The Mystery of Silas Finklebean by David Baldacci, Rudy Baldacci Read Free Book Online Page A

do.
    He was overwhelmed. “But, Freddy, I don’t know what to say.”
    “The only thing you have to say, Harold, is what you want us to do,” replied a smiling Freddy.
    The gang started working alongside Harold. While Harold wasn’t looking, Curly used his long arms to bring boards and rolls of chicken wire up onto the wooden frame, where Ziggy would nail them in under Harold’s direction. They mixed up the goop that would be used to cover the frame and chicken wire to make it look like a volcano. Very soon, they had Harold way ahead of schedule.
    As they climbed down from the volcano, Harold said, “Thanks, Freddy. I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.”
    “It’s okay, Harold. That’s what friends are for.”

    Harold looked embarrassed and was about to say something when they all heard a familiar voice.
    “Hey, pumpkin head, what have I told you about talking to the enemy,” yelled Adam Spanker as he came running out of the Patty Cakes.
    “They’re not the enemy, they’re my friends,” said Harold hotly.
    “They’re spies, you little dope.”
    Freddy faced Adam. “He needed help and we helped him. And you’re his partner, so why aren’t
you
helping him?”
    Adam balled up his fat fists. “You wanna get knocked into next week, nerd?”
    The Fries all stood behind Freddy. “I think you’re outnumbered,” said Freddy.
    Adam laughed, ran over to his lounge chair, and pulled out his paintball gun from behind it. He pointed it at the gang. “Okay, who wants to get blasted first?”
    Things were looking ugly when a calm voice said, “Boys, I think it’s time everyone went home.”
    They turned and there was Alfred Funkhouser. He walked over to them. “Hello, Harold,” he said. “How’s your family doing?”
    “Fine, Mr. Funkhouser. Uh, Freddy and his friends were just helping me.”
    “Actually, I saw them,” said Alfred, with a smile.
    “Come on, Harold, you can drive home with us.”
    “But he’s
my
partner,” yelled Adam. “And my dad’s driving him home.”
    “That’s right!” roared Stewie Spanker, who had just raced outside. “In my brand new Cadillac over there.”
    They all looked over to see Wally sniffing around the car.
    “Me smell something really good,” he moaned.
    “Hey, get away from my car,” yelled Stewie.
    “There’s food in there,” said Wally.
    “You bet there is, you big polka-dotted freak. There’s a box of our special super fatted barbecue ribs that I’m taking home for my midnight snack. Now get away from there.”
    Wally was drooling all over the Cadillac. “Me love barbecue.”
    “Okay, you asked for it,” yelled Adam. He pointed his paintball gun at Wally’s big butt and fired.
    “Look out, Wal —, er, I mean, Wilma!” yelled Freddy.
    At that instant Wally bent through the driver’s side window to get to the barbecue, and the paintball bullet hit the windshield and splattered it in black paint.
    “AAAAHHHH!” screamed Stewie. “My beautiful car!”
    “Well,” said Alfred Funkhouser, “I guess you wont be driving Harold home now.”
    Stewie didn’t answer. He was too busy trying to get the barbecue ribs away from Wally. And losing.

CHAPTER 12
    LYDIA THE LUNATIC
    The Funkhousers had a very nice visit with the Pumpernickels. Harold told his family how Freddy and his friends had helped him, and Mrs. Pumpernickel was so grateful that she went into the kitchen and made them some cupcakes from her special recipe.
    Alfred Funkhouser proclaimed them the best he had ever tasted. The Fries had to stop Wally from eating them all.
    “Please,” he moaned, “I just want a few hundred more.” The Pumpernickels chuckled at the very odd-looking woman in a polka-dot dress with big red hair.
    Alfred Funkhouser spent quite a bit of time talking with Mr. and Mrs. Pumpernickel. After they left, Freddy asked his dad what they were talking about, but Alfred just smiled.
    The next day after school Freddy and the gang all met at Freddy’s