15 SNOT A GOOD IDEA

CHAPTER 15 SNOT A GOOD IDEA Alexander and Rip had no trouble following the octo-schnozz, thanks to its excited grunts. They followed the monster from the mermaid statue to the pelican roost to the beached whale. But the octo-schnozz was always one snort ahead of them.

Alexander and Rip chased the monster past Dottie and her cousins, but none of them seemed to see the monster. Nor did they seem to notice Rip's blue spots and pointy blue ears. "We're closing in on it, Rip!" yelled Alexander. Rip didn't say anything. The octo-schnozz raced along the path. It gave a happy snort as it scampered aboard the skeleton ship.

"Keep up, Rip!" said Alexander. Alexander looked back. Rip was running strangely now, hunched over and dragging his knuckles on the ground. His blue spots were much bigger than yesterday. "Oh no," said Alexander. "Here, Rip, rest on this bench. I'll deal with the monster until Nikki gets—" HURN-HURN-HURN!!! The octo-schnozz turned and made laughing snorts at Alexander and Rip. Then it popped out its sawfish blade. RINNN-NINNN-NINN-NNN! The sharp blade tore through the gangplank, which fell aside in two pieces. "Now how do we get onto the ship?" Alexander said.

The monster ran to the ship's rusty cannon. FWOP! It switched to a humongous human nose. It pressed one nostril shut with its elephant trunk and BLOOMP! It dropped a bowling-ball-size booger into the cannon's barrel. "So gross," said Alexander. The octo-schnozz pointed the cannon across the lagoon, directly toward the dam. The monster plugged its elephant trunk into the back of the cannon, and blew hard. HOO-RONNNNNK!!! The booger-bomb sailed over the lagoon.

BLAMMO! It slammed into the dam. A crack appeared, running all the way up the dam to the giant treasure chest on top. The chest tipped over, spilling two tons of garbage into the lagoon. "Nooo!!" yelled Alexander. The monster loaded another booger into the cannon. "Rip, the octo-schnozz is going to destroy the dam!" Alexander said. "If that happens, this nasty water will flood the town! Who knows what kind of monsters that would attract?"

Rip didn't answer. Instead, he closed his eyes, arched his back, and roared. Alexander gasped. His best friend was a monster.