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      Soon people began to gather. Some came to help carry in couches,

      tables, beds, an organ. Some came just to meet their new neighbors.

      But the kids arrived to see if there was anyone new their own age.

      For some of the girls, there was.

      “My name’s Marie,” said Marie, and she stuck out her hand to

      the new girl. “This is Noelle and Hailey and Megan.”

      “Hi! I’m Brooke. Brooke Pinnock.”

      Suddenly questions started to fly.

      “Where did you used to live?” asked Noelle.

      “Boston.”

      “What grade are you in?”

      “Fifth.”

      “What do your parents do?” Noelle had lots of questions.

      “My parents aren’t alive. I live with my grandparents. Grandpa just

      retired, and Grandma and Grandpa wanted to move to a smaller town.

      So here we are.”

      “Do you have any older brothers?” This was from Megan.

      “Nope,” said Brooke. “Do you?”

      Megan shook her head no.

      “What did your grandpa do before he retired?” asked Marie.

      Brooke smiled. “He played for the Boston Red Sox.”

      Silence. And then Noelle asked, “Your grandpa played for a

      professional baseball team?”

      “Sure,” said Brooke. “He was good. The best. He also played for

      the Yankees, the White Sox, the Tigers, the Blue Jays—at one time or

      another, he played for every team in the American League. He played

      for forty years!”

      “No one can play for that long,” said Hailey.

      “Grandpa did.”

      “That’s impossible,” insisted Megan. “He’d be worn out long before

      forty years were up.”

      “He did complain about arthritis in his fingers toward the end,”

      said Brooke. “But besides that, he didn’t seem to have much of a

      problem.”

      Megan stepped closer to Brooke. “Look, you don’t have to lie

      to us—”

      “I think she’s just joking,” said Hailey, giving the new girl a chance

      to change her story.

      Brooke smiled and folded her arms. “Grandpa played for forty

      years. I’ll bet anyone ten dollars that I’m telling the truth.”

      “I’ll take that bet,” said Megan.

      “Hey, you don’t have ten dollars—” started Noelle.

      “—Me too!” interrupted Hailey.

      “Wait a minute,” said Marie as she watched the movers carry

      furniture inside the house. “I wouldn’t take that bet if I were you.

      Brooke’s telling the truth. Her grandfather did play for forty years,

      and he played for every American League team. Brooke just left out

      one important detail.”

       What’s the important detail? Tap here to find out.

      Shake, Rattle,

      and Roll Over

      Marie and Noelle love pet-sitting, until a stray shows up.

      Will the girls panic or put the dog in its place?

      “Don’t you love Ralphie?” Noelle asked. “He knows more tricks

      than we do!”

      Mrs. Earl had hired Noelle and Marie to watch the Dalmatian

      while the Earls stayed at a lake cabin for the month. Every week

      Ralphie’s trainer, Madeleine, stopped by to walk the dog to a nearby

      park for lessons. This week the girls tagged along.

      Noelle and Marie watched as Madeleine ran Ralphie through

      his usual tricks: sit, stand, heel, shake, crawl, play dead,

      roll over, and speak.

      “We have a new trick,” said Madeleine. “Jump rope.”

      “Wow,” Noelle whispered.

      After Madeleine finished with the training, she invited Marie

      and Noelle to practice jumping with the dog. As the girls shouted out

      commands, an excited Ralphie showed his talents.

      At the end of class, Madeleine hunched down next to Ralphie.

      She removed a blue metal charm from his collar and replaced it with

      a silver one. “You’re moving up, Ralphie,” she said, rubbing the dog’s

      fur. “Before long, you’ll wear gold!”

      “Do you have a tight hold on his leash?” the trainer

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