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    job. So I got up, went into the kitchen, found the Coke in the maze of appliances, and poured some into two glasses.
    When I handed Amanda her glass, I didn't expect her to say "thank you" (I was too smart for that), but I also didn't expect her to say, "Where's the ice?"
    I rolled my eyes, took the glasses back in the kitchen, dropped three ice cubes in each glass, and gave the Cokes to Amanda and Max. Amanda accepted hers and began to drink, but Max looked from me to his glass and back, and said, "I hate ice. Take it out."
    Now if David Michael had said that to me, I would have replied, "Take it out yourself." But the Delaneys were new clients of the Babysitters Club, and I didn't want any unhappy children on hand when their mother returned. So I went to the kitchen for the third time and fished Max's ice cubes out of his glass with a spoon. When I handed the Coke back to him, he and Amanda drank in silence until their show was over.
    "Well," I said, "let's go outside and play. There's nothing good on TV anyway."
    Amanda shrugged. She handed me her empty glass and said, "Can you put this back in the kitchen? We're not allowed to leave stuff in here."
    Max handed me his glass, too.
    "And put them in the dishwasher," Amanda called after me.
    I did so, my teeth clenched. Then I turned on a smile (a stiff one), walked back into the family room, and switched off the TV. "Time to go outside," I announced. "Come on."
    Amanda and Max reluctantly followed me to the front door. So did Priscilla.
    "Priscilla's a beautiful cat," I said to the kids, hoping, maybe, to start a conversation.
    "She cost four hundred dollars," replied Amanda.
    "I know. You told me." (Boy, what snobs.) "You know how much my dog Louie cost? Nothing. He was free."
    "Oh, a mutt," said Max knowingly. "Too bad."
    I rolled my eyes.
    Then I opened the front door and who should I find there, hand poised to ring the bell, but David Michael. Louie was at his side.
    "Hi!" I cried, unusually glad to see him. "What are you doing here?"
    "Who's that?" interrupted Amanda before David Michael could answer.
    "This is my brother, David Michael," I told her. "David Michael, this is Amanda Delaney
    and this is Max. Do you guys know each other?"
    "I've seen them around," my brother said, just as Amanda said, "No."
    The Snob kids and Priscilla and I joined David Michael and Louie outside. "What are you doing here?" I asked David Michael again.
    "I just walked Louie over," he said.
    "Is Louie your mutt?" asked Max.
    "Louie is our collie," David Michael replied indignantly.
    "He's not very pretty."
    David Michael was completely taken aback.
    "He's nothing like Priscilla," added Amanda. "Now she is beautiful. Look what good care she takes of her coat. Your dog - "
    "Yeah?" David Michael challenged her, finally finding his voice.
    "Well, he's just not pretty."
    "Boys," David Michael informed her, "are not supposed to be pretty. Besides, he's old and he has arthritis."
    "Ew," said Amanda. "I hope that never happens to Priscilla."
    "David Michael, is anything wrong?" I asked him.
    "I don't think Louie feels well," he said, his voice trembling.
    "Well, Dr. Smith said he wouldn't. Remember?"
    "I thought the pills were supposed to make him better."
    "They're supposed to help take the pain away, but he still has arthritis," I pointed out.
    At that moment, Louie lowered his head and sneezed loudly - whoof!
    "Ew! Ew!" cried Amanda. "Disgusting. His sneeze got all over me! I'm going to wash my hands. You come with me, Kristy."
    I looked at David Michael sympathetically. "I have to go inside. Why don't you take Louie home and let him rest? Maybe Mom could call Dr. Smith tomorrow."
    "All right," David Michael agreed reluctantly. He turned and walked down the steps. "Come on, Louie," he urged. "Just three steps. You can do it." Louie followed him with his stiff-legged gait. As I looked after them, I sighed.
    In the Snobs' opulent bathroom, Amanda commanded me to find first some violet-scented