16 SNOW MORE MR. ICE GUY

CHAPTER 16 SNOW MORE MR. ICE GUY The ice-crusher smacked its icy lips. "Yuck!" it bellowed. "These kid-pops taste funny. They taste like"—its eyes widened—"SALT?!" Alexander, Rip, and Nikki ran out from behind the salt mound. "Gotchya, iceberg!" shouted Rip. "We made fake snow-kids out of good old ice-melting salt!"

"NOOOOOO!" howled the ice-crusher. The monster's face fell. And so did all of its other parts as it melted into a salty, slushy mess. Then, as quick as a sneeze, three things happened: 1. The sun appeared in the sky. 2. The temperature shot up to ninety-nine degrees. 3. All the snow—and all the snombies— melted, turning the ground into a big mud pit. Alexander, Rip, and Nikki danced in the mud.

Ranger Harry stepped into the clearing, dragging a load of wood. "Drat!" he said. "This weather is bananas!" The ranger twisted the end of his beard. "Where'd the other campers go?" "Back to the cabins," said Nikki. "Okay, prairie dogs," said Ranger Harry. "It's been one weird morning. You should head back, too. I'll join you as soon as I put my sled away!" "Yes, sir!" said Alexander. The happy, tired, muddy, slushy friends walked toward the cabins. Suddenly, Rip stopped. Something orange and pointy rested on a pile of leaves. "A snombie nose!" he said. "Or just a carrot," said Nikki. Rip grabbed the carrot, and—

FLOOP! A large net swooped them up into a tree. "I think we found Dottie's bunny trap!" said Nikki. Alexander laughed. "Camp Rule #1: Nothing beats, uh, hanging around with your friends." "Hanging around?" said Rip. "I don't get it." Nikki punched his arm. Alexander fished in his backpack for the monster notebook. Then he added a new entry.