Chapter 8

Chapter eight Nora couldn't believe her eyes. "Did I just see what I think I saw?" she asked. Frankie, Ashley, and I all nodded at the same time, as if we had planned it. "You've seen her kick the ball like that before?" Nora asked me. "Sure," I said. "Elsie and I have been playing a lot of soccer this morning." Nora gave me a funny look. "I'd like to see this with my own eyes," Nora said. "Because since Elsie has been with us, she hasn't seemed at all playful. In fact, quite the opposite." "Then just watch this," I said to her. I put

the soccer ball on the ground. "Okay, girl," I called out to Elsie. "Here it comes. Keep your eye on the ball." Elsie flapped her ears, which was a good sign because it meant she was excited. I took aim and kicked the ball hard, while lifting my foot. The ball sailed over the fence and right to Elsie. As the ball rolled toward her, she put out her gigantic foot and just like that, kicked it back to me. There was a gasp from the people in the crowd. "Amazing," I heard Nora whisper. We passed the ball back and forth again. When the ball was on my side of the fence, Elsie lifted her trunk and she trumpeted loudly, as if to say "She shoots, she scores!" Nora actually started to laugh out loud. "I don't know what you said to that elephant," she said to me, "but she sure is acting like a different animal." "I think Elsie's ready to make new friends," I told Nora.

"We have to be careful putting Elsie in with the others," she said. "Introducing a new elephant into a group can be risky. We have to be sure they all get along." "But if you put Elsie in with the other elephants, they could start their own soccer team. Maybe I'll help you think of a name. My soccer team was the Sharks, but that would be a weird name for elephants. How about—" Ms. Shimozato put her hand up to stop me. "I hate to block your creativity, Hank," she said, "but I think you should leave the decisions about this elephant up to the zookeepers. I need to get you back to your class right away. I

know Ms. Flowers is very worried. I would call her to let her know you're okay, but I left my phone at the snack bar." "I'll let you go," Nora said. "Are you sure you know the way?" Ms. Shimozato nodded and thanked Nora for her help. Then she led us up the path toward the snack bar. "I hope Ms. Flowers hasn't called my parents," I said as we walked. "I'll be grounded until I'm old enough to shave." "I've got to hand it to you, Zip," Frankie said with a laugh. "No matter how much trouble you're in, you're always funny." We hurried up the red path, past the lions and the zebras. "Oh look," I said, pointing to an especially beautiful zebra that was standing by the fence. "Can we just stop and try to count his stripes?" "This is no time for stripe counting," Ms. Shimozato said. "Okay, but I still think it was a good suggestion," I answered.

"I don't think you understand how much trouble you're in, Hank," Ashley whispered. "Did you know that no two sets of zebra stripes are exactly alike?" I went on. "Very interesting, Zip," Frankie said. "Enough talking, kids," Ms. Shimozato said. "We've got to hurry." Up ahead, at the end of the red trail, I saw the snack bar. Our whole class was sitting at the tables, looking bored. Ms. Flowers was on her phone, pacing back and forth. Nick McKelty was the first to notice us approaching. "Well, it's about time, Zipper Teeth," he yelled out. "Our entire trip has been ruined because of you."

Ms. Flowers looked up from her phone and immediately ran toward us. "Oh, thank goodness," she called out. "I've been so worried. Hank, are you okay?" "He's fine," Ms. Shimozato said. "He was