Chapter 29

Miss Nogard called on Deedee.

"Six cucumbers," Deedee said proudly.

"No, I'm sorry," said Miss Nogard. "The answer was seven lima beans."

Ooh, I had that! thought Jason.

She should have called on me! thought Rondi.

Deedee is stupid, thought Stephen.

"Okay, question two," said Miss Nogard. "Ron, did you get that one?"

Ron squirmed in his seat. He flipped through his papers. "What question are we on?" he asked.

"Question two," said Miss Nogard.

"Uh, I couldn't get that one either," said Ron.
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Miss Nogard looked at him a moment. "Okay, who knows the answer to question two?"

Abraham Lincoln's hat, thought Todd.

Abraham Lincoln's hat, thought Joy.

Abraham Lincoln's hat, thought Bebe.

George Washington's left shoe, thought Calvin.

"Yes, Calvin," said Miss Nogard.

"George Washington's left shoe!" said Calvin.

"No, I'm sorry," said Miss Nogard. "The answer was Abraham Lincoln's hat."

I knew it! thought Todd.

Calvin's stupid, thought Joy.

"Ron, did you get the answer to number three?" asked Miss Nogard.

Ron shook his sorry little head. He wished he had just told her the truth, but now it was too late.

"Anyone?" asked Miss Nogard.

Chairs and bears, thought Benjamin.

Coats and goats, thought D. J.

Chairs and bears, thought Mac.

Chairs and bears, thought Deedee.

Miss Nogard called on D. J.

"Coats and goats?" he said hopefully.

"No, chairs and bears," said Miss Nogard.

What an idiot! thought Benjamin.

"Question four," said Miss Nogard. "Ron?"

.. And so it went. Miss Nogard went through the entire homework assignment, and nobody gave a correct answer.

"I'm very disappointed," she said when they were finished. "You obviously didn't understand it. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to assign homework tonight after all."

Everyone groaned.

"I don't like it any better than you do," said Miss Nogard. "But it's for your own good."

She assigned three pages of homework, plus they had to do yesterday's homework over again as well.

But nobody blamed Miss Nogard. They liked her! She didn't even want to give homework.

They blamed each other.

It's not fair! thought Benjamin. I only missed one problem. But I have to do extra homework because everyone else is so stupid!

It was the same all around the room. Nobody missed more than two problems. Everyone thought everyone else was stupid!

Miss Nogard smiled as she listened to their thoughts.

I hate Joe! thought John.

I hate Calvin! thought Bebe.

I hate Joy! thought Maurecia,

I hate Allison! thought Rondi.

And everyone hated Ron.