Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger (Wayside School 3)

Bebe had an itch on her leg.

Miss Nogard smiled. The bad stuff always rose to the top of the brain.

Even if a person was very excited about something wonderful, the person still worried about what could go wrong.

Jenny was going horseback riding after school, if it didn’t rain. She had never gone horseback riding before. She hoped she wouldn’t fall off the horse.

Miss Nogard clapped her hands. “So, who would like to tell me what you’ve been working on?” she asked.

A few hands went up in the air.

“Oooh! Oooh!” said Mac.

“How about the boy in the orange and purple shirt?” said Miss Nogard.

Everyone looked around.

“The handsome young man sitting right there,” said Miss Nogard.

Dana looked at her shirt. It was orange and purple. She pointed at herself and mouthed the word me?

“Yes, you,” said Miss Nogard.

Dana’s face turned red-hot. “I’m a girl,” she said.

Everyone laughed.

“Oh, I am so embarrassed!” said Miss Nogard, with her hand over her heart.

“It’s not your fault,” said Dana. “It’s my stupid haircut. I hate it!”

“Oh, no,” said Miss Nogard. “You look adorable. I see now you’re a very pretty girl.”

“I’m ugly,” muttered Dana. She buried her head under her arms.

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“I’d better call on someone else,” said Miss Nogard.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a brain screamed, Don’t call on me! Whatever you do, please don’t call on me!

It came from Benjamin Nushmutt.

“How about you?” said Miss Nogard, looking right at him.

Just don’t ask me my name, thought Benjamin. I never can say my name in front of people. He took a breath to steady himself. “Well, we’ve been reading—”

“First tell me your name,” Miss Nogard said sweetly.

The muscles in Benjamin’s face tightened. He concentrated real hard, then said, “Benjamin Nushmutt.”

“I beg your pardon?” said Miss Nogard.

“Benjamin Nushmutt,” he repeated.

“Henderson Schmidt?” asked Miss Nogard.