Megan Stine_Jeffery & the Third-Grade Ghost 02 (7 page)

“Those old things?” Jeffrey asked, surprised.

“They aren’t oldsville to me, Daddy-o. They’re the hippest. See you later, alligator.” Max signed off and disappeared.

Of course, Jeffrey didn’t know for sure whether
he’d see Max later that night or not. Or tomorrow or the day after. He’d just have to wait and see.

When Jeffrey finally walked out of the McGyver house, there was a loud burst of applause, as though he had just returned from the moon.

“I knew you’d do it,” Ben said, running up and pounding him on the back.

Jeffrey walked over to Ricky Reyes and handed him the letter opener.

“I can’t believe you really went in there,” Ricky Reyes said. He twirled the letter opener in his hand. “And I can’t believe you found this. Totally awesome.”

“But it’s a letter opener,” Kenny said.

“Some people like to exaggerate,” Jeffrey said, hoping that Max was listening. “But it doesn’t mean they’re lying.”

Ricky held out his hand to shake Jeffrey’s. “Okay if I walk home with you guys?” he asked.

Jeffrey, Melissa, Ben, and Kenny looked at one another. Then Jeffrey said, “Sure. We’re all going over to my house to see what we got in our trick-or-treat bags.”

“Great,” Ricky said.

A few minutes later, they were all dumping their candy out on the Beckers’ living-room floor. Melissa had the most stuff—almost ten pounds’
worth of candy. As they ate as much as they could, the subject of the McGyver house came up again.

“Okay, Jeffrey, let’s have the truth,” Kenny said.

“Yeah, what about the McGyver house? Was there really a ghost in there?” asked Melissa.

“No one you know,” Jeffrey said, smiling. “Just an old friend of mine.”

Here’s a peek at Jeffrey’s next adventure with Max, the third-grade ghost!

CHRISTMAS VISITORS

“I have some good news, Jeffrey,” said his mother.

“Your cousins Wendy and Jonathan are coming to spend the holidays with us.”

“Are you kidding? How could you do this to me?” Jeffrey exploded. “Last time Jonathan was here, he mangled my bike trying to do a wheelie! And Wendy is so spoiled. She threw out my pet lizard last time because she said it watched her every time she came in the room.”

“Wendy and Jonathan will be here this weekend,” Mrs. Becker said firmly.

“This weekend?” Jeffrey said. “That’s only two days. It doesn’t give me much time.”

“Time for what?” asked his father.

“Time to find someplace else to live!” Jeffrey said. He put his coat on and ran out of the house.

Jeffrey found Ben in the kitchen, tying up a large plastic garbage bag. Taking out the garbage was Ben’s job. He hated it.

“Ben, how would you like an early Christmas present?” Jeffrey said. “You know how you always say you wish you had an older brother?”

“Your’re giving me a human being for Christmas? That’s kind of gross isn’t it, Jeffrey?” Ben said.

“Not just any human being,” Jeffrey said. “The
perfect
human being.
Me!
I’ll take out the garbage for you. And I’ll take the blame for everything. At the end of Christmas vacation, if things aren’t working out, I’ll go home. How does that sound?”

“It sounds like your cousins Wendy and Jonathan are coming for a visit,” Ben said, laughing.

Bill and Megan Stine have written numerous books for young readers, including titles in these series:
The Cranberry Cousins; Wizards, Warriors, and You; The Three Investigators; Indiana Jones; G.I. Joe;
and
Jem
. They live on New York City’s Upper West Side with their seven-year-old son, Cody, who believes in ghosts.