School's Out...Forever! by Kate McMullan Read Free Book Online Page B

put.
    â€œFLY!” cried Mordred. “Spread your wings! Up, up, and away!” The headmaster ran across the castle yard, flapping his arms to demonstrate.
    â€œI’m not doing business with this lunatic,” said Lady Drippingwealth.
    â€œLet us be gone!” cried Count Moneypots.
    â€œNooooo!” warbled Mordred. “Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
    â€œGet a grip, Mordie,” said Sir Fuzzydice. “It’s over.”
    Mordred’s face went scarlet. His violet eyes bulged dangerously as they searched the crowd. At last, those eyes found Wiglaf.
    â€œYOU!” roared Mordred. “This is YOUR fault!”
    â€œM-m-me, sir?” said Wiglaf.
    â€œFriendly dragons, my fat foot!” snarled Mordred. “They’re scaring away my backers!”
    Mordred grabbed the front of Wiglaf’s graduation feed sack and lifted him up until Wiglaf was looking directly into his smoldering, violet eyes.
    â€œGet…rid…of…the…dragons…NOW!” bellowed Mordred.
    Angus ran out from the henhouse. “Uncle Mordred!” he cried. “Let him go!”
    â€œFine!” Mordred opened his fist and Wiglaf dropped to the ground, landing at the headmaster’s feet.
    And suddenly the headmaster’s feet seemed to soar upward all on their own!
    Wiglaf raised his head and saw the headmaster dangling from Worm’s teeth.
    Worm gave him a little shake.
    â€œYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEE!” shrieked Mordred.
    â€œLet him go, Worm,” Wiglaf said firmly.
    Worm opened his mouth.
    Mordred fell to the ground with a THUNK! Angus gave him a hand up, and he staggered off after his backers.
    â€œDragons can be a big attraction!Think of it:
Dragon Gold Casino
!” he cried as he chased after the terrified trio. “We’ll make a bloody fortune!”

    But Lady Drippingwealth, Count Moneypots, and Sir Fuzzydice hurried across the drawbridge with never a backward glance at the desperate headmaster.

Chapter 10
    M ordred limped back to the castle yard and collapsed on the scrubbing block in a puddle of tears.
    â€œAll my dreams and schemes…,” he sobbed. “Ruined!”
    Now the royals came out from the stables. Other families crept out from their hiding places. Everyone stared and pointed at the dragons, but they kept their distance.
    Except for Dudwin, Erica, Janice, and Daisy, who cried, “Worm!” and
“I-may Orm-way!”
as they ran to the dragons and greeted them like long-lost friends. Then they sat down together in the grass. Worm snuggled close to Shirley.
    â€œThe minstrel’s song came true, Wiggie,” said Dudwin.
    â€œThat’s what I told him,” said Angus. “There was a sudden change of weather.”
    â€œFamilies came, the sky darkened, and everybody ran around yelling ‘Woe!’” said Dudwin.
    â€œWe thought you were lost, Worm,” put in Erica.
    â€œAnd now you’re found!” exclaimed Janice.
    â€œBut the minstrel sang of a brave prince who would stand his ground,” said Wiglaf. “But Prince Rex was the first to run away.”
    â€œ
You
were brave and stood your ground, Wiggie,” said Dudwin.
    â€œBut I am not a prince.” Wiglaf shrugged. “Still, the minstrel did get most of it right,” he said and beamed at Worm. How happy he was to have his baby dragon back!
    â€œAttenTION!” called Frypot from the platform. “Sorry about the little interruption. Everybody sit and we’ll finish graduation.”
    The royals took their front-row seats again. The other families sat back down behind them.
    â€œWhoever doesn’t have a diploma, come and get it,” said Frypot, not bothering with names.
    Some Class I lads and lasses ran up to the platform.
    Frypot tossed diplomas at them and then said, “That’s it! Bye-bye!”
    â€œWait!” bellowed Mordred, running toward the platform and wiping his tears and