Chapter 1
A Major Event
âPapa, dear,â said Mama Bear, âplease put away the morning paper and listen. The cubs are talking about school.â
Papa looked up from the newspaper that he had placed beside his bowl of blue-berries on the breakfast table. âCool?â he said. âThen close the window.â He went back to his reading.
It happened almost every morning. Mama or the cubs would say something, and Papa, lost in newsprint, would misunderstand. Often he wouldnât hear at all. Reading the morning paper at breakfast was a habit he just couldnât seem to break. Sometimes, though, he found an article that interested everyone. And thatâs exactly what happened on this particular morning.
âNot cool , Papa,â said Sister. â School! â
Papa looked up again. âSchool? How did you know I was reading about your school?â
âReading about our school?â said Brother. âWhat does it say?â
Papa cleared his throat and read aloud. ââBeartown Mayor Horace J. Honeypot yesterday announced the first annual Beartown Classic Car Show.ââ
âWhat does a car show have to do with school?â asked Sister.
âHold your horsepower,â said Papa. âIâm getting to that.â He continued reading: ââThe show will be held for the benefit of Bear Country School and will be sponsored and run by the local PTA. Prizes will be awarded to the three finest classic cars. The mayor said â¦,â blah, blah, blah. Well, anyway, to put into a few words what it took that old windbag a couple hundred to say: Itâs going to be a major event, with classic cars brought in from all over Bear Country. Itâll be held on the school athletic field this weekend.â
âCool,â said Brother.
âCooler than you think, son,â said Papa.
âWhy?â asked Brother.
âBecause I just happen to be thinking of entering the Bear family car in the show,â said Papa with a wink.
âOur red roadster?â Mama scoffed. âOh, come on, dear. Iâll admit itâs old. But Iâd hardly call it a classic! â
Papa turned to look out the kitchen window at his beloved red roadster in the driveway. He smiled. âIt sure looks like a classic to me,â he said proudly. âWhat do you think, son?â
Brother seemed to be looking at the roadster, too. But he was really watching the street for Cousin Fred, Lizzy Bruin, and Bonnie Brown. They were due any minute to pick up Brother and Sister so they could all walk to school together, as usual. Today was Monday, and Brother hadnât seen Bonnie since last Wednesday because sheâd gone to Big Bear City for a long weekend on a modeling job. Heâd missed her a lot.
âSon?â Papa repeated. âWhat do you think?â
Brother still didnât answer.
âHe thinks Bonnie Brown is cute,â Sister snickered.
Brother heard Sister because she mentioned Bonnie. âCut it out!â he snapped.
âWhy shouldnât you think Bonnieâs cute?â Sister teased. âSheâs your girlfriend, isnât she?â
âNo, sheâs not,â said Brother firmly. âSheâs just my friend.â
âYeah, sure,â said Sister. âAnd Iâm Mayor Horace J. Honeypot.â
âStop arguing, you two,â said Papa. âTell me whatâs been happening at school lately.â
âWe already did,â said Brother, âbut you were reading the newspaper.â He jumped up, straining to see far down the road. âBesides, here they come!â
But then Brotherâs face fell. Coming down the road, with their backpacks slung over their shoulders, were Cousin Fred and Lizzy Bruin. But no Bonnie Brown.
Chapter 2
A Classic
âWhereâs Bonnie?â asked Brother as the cubs set off for school.
âDonât know,â said Cousin Fred. âMaybe
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