by Judy Delton
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Published by
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
a division of
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
1540 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
Text copyright © 1989 by Judy Delton
Illustrations copyright © 1989 by Alan Tiegreen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
The trademarks Yearling® and Dell® are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries.
eISBN: 978-0-307-79992-0
v3.1
For George, who knew the Pee Wees before I did,
And with thanks to Lori Mack, exceptional editor
Contents
Cover
Other Yearling Books You Will Enjoy
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
1 No More Teachers
2 The Rockets and the Jets
3 Underwear Trouble
4 An Accident
5 Shake Your Shape
6 Molly’s Ex-Best Friend
7 Batter Up!
8 Pee Wees Forever
CHAPTER
1
No More Teachers
“No more pencils,” chanted Roger White. “No more books. No more teacher’s dirty looks.”
Roger made an airplane with his reading work sheet. He sailed it over Kevin Moe’s head.
“And no more homework,” added Kevin.
“I might go camping this summer,” said Rachel Meyers. “With my dad.”
“We’re going to the lake,” said Tracy Barnes. “Our whole family. To fish.”
The second graders raced out of their room. They ran down the steps. Some of them went home. But the Pee Wee Scouts got on the big orange bus that was waiting. Waiting to take them to Mrs. Peters’s house for a meeting. She was their troop leader.
Roger and Kevin got on the bus. They sat together.
Rachel and Tracy got on. And Molly Duff and Mary Beth Kelly.
“I feel bad that school is out,” said Mary Beth. “I have to baby-sit for my little brother and sister all summer.”
That didn’t sound bad to Molly. She was an only child.
“I’ll help with your little brother and sister,” said Molly. “I’d love to baby-sit them.”
“Okay,” said Mary Beth. Molly was her best friend.
When they got to Mrs. Peters’s house, the Scouts ran to her door. They couldn’t wait for the meeting to start. They had their red kerchiefs on. And they all had good deeds to report.
But Mrs. Peters did not come to the door. She came riding down the street on a bicycle! Her baby, Nick, sat in the baby seat behind her.
“You were almost late!” shouted Sonny Betz. “Late for your own meeting!”
Mrs. Peters laughed and unlocked her door. After the Pee Wee Scouts sat down around the big table, she said, “I was getting in shape. For our Pee Wee Fitness Festival.”
The Scouts looked surprised. They all began to talk at once. Mrs. Peters put up her hand. Then she clapped. The Scouts whispered. Mrs. Peters waited. Then she said, “How many of you like exercise?”
Some of the Scouts raised their hands. Some didn’t.
“I like to skate,” said Lisa Ronning.
“I like to play checkers,” said Kenny Baker.
“Checkers aren’t exercise,” said Rachel.
“Oh, yeah?” said Kenny. “They play checkers in the Olympics!”
“Skiing is good exercise,” said Tim Noon. “I watch them on TV. They ski down these big hills.
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh,” Tim said. He moved his hips from side to side.
All the Scouts began to ski around the room.
“Zoom!” said Kenny.
“Skiers don’t make any noise,” said Mrs. Peters. “Snow is quiet.”
“Swimming is good exercise too,” said Rachel. “In the Olympics the swimmers get medals.”
“Well,” said Mrs Peters, “we are all going to exercise too. But instead of medals, we will get badges. And instead of skiing and skating, we will bike. And do aerobics. And we will do push-ups and play softball.”
“I can’t play softball,” said Mary Beth to Molly.
Molly frowned.
“We’ll all tune up our bodies,” Mrs. Peters went on, “and we’ll get in shape. And get a badge at the same time.”
“I can’t hit a softball,” called Mary Beth.
“You’ll learn,” said Mrs. Peters. “We’ll just take one sport at a time. And we’ll all do just fine!”
Mary Beth looked doubtful.
“When we finish, we’ll have a party,” Mrs. Peters said. “We’ll have good food, and we’ll get our badges.”
The Scouts cheered, “Yeah!”
“The first thing is bicycle riding. Does everyone have a bike?” asked Mrs. Peters.
Tim raised his hand. “I don’t,” he said. “Somebody stole it.”
“I’ll bet he never had one,” whispered Tracy to Molly.
Molly felt sorry for Tim. His family was poor.
“Mrs. Peters! Mrs. Peters!” shouted Kevin. “He can borrow one of mine. I’ve got two.”
“Thank you, Kevin,” said Mrs. Peters. “Then we are all set. You can practice this week, now that school is out. And on Saturday morning we’ll ride around the park. First, we’ll divide up into two teams. Then we’ll see how long it takes each team to get back to the statue of Ben Franklin.”
“Yeah!” the Scouts cheered again.
Mrs. Peters talked about safe biking. She talked about reading traffic signs. And watching for cars.
“My mom won’t let me ride in the street,” said Sonny.
“Baby,” muttered Roger.
“It’s not safe to ride on the sidewalk, Sonny. You could hit someone who is walking,” said Mrs. Peters.
“Pow!” said Kevin. “Wham, bang!”
“What should I do?” Sonny asked. He looked like he might cry.
“I’ll talk to your mother about it,” said Mrs. Peters. “Don’t worry.”
Then she said to everyone, “Let’s talk about the good deeds you did during the week.”
Patty Baker waved her hand. She was Kenny’s twin sister.
“I picked up my grandma’s medicine at the drugstore,” she said.
“Mrs. Peters?” called Tracy. “I opened a childproof baby-aspirin bottle for my mom. She couldn’t get the top off.”
Molly wasn’t sure if that was a good deed or not.
“I killed four flies with my speller,” said Kenny. “They were bothering my dad.”
“I found my little sister
’s shoes,” said Tracy. “They were behind the piano. If I didn’t find them, we couldn’t have gone out for burgers. My dad said so.”
“Molly, do you have a good deed this week?” asked Mrs. Peters.
“I did, but I forgot it,” said Molly. “I forgot what it was.”
“Mrs. Peters?” called Sonny. “I didn’t wake my mom up last Sunday morning.”
“Good for you, Sonny,” said Mrs. Peters.
Mrs. Peters put cookies on the table. She poured some milk. When the Scouts finished eating, she said, “Now we’ll sing our Pee Wee Scout song and say our Pee Wee Scout pledge.”
The Pee Wees joined hands and sang. It felt good to Molly. She wished the song had more verses. She wanted to sing all day long.
“Have fun this week,” said Mrs. Peters. “And be sure to be at the park at ten o’clock on Saturday morning.”
CHAPTER
2
The Rockets and the Jets
When Molly got home, she put her old schoolbooks in her room. Then she went out to the garage and polished her bike. When her dad came home from work, he gave her an oil can. He showed her where to oil the wheels.
“Now you’ll go fast,” he said. “Fast and smooth.”
The next morning Mary Beth came to Molly’s door. “Let’s practice for the race,” she said. They walked toward school.
The school parking lot was empty. “This is a good spot,” said Mary Beth.
Some of the other Pee Wee Scouts thought so too. They were already there.
“Look at my new bike,” said Roger proudly.
The Scouts looked.
It was shiny.
It was fast.
It looked expensive.
“It’s English,” said Roger. “Those guys in England win races on these things.” He patted the leather seat. “It’s got ten speeds, and hand brakes too.”
Roger got on.
The Scouts watched him ride his bike back and forth across the lot.
“I hope he’s on our team,” whispered Mary Beth to Molly.
“I wonder if we get to pick whose team we want to be on,” said Molly.
“Probably not,” said Mary Beth. “But if we do, I’ll pick Roger’s.”
Tim came down the street on a wobbly bike. It was Kevin’s old one. He weaved from side to side. “This thing is lopsided,” he said. “It’s all rusty too.”
Back and forth. Back and forth, the Scouts pedaled. Molly could ride fast. She pretended she was chasing a racehorse. She pedaled faster and faster.
“The park is real small,” said Roger. “My team can get around there in no time. We’ll win easy.”
Every day the Scouts pedaled around the parking lot. They got better and better. Most of them.
But Tim still seemed wobbly.
“What if he’s on our team instead of Roger?” said Mary Beth.
“We’ll lose,” said Molly glumly.
* * *
On Saturday morning Molly was the first one at the park.
Then Mrs. Peters came. They sat on a bench in the shade and waited for the others.
Tracy came next with her little sister in the baby seat behind her. “I have to babysit her,” she said.
“She can sit here and watch with me,” said Mrs. Peters.
Tim came wobbling down the street slowly. Then came Rachel on her ten-speed. She had a white wicker basket on her handlebars.
Rachel could go fast. She was a good biker. Molly hoped she would be on her team.
Soon everyone was at the park but Sonny.
“While we are waiting for Sonny,” said Mrs. Peters, “we will draw for teams.”
She shook a paper bag.
“There are eleven slips of paper in here. Some say Jets and some say Rockets,” she said.
Mrs. Peters shook the bag again.
“Now each of you draw one,” she said.
Molly was the first to draw. “Jets,” she said.
Mary Beth drew next. “I’m on your team!” she cried.
Then Rachel drew Rockets.
“Darn!” said Molly. “We needed her on our team.”
Roger drew Rockets too. Molly groaned.
Patty and Kenny drew Jets. Tim drew Jets.
“We’re doomed,” Molly muttered.
Soon all the slips were drawn but one.
“This last one is Sonny’s,” said Mrs. Peters. She took the slip out and read it.
“Sonny is on the Jets,” she said.
“Is Sonny a good biker?” whispered Lisa to Molly.
“I don’t know,” said Molly. “I never saw him ride a bike.”
The Scouts looked down the street for Sonny. They couldn’t start without him.
Soon a car drove up. It stopped. It was Sonny’s mother. With Sonny.
Mrs. Betz jumped out and opened the trunk of the car. She took out a very small bike and set it on the sidewalk. Then she waved and said, “I’m off to the dentist.”
She drove away.
The Scouts stared at Sonny’s bike.
“What an iddy-biddy bike!” Rachel laughed.
“Ho, ho, it’s a girl’s bike!” shouted Roger.
It didn’t bother Molly that the bike was small.
Or that it was a girl’s bike.
Or that it had a basket on the front with plastic flowers on it.
What bothered Molly was that the bike stood up by itself on the sidewalk.
“Training wheels!” shouted Molly. “Why are there training wheels on your bike?”
“I’m just learning to balance,” said Sonny.
Now all of the Jets groaned. Who could win a race with training wheels?
“How come you didn’t learn to ride a two-wheeler in first grade?” demanded Kevin.
“I could ride one when I was five,” boasted Tim.
“I could ride one when I was three,” said Roger.
“My mom says I am too young to ride a two-wheeler,” said Sonny.
“What can you ride, a trike?” Lisa laughed.
“Or a kiddy car!” shrieked Rachel.
Mrs. Peters held up her hand. “Sonny will do the best he can,” she said. “Now all the Rockets line up over here on this side of the park.” Mrs. Peters pointed.
“And the Jets will go on the other side. It isn’t important to ride fast. Just steadily and safely. Keep big spaces between you.”
The Scouts scrambled to get in their places.
“There’s no way we can win,” said Molly.
“We’re licked,” said Patty.
Sonny tried to get on his bike. It fell over on top of him.
Mrs. Peters helped him up. “Are you sure you can ride it?” she asked.
Sonny nodded.
Tim was wobbling even before they began.
“Rat’s knees!” said Molly.
Mrs. Peters said, “Get on your mark, get set, go!”
The park was very small. Molly was around it in no time. So were Mary Beth and Lisa and Rachel. Tim wobbled from one side to the other. Behind him Sonny was moving very very slowly.
Roger and Rachel were in the lead for the Rockets.
“Yeah, Rockets!” the rest of their team shouted.
“Yeah, Jets!” shouted Molly and Mary Beth.
All of a sudden Roger slowed down to a stop. The Rockets stopped shouting.
Something was the matter.
“My pants are caught in the chain!” shouted Roger. He tugged and tugged to try to get them out.
Mrs. Peters ran over to help. Meanwhile, Sonny and Tim pedaled slowly.
Now all the Rockets were finished, except Roger.
And all the Jets were finished, but Sonny.
“Come on, Roger,” shouted the Rockets.
But Roger couldn’t move.
“Come on, Sonny!” shouted the Jets.
Roger pulled on his pants leg.
Rachel pulled on it.
They tried to push Roger. They tried to make him go forward. But his bike wouldn’t budge!
Sonny kept moving.
Pedal, pedal, pedal.
Closer and closer.
Finally he crossed over the finish line.
“We won!” cried Molly. The Jets jumped up and down and hugged one another.
They patted Sonny on the back.
“Sonny won for us! Sonny won for us!” shouted Mary Beth.
“Sonny could have crawled around the park and still won,” said Kevin. “Roger still can’t move!”
Kevin was right.
Roger’s fancy bike was broken.
CHAPTER
3
Underwear Trouble
“We will give the badges out when our Fitness Festival is over,” said Mrs. Peters. It was the next Tuesday. The Pee Wees were having a Scout meeting at Mrs. Peters’s house.
“I wonder if Roger will get a badge,” whispered Molly. “He lost that race for the Rockets.”
Roger didn’t look happy. Mrs. Peters had had to cut his pants to get them out of the chain. And his dad hadn’t fixed his bike yet.
“In the Fitness Festival,” said Mrs. Peters, “a Scout only competes with himself or herself. We do our best to make our bodies strong. Now I want to tell you about our next sport,” she said. “There will be three more sports. Push-ups, aerobic dancing, and hitting a softball.”
“I can’t hit a softball,” whined Mary Beth.
“It’s simple,” said Roger.
“You said the bike race was simple too,” Tracy reminded him.
“I can hit a ball blindfolded,” said Kevin. “Plus all that other stuff.”
“I can too,” said Rachel.
Molly wasn’t sure about aerobic dancing.
Mrs. Peters seemed to read Molly’s mind. “Mrs. Betz is going to take you to her health club and teach you how to do aerobic dance,” she said. “It’s good exercise. And it helps you breathe right.”
“I can breathe all right,” said Tim. He breathed in and out loudly.
Soon all the Scouts were breathing loudly.
In and out.
In and out.
“The same with softball,” said Mrs. Peters. “There will be lots of time to practice. To get your Fitness badge all you have to do is hit the ball.”
“How many times?” asked Tim.
“Once is enough,” said Mrs. Peters.