Driving Team by Bonnie Bryant Read Free Book Online Page A

said Carole. “I’d love to!”
    She waited for Mrs. Davidson to turn back to the checkout desk, then hurriedly picked up Mrs. Lovejoy’s mushroom books and deposited them on the table she’d chosen.
    “Don’t you want to look at them first, dear?” said Mrs. Lovejoy.
    “Uh, maybe later,” said Carole, who was watching Mrs. Davidson at the checkout desk again. She was talking to a man and pointing in Lisa and Cynthia’s direction. “Right now I’ve got to help Mrs. Davidson.”
    She hurried back up to the counter. “All the Italian dictionaries are located just this side of that big globe,” Mrs. Davidson was telling the man. “If you follow me, I’ll be happy to show you where.”
    “Uh, did you say Italian dictionaries, Mrs. Davidson?” Carole leaned forward.
    Mrs. Davidson blinked with even more surprise, then nodded. “Why, yes, dear. This gentleman needs to translate a letter.”
    “I’d be happy to show him where they are,” Caroleblurted out. She shrugged. “I mean, it’s on my way back to my table, and I look at the Italian dictionaries a lot. I’m going to take Italian when I get to high school. I might even go live in Italy someday.”
    Mrs. Davidson looked mystified. “Well, of course, if you’re sure you know where they are.”
    “Oh, I do.” Carole turned and smiled at the man. “Just follow me, sir.”
    She led the man to the dictionaries, deciding that it wasn’t exactly a fib she’d just told. She supposed she could take Italian once she got to high school, although she really hadn’t given it a single thought. She snuck a quick glance at Lisa and Cynthia reading away as she passed.
Thank heavens
, she thought.
So far, so good
.
    After she pointed out all the Italian dictionaries, she helped Mrs. Davidson pull some medical reference books for a man with a broken finger; then she helped a little girl find an aerial map of Peru. By the time she got back to the table to start researching the history of driving, Lisa was waiting to take over.
    “Hi,” Lisa said. “I’ve finished my chapters. How far have you gotten?”
    “Not far at all,” said Carole, almost out of breath. “Every time I turn around, Mrs. Davidson is either about to lead someone past that little nook or she’s looking something up for somebody. I’ve spent the whole time keeping her away from you and Cynthia!”
    “What should we do?” Lisa asked.
    “Well, I’ll go read. You do as much research as you can, but keep an eye on Mrs. Davidson. She buzzes around here like a bee!”
    “Okay,” Lisa promised.
    Carole walked over to the nook and sat down beside Cynthia. As she read the next two chapters of Misty, she stayed on the lookout for the librarian. Apparently Lisa was doing the same thing. Once Carole saw her shelving some books in the cookbook section; then she saw her hurrying to take a young couple over to the periodicals. As Carole neared the end of her chapters, Lisa was looking up information on butterflies for a couple of Brownies. Mrs. Davidson, though, had not left the checkout desk. Carole gave a big sigh and looked at her watch. It was time to go. They’d spent all morning at the library, and as far as she could tell, all they’d done was help other people out in the reference room and read several chapters of Misty to Cynthia.
    Lisa appeared. “Carole, have you checked the time?”
    Carole nodded. “I know. We’ve got to go.” She looked over at Cynthia. “I’m sorry we can’t stay and read more of Misty, Cynthia, but we’ve got to go now. We promised Lisa’s mom we’d be at her house before one.”
    “That’s okay.” Cynthia’s voice sagged with disappointment. “You were great to read to me. I’ll just goback to my secret hiding place and look at the pictures for the rest of the afternoon.”
    “We hate to leave you,” said Lisa. “Are you sure you’ll be okay till your mom comes?”
    Cynthia gathered up her book and nodded. “I guess so,” she replied sadly.