15. Bubble Gum Clean-up Crew

BUBBLE GUM CLEAN-UP CREW 15 Antonio raced across the field. "I've got him!" he shouted as he caught Ollie in his outstretched arms. "Nice catch, Antonio!" Lucy said. "Just like chasing pop-ups in the outfield!" he replied, setting Ollie on his feet. Sam eyed the kickball. It was back to normal size— but it was torn and deflated. Bits of chewed-up bats lay on the ground beside it.

"Are you okay?" Antonio asked Ollie. "Yes," the kindergartner said, nodding. "What happened? Where did all that dust come from? I couldn't see anything." Sam and his friends weren't sure how to respond. But they didn't have to. "There they are!" Ms. Grinker shouted as she ran toward the field. Mr. Nekobi and Principal Winik sped after her. Other teachers and students gathered on the steps to watch. Sam tore off his piece of the hall monitor sash and shoved it into his pocket. Antonio and Lucy did the same.

"We did a head count," Principal Winik said. He panted and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. "We realized you four were missing." "We're safe," Sam said. He turned to Ms. Grinker. "I'm sorry we left our classroom." "But we heard Ollie calling for help," Lucy added. "And we could never really abandon our hall monitor duties, so we had to help!" Antonio said. Sam winked at his friends. Mr. Nekobi stepped foward. "I believe our hall monitors have saved the day." "I agree," Principal Winik said. "In fact, I think they deserve to have their jobs back. What do you think, Ms. Grinker?"

Ms. Grinker looked at Sam, Lucy, and Antonio— one after the other. At last, she grumbled, "Yes, I guess they were brave." "Great!" Principal Winik replied. "They are fully reinstated as hall monitors!" "But you still need to clean up the bubble gum in my room," said Ms. Grinker. Then she and the principal led Ollie into the school. Sam, Lucy, and Antonio looked up at Mr. Nekobi. "Um... one question," Antonio said. "How do we scrub, like, four tons of bubble gum from a classroom?"

Mr. Nekobi grinned. "We'll figure it out together." Sam smiled as he and his friends marched back inside Eerie Elementary. The school was terrible and terrifying— but they were hall monitors again. And Sam knew that soon they would be called on to battle Eerie Elementary once more.