The Zucchini Warriors by Gordon Korman Read Free Book Online Page B

the way as Calvin Fihzgart, roaring like a freight train, tucked the football into his chest, put his head down and barrelled full speed into the neatly piled leaves. So intense was his concentration that he didn’t even hear the five cries of agony echoing through the blizzard of leaves in his wake.
    Boots watched his receding back before picking up the rake and setting to the task of rebuilding the mound.
    Six metres away stood Kevin Klapper, taking notes and looking on disapprovingly.
    * * *
    “Hah!” laughed Cathy, peering through her binoculars. “He bobbled that pass like it was a hot potato! Of course, it wasn’t much of a pass. Boots may as well be throwing sofa cushions!”
    She and Diane were in their usual perch atop Miss Scrimmage’s roof, watching the Macdonald Hall football practice.
    “Cathy, what’s wrong with you? You haven’t stopped laughing all day. I thought you said this was a boring year.”
    Cathy was positively glowing. “Last night Hank the Tank Carson of the Green Bay Packers blindsided our little old Miss Scrimmage. And not only did she live through it, but she got up and knocked him silly! I’ve never been this proud in my life!”
    “So the school year is saved,” said Diane.
    “Are you kidding?” chortled Cathy. “There are great days ahead! I was off track for a while, but Miss Scrimmage showed me the way.”
    “Cathy, you’re making me nervous. What are you talking about?”
    “The Macdonald Hall Warriors are hopeless. They need help. So tomorrow I’m joining the team.”
    Diane leaned forward. “It’s really windy up here, Cathy. It sounded like you just said you’re joining the team.”
    Cathy laughed again. “They need a quarterback —
I’m
a quarterback.”
    Diane looked horrified. “But it’s a boys’ team! They’ll never let you play!”
    “I don’t intend to ask. We’ll see about this ‘man’s game.’”
    “But Cathy, this is crazy!”
    “Shhh, Diane.” She was at the binoculars once more. “I’m scouting my future teammates.”

Chapter 5
Quarterback Sneak
    Boots O’Neal, carrying his math books in one hand and his large gym bag in the other, jogged out the rear entrance of the Faculty Building, heading for the football stadium. He was going to be late for practice again. Mr. Stratton was a stickler for the schedule, but today had been even worse, because Kevin Klapper, the curriculum inspector, had sat in on the class.
    “Pssst! Boots!”
    Boots stopped short and looked around. There, hiding in a clump of bushes, was Diane Grant, beckoning madly.
    “I can’t stop, Diane. I’m late.”
    “But it’s urgent! It’s — it’s a matter of life and death!”
    Boots put down books and bag and ran over to the bushes. “What’s wrong?”
    “I can’t tell you.”
    “What do you mean you can’t tell me?”
    “You’re standing in broad daylight,” she explained, “where just anyone can see you. If they come over to you, they’ll find me. Come into the bushes.”
    In exasperation, Boots ducked behind a branch and entered the thicket. “Okay, make it fast.”
    “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”
    “Cross my heart and hope to die!”
    His line of sight obscured by a large juniper bush, Boots failed to see Cathy Burton dart from cover, nab his gym bag and sprint off toward the stadium.
    * * *
    “You’re late, O’Neal!” barked Coach Flynn. “We’re starting with a scrimmage. Get over there!”
    Without speaking, Cathy, dressed in Boots’s equipment and uniform, jogged over and found her place in the lineup. The ball was snapped to her, and she faded back as the receivers began to run their patterns, trying to elude the defence. Suddenly she reared back and fired a bullet pass through a sea of bodies. It struck the receiver, Sidney, full in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. The force of the ball was so strong that, clutching it, he staggered backward and fell over across the goal line.
    Henry Carson’s jaw dropped.