREADFUL! If I see another bug, I'm going to—”

Just then, the little Red Racer rolled over her toes.

 

13

On the Road Again

Mrs. Peabody looked down. “EEEEEK!” she shrieked. “They're teaching bugs to
drive
at this school! I want to go home, Herbert!”

The Racer tipped over on the other side of Mrs. Peabody's shoe and spilled Henry and Maybelle onto the floor. Maybelle ran for cover with Henry still holding on to her.

“This place is full of bugs,” Mr. Peabody complained to the Principal.

“I was too busy watching a Certain Cat destroy my lunchroom to notice any bugs,” the Principal said.

“I'll have you know my wife was just attacked by a cockroach driving a car!”

The Principal smiled. “We all know that cockroaches don't drive cars, sir.”

“It was a very
small
car.” Mr. Peabody sniffed.

While the Peabodys complained, Maybelle hid in the mess that had been the Tower of Taste. She was going home the way she came. Henry joined her.

“I can't get out of here fast enough, Henry. This place is full of humans.”

“BRZZZRT! Coming down!” Maurice landed on the platter. “Whoa, Missy. You were pretty hard on this cake.”

“I don't want to talk about it,” Maybelle said. “We're going home. Do you want to come?”

“Not a chance.” Maurice rubbed his legs together. “ZRRRT! I'm hoping that food on the floor out there starts to rot. Then, oh boy!” Maurice looked at Henry. “The pants make your legs look longer, kid. BRZZZZT! Going up!” He was gone.