Morty and the Teacher's Apples

Morty and the Teacher's Apples

Morty is a very mischievous mouse who always does very mischievous things. Morty was scampering to school with Ben and Fred, his best buddies. Backpacks bouncing, they chased around trying to jump on each other's swinging tails. They slowly made progress toward the playground.

“ Hey! " Morty stopped short and was staring at Albert's Apple Orchard. Apple harvest was almost over and the smell of apples, sight of fresh dew on the grass, and fallen apples gave Morty a very mischievous idea. “ Remember when Mr. Albert yelled at us for picking his apples?" Ben and Fred remembered that day well, and how Mr. Albert's whiskers twitched with anger as he screamed at them. " He said, 'You can have any that fall to the ground, but picking my apples is stealing! '" Morty continued. " I know just what to do with those rotten apples . . . we'll make applesauce for Miss Snickerwiser. "

Soon Ben, Fred, and Morty were scrambling around the orchard, picking up overripe and worm-eaten apples--lots and lots of apples. They filled their backpacks until they were nearly too heavy to carry. “ C'mon, let's hurry! " Morty called over his shoulder as he led the way to the teacher parking lot.

Just as he knew she would, Miss Snickerwiser had left the door unlocked on her slick, red, two-seater Mouse Mini. Discreetly, the three third-grade mice- Morty, Ben, and Fred-began filling the car with apples. " We're going to need lots more apples, " Ben said as he pulled the last mushy apple from his backpack. " Right, " Morty agreed. " “ Let's get more before the bell rings. " " We've got to hurry! " Fred exclaimed. " I already have a tardy for this week. "

Racing back to the orchard, they loaded their backpacks again. At the car, they closed the Mouse Mini's door and cracked a window, shoving apples through the opening. By the time they settled into their desks, the car was full with fragrant, decaying apples. The sun was getting high in the sky, warming up the car and cooking the apples.