Ann Martin - Baby-Sitters Club 037

Karen thought for a moment. "I'll go in first," she said. She picked up a broken flashlight. "If I'm not back in a few minutes, you better call the mountain rangers." "Good idea," David Michael told her. "I think I can signal them. It's a good thing I know Morse code." He scrambled through a cigar box filled with toys and picked out a set of fake teeth. He clicked the teeth together a few times. "We're lucky this is still working." "I want to do Morse code! I want to do Morse code!" Andrew shouted.

"Sssh," Karen said. "You'll wake up the bear if he's sleeping inside. Do you know how mad they get if you wake them up when they're hibernating? That's all we need!" "Sorry," Andrew said, clapping his hand over his mouth. "Please can I do Morse code?" he whispered.

David Michael handed him the plastic teeth. "Just remember that SOS is three short, three long, and three short. You got it?" He clicked the teeth together to show him.

"I got it." "Places everyone," Karen said. "I'm going in now. Andrew, are you ready?" "I'm ready with the teeth. I mean the Morse code!" "David Michael?" "I'm standing by with the - " He spotted a pile of branches nearby. "The bonfire!" "Why do we need a bonfire?" Kristy asked.

David Michael rolled his eyes. "In case the Morse code doesn't work. I can always light the bonfire and use smoke signals to get the mountain ranger." "Oh, right. Good idea." Kristy smiled to herself. The kids were really getting into it. She could hardly wait to tell the BSC members this at the next club meeting.

"Me, too! Me, too! Me, too!" Emily said, tugging at Karen's T-shirt.

"She wants something to do," Kristy said. "Let's give her a job." "I know. You can wish me luck. I have a very dangerous job ahead of me," Karen said seriously. She walked over to Emily and shook hands. "Say 'Good luck,' " she prompted.

"Good luck," Emily said, smiling. Kristy had no idea if she knew what 'good luck' meant, but she knew Emily was happy to be included.

"Here goes," Karen said dramatically. She took a deep breath and crawled inside the tent.

Everyone else crouched down and waited outside, ready to run, if necessary. A few moments passed, and then Karen reappeared. "It's all safe," she said. "There are no bears inside. At least right this minute." "What do you mean, right this minute?" David Michael asked.

Karen looked over her shoulder as if she expected a bear to appear at any moment. "I don't want to scare anyone," she said slowly, "but I have to warn you that I found a pot of honey inside." "Honey!" Andrew clapped his hands over his mouth.

Karen nodded. "And you know what that means," she said, looking around the group.

"What does it mean?" David Michael looked blank.

Karen nudged him. "It means there must have been a bear in there." "Oh, right." David Michael scuffed the dirt with his toe and looked a little embarrassed. "So what do we do now?" "Well, I think we should all go into the tent," Karen said, holding the flap open. "But make sure you rig up a bear alert outside for us." "A bear alert?" David Michael brightened.

"That's a great idea. You go in and I'll fix one." Kristy trooped inside with the younger kids, and for a minute everyone was quiet. It was pretty hot and uncomfortable in the tent, and she wondered what Karen was going to come up with next. Luckily she didn't have to wait long.

Emily was yawning when Karen grabbed Kristy's arm. "Did you feel that?" "Feel what?" Kristy asked.

"The ground just shook," Karen said, looking at each of the kids. "I think we're in for an earthquake." "No!" Andrew screamed. "What should we do?" "Let's all hold hands," Karen said calmly. "That way nobody will be swept away when it happens again." Emily glanced at Kristy, her eyes wide as saucers, and Kristy scooped her onto her lap. "Don't worry, Emily," she said, holding her very tightly. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." "There it goes again," Karen said. She fell against the side of the tent, and Andrew did the same thing. "Hold on tight, everybody!" "Wait a minute," Andrew yelled. "What about David Michael? He's outside making that dumb bear alert!" "We'll have to help him," Karen said firmly. "Andrew, rescue David Michael." Andrew looked impressed. "Wow!" "Open the flap of the tent very carefully and peek outside. The minute you see him, tell him to get in here." "Okay." Andrew crawled to the edge of the tent and lifted the bedspread. "David Michael! David Michael!" he whispered. "Come inside. I've got to rescue you." He crawled back inside. "He's not there!" "Are you sure?" Karen asked.

"I'm sure!" Karen sighed. "This is much worse than I thought." "Do you think the earthquake got him?" Andrew asked.

"No, I think . . . Morbidda Destiny got him!" Kristy tried not to laugh. Morbidda Destiny is the old lady who lives next door. Her real name is Mrs. Porter, but Karen is convinced that she's a witch. She lives in an old Victorian house with gables and turrets, and she even keeps a broomstick on the front porch.

"Now what will we do?" asked Andrew.

Karen looked stumped. "I don't know. Morbidda Destiny has special powers. She could turn David Michael into a witch if she wanted to, or she might make him drink a magic potion." "No!" Karen nodded. "She might even make boy-stew out of him." "Ew, gross," Andrew muttered. "How can we save him?" "Let me think," Karen said, just as the tent flap opened and David Michael crawled in.

"The bear alert is in place," he said, scooting over to Kristy. "You'll all be safe." "Are you okay?" Karen asked him. "We thought Morbidda Destiny got you." David Michael laughed. "Of course I'm okay." Karen looked at him suspiciously, as if he really might be a newt or a toad pretending to be David Michael. "I guess so. Where were you when Andrew called you?" "I was hiding," he said teasingly. "I knew you'd figure that Morbidda Destiny had kidnapped me, and I wanted to see what you'd do about it." "Well, it wasn't funny," Karen said sternly. Andrew started telling David Michael about the earthquake, and Karen sat down next to Kristy. "You know what I think?" she whispered in Kristy's ear. "I think Morbidda Destiny really did get him and made him say that he was hiding!" "Do you really think so?" asked Kristy.

Karen nodded. "Witches have their ways," she said mysteriously.

Chapter 9.

You've got to give Chewy a doggie treat or he's going to ruin the play!" Myriah cried.

It was a Thursday afternoon, and I was baby-sitting for the three younger Hobart kids while Ben was at a dentist appointment. Mathew, James, and Johnny were in the backyard rehearsing their play with Myriah and Gabbie Perkins.

"We can give him a yum-yum if you want," I suggested, "but I don't think it will help." Chewbacca, the hero of the play, was tearing around and around the yard. I've never seen a dog with less acting ability. He was supposed to act sad and lonely (according to the script James wrote), but he was running in circles, yapping and wagging his tail. Every once in a while he'd snap at an imaginary fly.

"Come here, Chewy," I said wearily. "Let's see if this calms you down." I popped a doggie treat into his mouth. He immediately sat up on his hind legs and begged for more.

"I told you it wouldn't help," James said. "That dog can't act." "He can so!" Myriah put her arms around Chewy's furry neck. "He just doesn't feel like it." "Let's take it from the top. Start the mall scene again," James ordered. "Does everybody remember what they're supposed to do?" He glanced at his notes. "Gabbie, you own a shoe store." "Shoes, shoes," she sang. I put my fingers to my lips to remind her to be quiet, and she grinned at me.

"Mathew, you work in the pizza place, and Johnny, you work in a pet store." "I want to work in a pet store!" said Gabbie. "Pets for sale! Pets for sale! We have rabbits, gerbils, and hamsters. Maybe even cats and dogs - " "No, Gabbie," James said quietly. "You stay in your shoe store and sell shoes. You have a very important part in the play." Gabbie beamed. That was the best thing that James could have said to her.