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good science projects when they were here.”
    “What do you mean? We were never in sixth grade until now!” Josh exclaimed. “We never had to do a science experiment before, and you know it.”
    Jake sighed. “Okay. What do we have to do at the Malloys’?”
    “Well, you and Eddie and I have to record each kid's name, age, and grade, and whether they came because they talked to someone or came on their own. That will figure in the final results.”
    “Are we going to take Peter?”
    “He wanted to see the abaguchie, didn't he?”
    “What do
I
get to do?” asked Wally.
    “You can help Caroline take the kids into the garage and show them the picture I drew of the abaguchie,” said Josh.
    “Great!” said Wally. “If any fifth- or sixth-grade guys show up, they'll murder me when all I can show them is a picture!”
    “Just tell them they're part of a great experiment,” Josh said.
    The next afternoon the boys set out for the Malloys’, Peter skipping briskly over the planks of the swinging bridge.
    “You really want to come, Peter?” Josh asked, knowing that the experiment would be more reliable if every kid came because he wanted to.
    “Sure! I want to see the abaguchie!” said Peter.
    “You really think the Malloys captured it?” asked Jake.
    “Of course! The girls wouldn't lie,” said Peter.
    Jake gave a low groan.
    The sun was bright and warmed the wool stocking caps on their heads as they trudged up the bank to the old Benson house where the Malloys were living.
    The girls were briskly setting up two card tables on the back porch. They put a large vat filled with hot cocoa on one; there were three chairs and three notebooks at the other table for the record takers.
    “We figured everyone should get a little something, so we're passing out hot chocolate,” Beth explained.
    “Where's the abaguchie?” asked Peter.
    “We'll get to that in a minute,” said Eddie. “Come over here, Peter, while we record your name.”
    Jake and Josh and Eddie sat down at the second card table, and all three recorded Peter's name, his age, and the grade he was in at school.
    “Did you show the secret message to anyone, Peter? Or talk to anyone about coming over here?” Eddie asked.
    “Only Jake and Josh and Wally,” said Peter. He kept looking around. “Is the abaguchie chained up? It won't bite me, will it?”
    “It's in the garage, Peter,” said Caroline, motioning for him to follow, and she and Wally led Peter to the garage.
    This is so dumb,
thought Wally as he entered the garage with Caroline. He should have kept his mouth shut and just stayed home. Why was it important for him to do things with Jake and Josh when what they did was really stupid? Going anywhere with Caroline Malloy was double stupid.
    Caroline closed the garage door behind them with a creak. Inside, it was dark, and for just a moment Wally could hardly make out what was there. Peter clasped his hand tightly. And then, to his horror, Wally heard Caroline say in a soft little voice, “Wally, you can kiss me if you want to.”
    “What?”
said Wally.
    “It's a wonderful place to fall in love,” Caroline told him. “So you can kiss me if you want to.”
    “I don't want to kiss you!” exclaimed Wally. “I don't love you, either. I'm not even sure I
like
you.”
    “Not even a little?” Caroline asked hopefully. “How do you know you can't fall in love with me if you won't kiss me?”
    “But…I don't
want
to kiss you. I don't want to fall in love with you, either,” Wally told her.
    “Oh,” said Caroline. “Well, maybe you'll change your mind.”
    “Sure,” said Wally. “When the Mississippi wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.”
    “What?” said Caroline.
    Wally just shrugged. It was something he'd heard his mom say once. It was a way of saying
no.
It was a way of saying
never.
    “I want to see the
abaguchie
!” Peter said loudly, tugging at Wally's hand.
    Caroline sighed. “Okay, over here,” she said, and led