06 Thrills and Spills

Thrills and Spills It was time. Time to say good-bye to Mom and Dad. The cab waited at the curb while everybody hugged a million and one times. "Can you bring us back some California bubblegum?" Judy asked. Dad ruffled Judy's hair. "Better yet— how about I chew some and stick it on the official Wall of Gum, in your honor? "RARE! Promise?" "Cross my heart." Judy's parents climbed into the cab. "Can we have candy for breakfast?" Stink asked.

"No," Mom said. "Bye! Be good!" Judy and Stink ran after the cab. "Call us every day, okay?" "Can we have candy for lunch?" "Bye! Byebyebyebyebye!" The cab was gone. Stink's lip started to tremble. Aunt Opal put an arm around him. Just then, Frank came running up the sidewalk. "Is it time?" "It's time," said Judy. "Synchronize watches. As of 2:12 p.m., Thursday, July seventh, the thrill race is ON." Frank bounced with excitement. "So what's the first dare?" Judy waved the picture of Rocky on a tightrope in Frank's face. "This." "We're going to dress in leotards?"

Judy grabbed the paper back. "NO. Don't you see? He's walking on a rope. A TIGHTrope? Above the ground? It's DEATH-DEFYING!" "Ohhhhhhh... yeahhhhh!" In no time, Judy and Frank stretched a thick rope from a large tree in the backyard over the creek to a tree in the woods. Judy tied it tight and gave it one more twang just to make sure. Perfecto! Just then they heard a bang. Then a clatter, thunk, and thud. Stink. He emptied a wheelbarrow load of boards by the base of the tree. "What do you think you're doing?" Judy asked. "I'm building a trap for Bigfoot!" said Stink. "I'm gonna lure him here with peanut butter.

Bigfoot LOVES peanut butter— page fourteen of my book— then boom! A net will fall out of the tree and land on his head!" "Not out of this tree. It's mine. I called it." "You can't 'call' a tree," Stink said. "Oh, yeah? Watch me. Mine." Judy tapped the tree, smiling smugly. Stink tapped the tree back. "Mine." "MINE!" Judy said, louder. "MINE!" Stink wrapped his arms around the tree. Judy wrapped her arms around Stink and tried to pry him off. "MINE!" Frank tried to pry them both off. "Stop it, you guys!"

Tingalinga, ding! Ding! Ding! "Ice-cream truck!" yelled Stink. Everyone tumbled to the ground. Stink raced out to the street. "I scream, you scream, we all scream for Old King Kold ice cream...." Judy bear-hugged the tree. "Yay! It's mine!" Frank took off after Stink. "Frank, where are

you going?" Judy called. "To get ice cream!" "But now's our chance. Before Stink gets back! C'mon! What's more important? Ice cream or thrill points?" "Oh, all right." Judy stuck out her bare foot, and Frank cupped his hands. She put her other foot on the rope, grabbed the tree trunk, and... "TA-DA!" said Judy. "Now the high-flying, death-defying Judy-a-Rini will cross, um, Niagara Falls! One slip, and she'll fall to her doom!" Arms outstretched, Judy inched across the rope. "Check it out! I'm doing it. I'm crossing the Crashing Cataracts of Niagara!" She wibblewobbled.