cave to explore and a wobbly bridge made of barrels to walk across. But they had the most fun firing off these air guns at Fort Sam Clemens.
By the time we had to leave to meet Parker's father and stepmother, the four of us were laughing and talking happily — until I realized that my unicorn charm and bracelet were missing.
I burst into tears. Who knew where I'd lost them? And I could never replace the bracelet. Mom was going to kill me. Plus, I only had $2.50 left. Not enough for a new charm. So the day was sort of ruined. But I did feel an awful lot better when, returning to the hotel later, Parker reached into his pocket and handed me something wrapped in tissue paper.
I opened it. It was another unicorn.
I was so pleased and so surprised that I started to cry again.
Parker blushed.
And then he kissed me on the cheek.
Mallory.
I don't know about this spying business. See, the frustrating thing is that sometimes you see or overhear things you don't understand, can't figure out, or never learn anything more about. For instance, what about that stowaway I saw the first day we were aboard the Ocean Princess? I spent the entire trip waiting for someone to discover him and arrest him. But nothing like that happened at all. The most exciting part of the trip was the storm we had one night. A big wave rocked the ship, and Va-nessa's shoes flew through the air and hit Mary Anne on the head.
What had happened to the pretty girl who looked like she might be from New York? I'd never seen her again. I knew that her name was Alexandra Carmody, that she'd talked to Mary Anne a few times, that she'd said she was an orphan, an actress, a countess's niece or something, and that she was traveling alone, which was all pretty interesting. But I hadn't seen her.
And where was Spider from the Insects, for heaven's sake? You'd think I would have seen him again.
I did know something more about the little boy in the wheelchair and the old man. The boy, Marc Kubacki, had become a friend of Stacey, Claire, and Margo, and the man, Mr. Staples, had become a friend of Kristy Thomas. But I wanted to know about the others.
I got my chance for more spying the very first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. After spending the morning together as one big group — Mom, Dad, all my brothers and sisters, me, Mary Anne, and Stacey — my parents said we could split up when lunch was over. I begged to be allowed to go off on my own again.
"Your own?" said Dad, frowning. "You really want to go on rides by yourself? Wouldn't you have more fun with some of your brothers and sisters — or even your old dad?" I grinned. "Don't worry about me . . . Old Dad. I'll go on rides again with everyone to- • • & morrow. This afternoon I just want to look around. I might go shopping or to one of the shows. And the parade comes down Main Street in the afternoon. I don't want to miss that." "A parade?" exclaimed Claire. "There's going to be a parade? Oh, please, please, please can we go?" "Sure," replied my mother, "but you might like it better at night. They hold the parade at night, too. And later, fireworks go off." "Fireworks! Like on the Fourth of July? Oh, lef s go at night!" This time it was Margo who was so excited.
"Well, anyway," I interrupted, "so if s all right if I spend the afternoon on my own? I'm kind of looking forward to it." My parents exchanged a glance. At last Mom said, "I think if s all right. But we're going to meet at five o'clock at Cinderella Castle. And if you're not there, I'm going to be very worried." "I'll be there," I promised.
Mom smiled. "Lef s figure out how the rest of us are going to split up," she said. Then she made the mistake that's always made at least once whenever us Pikes are on vacation.
She said, "What does everyone want to do?" "Go on Pirates of the Caribbean," said Byron.
"Go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride again," said Margo.
"Go on Space Mountain again," said Jordan.
"Go on the spinning teacups," said Nicky.
"Go on It's a Small
By the time we had to leave to meet Parker's father and stepmother, the four of us were laughing and talking happily — until I realized that my unicorn charm and bracelet were missing.
I burst into tears. Who knew where I'd lost them? And I could never replace the bracelet. Mom was going to kill me. Plus, I only had $2.50 left. Not enough for a new charm. So the day was sort of ruined. But I did feel an awful lot better when, returning to the hotel later, Parker reached into his pocket and handed me something wrapped in tissue paper.
I opened it. It was another unicorn.
I was so pleased and so surprised that I started to cry again.
Parker blushed.
And then he kissed me on the cheek.
Mallory.
I don't know about this spying business. See, the frustrating thing is that sometimes you see or overhear things you don't understand, can't figure out, or never learn anything more about. For instance, what about that stowaway I saw the first day we were aboard the Ocean Princess? I spent the entire trip waiting for someone to discover him and arrest him. But nothing like that happened at all. The most exciting part of the trip was the storm we had one night. A big wave rocked the ship, and Va-nessa's shoes flew through the air and hit Mary Anne on the head.
What had happened to the pretty girl who looked like she might be from New York? I'd never seen her again. I knew that her name was Alexandra Carmody, that she'd talked to Mary Anne a few times, that she'd said she was an orphan, an actress, a countess's niece or something, and that she was traveling alone, which was all pretty interesting. But I hadn't seen her.
And where was Spider from the Insects, for heaven's sake? You'd think I would have seen him again.
I did know something more about the little boy in the wheelchair and the old man. The boy, Marc Kubacki, had become a friend of Stacey, Claire, and Margo, and the man, Mr. Staples, had become a friend of Kristy Thomas. But I wanted to know about the others.
I got my chance for more spying the very first day we went to the Magic Kingdom. After spending the morning together as one big group — Mom, Dad, all my brothers and sisters, me, Mary Anne, and Stacey — my parents said we could split up when lunch was over. I begged to be allowed to go off on my own again.
"Your own?" said Dad, frowning. "You really want to go on rides by yourself? Wouldn't you have more fun with some of your brothers and sisters — or even your old dad?" I grinned. "Don't worry about me . . . Old Dad. I'll go on rides again with everyone to- • • & morrow. This afternoon I just want to look around. I might go shopping or to one of the shows. And the parade comes down Main Street in the afternoon. I don't want to miss that." "A parade?" exclaimed Claire. "There's going to be a parade? Oh, please, please, please can we go?" "Sure," replied my mother, "but you might like it better at night. They hold the parade at night, too. And later, fireworks go off." "Fireworks! Like on the Fourth of July? Oh, lef s go at night!" This time it was Margo who was so excited.
"Well, anyway," I interrupted, "so if s all right if I spend the afternoon on my own? I'm kind of looking forward to it." My parents exchanged a glance. At last Mom said, "I think if s all right. But we're going to meet at five o'clock at Cinderella Castle. And if you're not there, I'm going to be very worried." "I'll be there," I promised.
Mom smiled. "Lef s figure out how the rest of us are going to split up," she said. Then she made the mistake that's always made at least once whenever us Pikes are on vacation.
She said, "What does everyone want to do?" "Go on Pirates of the Caribbean," said Byron.
"Go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride again," said Margo.
"Go on Space Mountain again," said Jordan.
"Go on the spinning teacups," said Nicky.
"Go on It's a Small
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