Read Online Little Miss Stoneybrook...and Dawn by Ann M. Martin - Free Book Online Page A

rooms,” she said, glaring at her sister.
    â€œGood,” said Claire angrily.
    As Margo marched out of the kitchen she called over her shoulder, “I’m going to win, you know. Because my talent is better than yours.”
    â€œIs not!” Claire began singing at the top of her lungs, “I’m Popeye the sailor man. I live in a garbage can.”
    â€œClaire, hold it down just a little ,” said Jessi, poking her head into the kitchen.
    Claire ignored her. “I eat all the wor-orms and spit out the ger-erms. I’m Popeye the sailor man!”
    From the rec room, Margo began an even louder rendition of her poem, starting with the long last verse: “THIS IS THE FARMER WHO SOWED THE CORN, THAT FED THE COCKTHAT CROWED IN THE MORN, THAT WAKED THE PRIEST ALL SHAVEN AND —”
    â€œSTOP!”
    Utter silence reigned in the Pike house.
    Jessi, who had never raised her voice in front of the Pikes, had had enough. “If you two can’t rehearse quietly, then go outside,” she said firmly.
    â€œBetter yet, don’t rehearse,” added Mallory, coming to Jessi’s side. They were standing at the entrance to the kitchen. Mallory was looking in at Claire. Jessi was looking down the steps at Margo in the rec room.
    â€œWe’ll be quiet,” said Margo contritely.
    â€œYeah,” agreed Claire.
    For half an hour, the girls did rehearse quietly. And separately. Then Margo tiptoed up the steps to the kitchen, carrying her copy of The House That Jack Built . “Claire?” she said sweetly. “Let’s work together, okay? There are a few things I could show you. Like how to shake hands and stuff.”
    â€œI know how to shake hands,” Claire replied. Still, she looked pleased that her sister wanted to help her.
    â€œDo you know the special Judges’ Handshake?” asked Margo.
    â€œJudges’ Handshake?” Claire repeated. “No.I thought Dawn said we would curtsy for the judges.”
    â€œWell, we’ll probably have to shake their hands, too, and you better know how to do it. Here, hold out your left hand.”
    â€œBut I thought —” Claire began.
    â€œRight hand for regular people, left hand for judges,” Margo interrupted importantly.
    â€œMargo! Cut that out!” called Mallory. “You’re making that up!”
    â€œAre you?” asked Claire, sounding wounded.
    â€œYeah,” Margo admitted.
    â€œThen you go back downstairs and ’hearse alone,” said Claire. “Oh, but first would you get me a glass of milk, please? Since you were so mean to me?”
    â€œOh, all right.”
    Margo poured out a glass of milk and handed it to her sister. “Hey, where’s my book?” she asked, looking around for The House That Jack Built .
    Claire gazed at Margo with wide, innocent eyes. She blinked. “I don’t know.”
    â€œYou do too. You hid it!”
    â€œDid not!”
    â€œDid so!”
    Jessi had to step in to break up the latest fight. When the girls had settled down and Claire hadreturned Margo’s book (which she had hidden), Jessi marched them into the living room, where Mallory and the rest of the Pikes were involved in a hot Monopoly game.
    Mallory tried to find something quiet for Claire and Margo to do. “I hate to suggest this,” she said, “but why don’t you girls practice your poise or something. Practice walking like … walking like … Oh, I can’t even say it.”
    â€œI can,” spoke up Jordan. “Practice walking like gorillas.”
    â€œJordan!” shouted Claire and Margo.
    â€œHow about walking like, um, females?” suggested Jessi.
    â€œWe could try the books again,” Claire said to Margo.
    â€œUse encyclopedias,” said Nicky.
    The girls ignored him. They each found a small paperback and began sashaying around the living room with the books on their heads.
    â€œOh, that is