Read Fabulous Five 013 - The Christmas Countdown for Free Online Page B

would just be temporary until we found enough good homes,
and it might save the lives of all those animals."
    Shane didn't answer for a moment. Finally he sighed and
said, "They aren't home right now, but even if they say it's okay, there's
somebody else you're forgetting. Igor. I couldn't just bring in a bunch of
strange animals without checking with him first. It would hurt his feelings."
    Melanie choked back a giggle. "Okay," she said. "Talk
to Igor."
    Shane put down the phone and was gone for a couple of
minutes. "Hello, Melanie?" he said when he picked it up again.
    "I'm still here. What did he say?"
    "He isn't sure we have room. He says fifteen animals is
a lot," said Shane. "But personally I think he's just afraid he won't
get enough attention. Is there someone else who could keep some of them?"
    Melanie bit her lower lip. "I don't know," she
admitted. "We're really stuck, but maybe we could divide them up into two
groups with dogs in one group and cats in another. How would he feel about
taking the cats?"
    Shane put down the phone and was gone again. "Igor says
cats drive him nuts. They follow him around and bat at his tail as if it were a
piece of string that he was dragging for them to play with."
    "What about dogs?" Melanie asked, trying not to
panic. She had thought Shane's parents might give them trouble, but she hadn't
counted on its being Igor.
    A moment later Shane came back on the line. "He says
dogs are worse. He's nocturnal, you know, and dogs keep him awake during the
day with their barking, and sometimes they even chase him."
    "Oh, no," groaned Melanie. "Can't you talk to
him? We really need a place to keep some of the animals. The shelter won't
release them unless we can guarantee homes."
    "Hold on," said Shane. "I'll try again."
    This time Shane was gone forever, and Melanie was beginning
to wonder if he was ever coming back when she heard him pick up the receiver.
    "Okay, Mel," said Shane. "Here's the plan.
Igor says that if he has to choose, it's the cats. I hope you realize that you
owe him a favor now. He'll probably want you to catch some flies for him or dig
him some worms."
    "Yuck!" cried Melanie. "You've got to be
kidding!"
    "I'm not kidding," Shane assured her. "Besides,
you'd better be nice to him. Igor's the only one who can convince my parents to
take in the cats."
    Melanie was bent over laughing when she hung up the phone.
Shane had been wonderful, and she was sure that he was beginning to like her.
Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have been so willing to help her out with the
cats. But as much as she wanted to dream about Shane, she still had a lot to do
for the second half of her plan.
    She found her parents in the dining room wrapping Christmas
presents.
    "May I come in?" she asked timidly.
    "Sure," said her mother. "Most of yours are
already wrapped. We're working on Jeffy's things while he's playing at a friend's
house."
    Melanie glanced at the assortment of trucks and games still
waiting to be wrapped. She hoped that when her parents had said most of
her presents had been wrapped, they had meant that one would wear only a bow. A
present named Rainbow.
    "What is it, sweetheart?" asked her father. "Did
you want to ask us something?"
    Taking a deep breath, Melanie nodded. "I was just
wondering if I could invite The Fabulous Five to sleep over tonight?"
    Her mother was thoughtful for a moment. "I don't see
why not. Do you, Larry?"
    Mr. Edwards shook his head. "It's okay with me."
    "Thanks," Melanie said, giving each of them a hug
and bounding out of the room. She grabbed the phone and punched in the first
number.
     
    Melanie was waiting by the front door when her friends began
to arrive. Jana was the first, and Melanie was glad that her parents were
watching the six-o'clock news in the family room instead of sitting in the
living room where they could see her friends come in.
    "Come on. The coast is clear," she said, helping
Jana maneuver a sleeping bag through the door that was so fat it