Piggy Party Read online

  Beverly Lewis Books for Young Readers

  PICTURE BOOKS

  Annika’s Secret Wish • In Jesse’s Shoes

  Just Like Mama • What Is God Like?

  What Is Heaven Like?

  THE CUL-DE-SAC KIDS

  The Double Dabble Surprise

  The Chicken Pox Panic

  The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery

  No Grown-ups Allowed

  Frog Power

  The Mystery of Case D. Luc

  The Stinky Sneakers Mystery

  Pickle Pizza

  Mailbox Mania

  The Mudhole Mystery

  Fiddlesticks

  The Crabby Cat Caper

  Tarantula Toes

  Green Gravy

  Backyard Bandit Mystery

  Tree House Trouble

  The Creepy Sleep-Over

  The Great TV Turn-Off

  Piggy Party

  The Granny Game

  Mystery Mutt

  Big Bad Beans

  The Upside-Down Day

  The Midnight Mystery

  Katie and Jake and the Haircut Mistake

  www.BeverlyLewis.com

  Piggy Party

  Copyright © 1999

  Beverly Lewis

  Cover illustration by Paul Turnbaugh

  Text illustrations by Janet Huntington

  Cover design by Lookout Design, Inc.

  Ebook edition created 2012

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  ISBN 978-1-4412-6085-7

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  www.bethanyhouse.com

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

  To

  Talon Zachary Erickson,

  my new friend in Minnesota.

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  The Cul-De-Sac Kids Series

  About the Author

  Other Books by Author

  Back Cover

  ONE

  Carly Hunter watched the school clock. She stared hard.

  Click . . . click . . . click.

  The second hand poked along like a turtle. Three more never-ending minutes till afternoon recess.

  Carly could hardly wait.

  She turned and looked at the guinea pig cage across the room. The class pet was so cute. And he was looking back at her!

  Carly squirmed.

  She jiggled.

  Her school desk danced, too.

  Dee Dee Winters tapped Carly on the shoulder. “You’re a wiggle worm today,” she whispered.

  Dee Dee was Carly’s best friend. She sat right behind Carly at school. The perfect spot for a best friend.

  Carly said softly, “I have the flitter-flops.”

  “You’re not kidding,” said Dee Dee.

  Carly was still watching the furry pet. “I can’t believe I get to take the guinea pig home. All weekend.”

  “His name is Piggy, don’t forget,” Dee Dee reminded her.

  Carly grinned. “Who could forget a name like that?”

  Dee Dee smiled and twisted a curl.

  “Girls, please get busy,” said Miss Hartman. The teacher’s voice was kind but firm.

  Carly picked up her pencil. She printed her name neatly. She tried to do her workbook pages. But her eyes wanted to wander to Piggy’s cage!

  “Miss Hartman’s watching you,” she heard Dee Dee whisper.

  Quickly, Carly looked down at her work sheet. She would have to cover up her head. She just couldn’t keep her eyes off the guinea pig.

  Carly glanced at the clock above the door again.

  Goody!

  The recess bell would be ringing. Right . . . about . . . now.

  BRRING!

  “I call the swings,” said one of the girls. She flew past Carly and Dee Dee.

  Carly didn’t care about swinging. Not today. She had more important things in mind. Things like feeding the guinea pig. Things like changing his water dish.

  She hurried to Piggy’s cage.

  Dee Dee came, too. “Where are you gonna put Piggy at your house?” asked Dee Dee.

  “I might hide him in the secret place, behind my closet,” Carly said.

  Dee Dee’s eyes grew round as silver dollars. “He might not like it in there. It’s too dark.”

  “But he’ll be safe,” Carly insisted. “Especially from my little brother.”

  “Why? What’s Jimmy gonna do to Piggy?” Dee Dee asked.

  “Nothing, if I keep Piggy hidden.” Carly reached down into the cage. She removed the dish of water. She carried the dish to the sink and poured some fresh water.

  Dee Dee leaned over the cage. “He’s so soft and pretty.”

  “Looks like butterscotch,” said Carly.

  “Yummy,” said Dee Dee.

  Carly poked her friend. “Silly! Guinea pigs aren’t candy.”

  Dee Dee shrugged. “But Piggy is the coolest class pet we’ve had all year.”

  Carly agreed. They’d had two lizards and even a garter snake before Christmas. But Piggy was the perfect class pet. He was easy to care for. He made the cutest sounds, too. Sometimes it sounded like he was whistling.

  Carly liked that. Maybe she and Piggy would have a whistle duet this weekend. Maybe she and the guinea pig would celebrate Groundhog Day together.

  Tomorrow!

  She wondered if Piggy might see his shadow. After all, guinea pigs were related to groundhogs. Weren’t they?

  TWO

  Carly and Dee Dee marched home through the snow. Carly pulled her sled with the guinea pig cage tied onto it. “I hope Piggy doesn’t catch a cold,” she said.

  The girls stopped to check on the pet. They lifted the blanket off his cage.

  “Aw, look, he’s shivering,” Carly said. She wished she’d asked her mother to pick her up at school. “We better hurry.”

  “He needs a little sweater,” Dee Dee suggested.

  “Whoever heard of a guinea pig wearing a sweater?” Carly said.

  “We should make him one this weekend,” Dee Dee said.

  “Maybe,” Carly said. She was more concerned about getting Piggy inside her warm house.

  The girls lived on Blossom Hill Lane, right across from Blossom Hill School. There were seven houses and nine kids on the cul-de-sac. All nine kids were good friends. They even had a club and a favorite motto. Carly’s big sister, Abby, was the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids.

  “Are you gonna bring Piggy to the club meeting tonight?” Dee Dee asked.

  Carly really didn’t want to share Piggy with the Cul-de-sac Kids. He was her pet for the weekend! “Why should I bring Piggy?” Carly shot back.

  “Well, why not?” Dee Dee said. “Pretend it’s show-and-tell—like at school.”

  Carly shook her head. “That’s silly.”

  D
ee Dee wrinkled her nose.

  Carly pulled the sled faster. She looked at the sky. “I wonder if the sun will shine tomorrow.”

  “The sun’s always shining,” Dee Dee said. “We learned that in science, remember? You just can’t always see the sun.”

  “Because of the clouds,” Carly said. She knew all that. “I’m not thinking about sunshine right now. I’m thinking about a famous groundhog.”

  Dee Dee clapped her mittened hands. “Because it’s gonna be Groundhog Day soon.”

  “Right,” said Carly. “What do you think about that groundhog in Pennsylvania? He’s the one who sees his shadow every year,” Carly said.

  Dee Dee raised her eyebrows. “It doesn’t make sense, does it?”

  Carly agreed. “An old groundhog crawls out of his hole and sees his shadow. So what! Is it really a sign that we’re stuck with six more weeks of winter?”

  “It oughta be the other way around,” Dee Dee said. “If the sun’s shining when the groundhog comes out, that means it’s the end of winter. Right?”

  “Yep. The whole thing is mixed up,” Carly said.

  She thought of the cute guinea pig.

  Maybe Piggy would know if their long, snowy winter was almost over. Maybe he’d know something about the secret of the groundhog. And the shadow.

  Maybe. . . .

  THREE

  Carly and Dee Dee carried the guinea pig cage inside.

  “I have an idea,” Carly told Dee Dee.

  “What is it?” Dee Dee asked.

  “Wait and see,” said Carly. They hurried down the hallway to Carly’s bedroom.

  “Aw, please?” Dee Dee pleaded. “We’re best friends, aren’t we?” She’d used that line to hear secrets before.

  Carly didn’t say a word.

  “When’s the secret gonna happen?” asked Dee Dee.

  “Tomorrow at high noon,” Carly said. There was a ring of mystery in her voice.

  Dee Dee sat on the edge of Carly’s bed. “Is this about Groundhog Day?” she asked.

  Carly felt like being a little tricky. “I’m going to find out if spring is coming soon.”

  Dee Dee’s eyes grew wide again. “How?”

  “Just show up here tomorrow. Twelve o’clock sharp.” Carly went to the window and pulled back the curtains. She searched the sky. Heavy snow clouds hung low.

  Dee Dee came over and stood by the window. “Carly Hunter, you’re up to something. I just know it!”

  Carly knew Dee Dee couldn’t keep a secret. It was almost impossible!

  “You can tell me,” Dee Dee said. Her big brown eyes were ready to pop.

  “No way,” Carly said, laughing. She went to the cage and saw that Piggy had stopped shaking. “Look, he’s warming up.”

  Dee Dee was begging. “C’mon, Carly! Don’t change the subject. Tell me what’s gonna happen tomorrow!”

  “I won’t spoil the surprise,” Carly said. “It’s a Groundhog Day secret.” And she made her voice sound extra sneaky.

  “Ple-e-ease?” Dee Dee begged.

  Carly knelt beside the guinea pig cage. She didn’t want to be mean. Or make Dee Dee mad at her. She wanted to have fun on Groundhog Day. She was tired of all the cold and snow. Carly had to find out if winter was nearly over.

  But Dee Dee was still pleading. “I’ll do anything you say, if you just tell me.”

  “Okay, okay,” Carly finally gave in.

  Dee Dee danced around the room. “Hoo-ray!”

  “You have to keep it a secret,” Carly said.

  “I can do that,” Dee Dee replied.

  Carly really hoped so.

  FOUR

  Carly sat beside Dee Dee on the floor.

  Time for the Cul-de-sac Kids club meeting. They usually met at Dunkum’s house. He had the biggest basement. And his parents didn’t mind.

  Dunkum’s real name was Edward, but everyone called him Dunkum. He could slam-dunk most any basketball. He was that tall!

  The Cul-de-sac Kids always took off their shoes before a meeting. They lined them up in a row.

  Carly stared at the neat row of snow boots. She could hardly wait to wear tennis shoes again. And sandals and shorts. And go swimming with the warm sun shining down. . . .

  “The meeting will come to order,” Abby said. She was sitting in the giant beanbag. It was the president’s chair.

  “Where’s Piggy?” Dee Dee whispered to Carly.

  Carly said, “I left him at home. He’s hiding.”

  Dee Dee had a crooked smile. “Did you hide him in the you-know-what place?”

  Carly said, “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.”

  Dee Dee twisted her short, wavy hair. “Don’t be so snooty.”

  “Listen to the president,” Carly replied. “Abby’s talking.”

  “You better tell me,” Dee Dee whispered.

  “I don’t have to,” Carly said back.

  Abby was shaking her head. “Excuse me, girls. We’re trying to have a meeting here.”

  Dunkum Mifflin wagged his finger at Carly and Dee Dee. “Nobody talks when the president is talking.”

  Eric Hagel turned around and stared. His eyes weren’t blinking at all.

  “It’s not nice to stare, Eric,” Dee Dee hissed.

  Carly poked Dee Dee in the ribs. “Be quiet!”

  “I don’t feel like it!” Dee Dee hollered.

  Jason Birchall made a face at Carly and Dee Dee. “You two better watch it,” he said.

  Stacy Henry put her hands over her ears.

  Shawn and Jimmy frowned at Carly and Dee Dee. Then they chattered to each other in Korean.

  Dee Dee stood up. She looked down at Carly. Then she twirled a curl with her finger.

  Carly wondered what Dee Dee was up to. She felt jittery.

  Dee Dee raised her hand to speak.

  “Yes, Dee Dee?” Abby said from the front of the room.

  “Carly’s hiding a guinea pig in her closet,” Dee Dee blurted. “She doesn’t want anyone to know.”

  How could she do this to me? Carly wondered.

  “It’s true, just ask her,” Dee Dee was saying.

  “It’s NOT true!” Carly yelled back. She wasn’t lying. She was hiding Piggy behind the closet wall.

  Abby jumped out of her beanbag. “I think we’d better call this meeting quits,” she said.

  Dee Dee sat right down. “We’ll be quiet. We promise.”

  Abby nodded her head. “It’s been a long and cold winter. Everyone’s cranky. Maybe we should wait till spring for the next meeting.”

  Carly got up and headed for her snow boots. “Abby’s right. We’re fussy, and we can’t help it.”

  Dee Dee crossed her arms and pouted. “Blame it on the weather,” she muttered.

  “Pout if you want,” Carly said. “I’m leaving.”

  All the kids were staring at her now.

  But Carly didn’t care. Her stomach did a flitter-flop.

  Dee Dee was such a blabbermouth!

  FIVE

  Carly slid open the skinny door in the closet wall. She flicked on her flashlight.

  The guinea pig darted away.

  “Sorry about that,” Carly said. She shined the light away from his cage. She wanted to keep Piggy company. She wanted to talk to someone. Even a guinea pig was better than Dee Dee Winters!

  “The club meeting was horrible tonight. Capital H!” she told Piggy.

  The guinea pig rattled his cage.

  “Goody, you understand.” She reached inside to lift him out. “You’re lonely, aren’t you?”

  Piggy made cute little clicking sounds.

  “I’m sorry I had to leave you here.” She stroked his soft fur coat.

  Piggy seemed to enjoy being petted.

  “My best friend blabbed to everyone about your hiding place,” she said. “I’ll have to keep a close watch on you all weekend. I must take good care of you. Miss Hartman said so.”

  Piggy seemed to listen. He put his tiny face near her nec
k.

  “Do you have a secret?” Carly leaned her ear down. “Do you know when spring is coming?” she asked. “Like that old groundhog in Pennsylvania?”

  She thought of all the icky weather they’d had. One blizzard after another. Everybody was sick of it. Most of all, Carly!

  “Will your cousin see his shadow tomorrow?” she whispered.

  Piggy began to whistle loudly.

  “Is that an answer?” She had to laugh. “Can you whistle a tune?”

  He kept up the shrill sound.

  “Let’s have a duet.” She tried her best to make up a song.

  Then . . .

  Bam, bam!

  Someone was pounding on the sliding door.

  She stopped whistling and held her breath. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Especially not big-mouth Dee Dee!

  But Piggy kept whistling. Loudly.

  “Shh!” she whispered to the guinea pig.

  But he continued his Piggy tune.

  “I know you’re in there, Carly,” a voice called through the door.

  It was Abby.

  Oh no! thought Carly. She’s gonna scold me about the meeting!

  Carly leaned hard against the door.

  “Listen,” Abby said. “You’re not in trouble.”

  “Go away!” Carly shouted. She felt Piggy tremble in her hand.

  “I need to talk to you,” Abby insisted.

  “What about?”

  “About your secret,” said Abby.

  “What secret?” Carly asked.

  “Your idea,” Abby said. “Your weather experiment.”

  Carly did a gulp. “Experiment?” she said. But she knew what Abby meant. Someone had let her secret slip. And she knew who that Someone was.

  “Dee Dee told everyone about your plan,” Abby said.

  I knew it, Carly thought.

  “Let me in,” Abby called. “Please?”

  “Are you mad at me?” Carly asked.

  “Why should I be?” Abby said.

  Carly waited for her sister to say more.

  But Abby was quiet.

  At last, Carly slid open the door. “I’m sorry about the meeting . . . the way I acted. It wasn’t very nice.”

  Abby smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “But tell me about your idea. It sounds very exciting. All of us are dying to know if winter is over.”

  Carly let her big sister into the secret place. Gladly.