February Friend Read online

  February Friend

  Under the towel was a cage with a black-and-white rabbit inside. Torn newspapers covered the cage floor. A plastic water bottle hung from one side of the cage.

  “There’s a paper taped to the cage,” Lucy said.

  Mr. Vooray pulled the tape away. “It’s a note,” he said, unfolding the paper. He read it out loud: “THIS IS DOUGLAS. HE WANTS TO BE YOUR VALENTINE. PLEASE GIVE HIM A GOOD HOME. SIGNED, A FRIEND.”

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2009 by Ron Roy

  Illustrations and map copyright © 2009 by John Steven Gurney

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books,

  a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks and A Stepping Stone Book and the colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  www.ronroy.com

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at

  www.randomhouse.com/teachers

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Roy, Ron.

  February friend / by Ron Roy; illustrated by John Steven Gurney. — 1st ed.

  p. cm. — (Calendar mysteries) “A Stepping Stone Book.”

  Summary: Bradley, Brian, Nate, and Lucy follow clues to find whoever left a rabbit in their first-grade classroom on Valentine’s Day, because they are worried the rabbit will get sick and die of loneliness.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-77170-4

  [1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Rabbits—Fiction. 3. Valentine’s Day—Fiction.

  4. Twins—Fiction. 5. Brothers and sisters—Fiction. 6. Cousins—Fiction.]

  I. Gurney, John Steven, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.R8139Jan 2009 [Fic]—dc22 2008023906

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v3.1

  This book is dedicated to my February Friend, Zeke Roy

  —R.R.

  To Mark and Julia

  —J.S.G.

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1. Secret Valentine

  Chapter 2. Who Left Douglas?

  Chapter 3. What’s Wrong with Douglas?

  Chapter 4. Bad News

  Chapter 5. Running Out of Time

  Chapter 6. Scar Finger

  Chapter 7. Bunny in a Boat

  Chapter 8. Ellie to the Rescue

  Chapter 9. The Man with the Scar

  Chapter 10. Mystery Man

  Chapter 11. Bradley’s Dream

  Chapter 12. A Perfect Plan

  1

  Secret Valentine

  “I love Valentine’s Day,” Bradley Pinto told his twin brother. They were walking to school. Both boys had green caps pulled down over their red hair. They wore matching ski jackets.

  “Why, because girls send you valentines?” Brian asked.

  Bradley shook his head. “Nope. Because Mom always makes cupcakes!” He was carrying a box of them.

  Bradley and Brian met their friends Nate Hathaway and Lucy Armstrong in front of their school. Nate had black hair like his older sister, Ruth Rose. Lucy’s long blond ponytail hung from under her fuzzy white hat.

  Lucy was staying with her cousin Dink’s family for one year. Dink was best friends with Ruth Rose and the twins’ brother, Josh. Lucy’s parents were in Arizona helping to build a school on a reservation.

  Nate tapped the box Bradley was holding. “How many cupcakes did your mom make?” he asked. He rubbed his tummy.

  “Twenty-four,” Bradley said.

  “Is that all?” Nate asked. “I could eat ten all by myself!”

  “Dream on,” Lucy said.

  Nate had brought paper plates, napkins, and plastic forks. Lucy was carrying a bag of heart-shaped candies.

  Just then a loud bell clanged. The four friends hurried into the school. A bunch of other kids were scurrying to their classrooms as well. A few parents came in carrying boxes. The janitor, Mr. Neater, was mopping up snow puddles.

  The kids’ first-grade teacher, Mr. Vooray, waited for them outside his classroom. The rest of the class was already in the room. Two of the kids were feeding Goldilocks, the hamster, and Yertle, the box turtle.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day,” Mr. Vooray said. “Please put your goodies on the counter. And everyone hang up your coats. “

  Bradley, Nate, and Lucy carried the cupcakes, cookies, plates, and forks over to the counter. Bradley noticed other cupcakes, a plate of brownies, and a bowl of heart-shaped cookies.

  A big red box sat on Mr. Vooray’s desk. The box was decorated with paper hearts. All the kids knew it was filled with valentines. They had been making them all week.

  “When can we open the box?” Samantha asked Mr. Vooray.

  “As you know, today is a half day,” Mr. Vooray said. “I think we should wait till just before we go home. Then we can pass out the valentines and eat all the treats you kids brought in.”

  The morning went quickly. The first graders did math problems. Then they wrote in their journals. When they were finished with that, they read in their library books.

  Then Mr. Vooray read aloud from Charlotte’s Web.

  Suddenly Nate’s tummy growled.

  Mr. Vooray looked up. “I guess it’s time to eat,” he said with a smile.

  Everyone jumped up and ran for the counter. Kids giggled and bumped into each other as they handed out paper plates, napkins, forks, and cups of juice. Then the kids who had brought food passed it out. Soon everyone was munching.

  Bradley bit into a chocolate cupcake with pink frosting. He and his mom had frosted them early that morning.

  “When can we get our valentines?” Joyce asked.

  “Right now!” Mr. Vooray said. He pulled the lid off of the red box and dumped a big pile of valentine cards on his desk. He picked Flo, Bradley, and Lucy to pass them out to the class.

  “Hey, Mr. Vooray, here’s one with no name on it,” Bradley said. He held up the envelope. It was red and shaped like a heart.

  Mr. Vooray grinned. “It’s a mystery card,” he said.

  “Open it!” a bunch of kids yelled.

  “Go ahead,” said Mr. Vooray.

  Bradley opened the envelope. He pulled out a heart-shaped card and showed the class. On the front was a picture of a bunny rabbit.

  Bradley read what was written inside the card: “LOOK IN THE CLOSET.”

  Mr. Vooray walked over to the closet. He put his ear to the door. “I hear something,” he whispered.

  2

  Who Left Douglas?

  “Should we look inside?” Mr. Vooray asked.

  “Yes!” everyone yelled.

  Mr. Vooray pulled the door open. “Well, what is this?” he asked.

  Twenty kids jumped out of their seats and crowded behind Mr. Vooray.

  Sitting on the closet floor was a square shape under a towel.

  “Maybe it’s more cupcakes,” said Joyce.

  Mr. Vooray gently removed the towel.

  “Ooooh,” said twenty voices.

  Under the towel was a cage with a black-and-white rabbit inside. Torn newspapers covered the cage floor. A plastic water bottle hung from one side of the cage.

  “How cute!” Tiffany said.

  “There’s a paper taped to the cage,” Lucy said.

  Mr. Vooray pulled the tap
e away. “It’s a note,” he said, unfolding the paper. He read it out loud: “THIS IS DOUGLAS. HE WANTS TO BE YOUR VALENTINE. PLEASE GIVE HIM A GOOD HOME. SIGNED, A FRIEND.”

  “Can we keep him?” asked Nate.

  “Who left him here?” demanded Rodney.

  “Douglas is a silly name for a rabbit!” announced Kaitlyn.

  Bradley noticed a jar filled with brown pellets on the floor next to the cage. “Is that the rabbit’s food?” he asked.

  Mr. Vooray picked up the jar. “I think you’re right, Bradley,” he said.

  “He eats that yucky stuff?” Brian asked. “Don’t rabbits eat lettuce?”

  “Good question, Brian,” Mr. Vooray said. “Why don’t you look it up and tell us when we come back on Tuesday?”

  “Can we take him out of the cage?” Veronica asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Mr. Vooray said. “Poor Douglas doesn’t look happy.”

  The rabbit’s eyes were closed. His ears didn’t wiggle. His nose didn’t twitch. Nothing on Douglas moved.

  Bradley picked up the towel. “Look, there’s a capital Z on it.”

  “Maybe it’s a clue to who left Douglas!” Lucy said.

  “You could be right,” Mr. Vooray said. “Do we know anyone whose name begins with Z?”

  “Zorro!” said Nate.

  Everyone laughed.

  “All right, let’s take our seats, please,” Mr. Vooray said.

  Twenty kids scrambled back to their desks.

  Mr. Vooray pointed to a sheet of paper tacked to the bulletin board. “Veronica, I see it’s your turn to take Goldilocks home for the long weekend, “ he said. “Don’t forget, Monday is a holiday. It’s Presidents’ Day.”

  Veronica got up and brought the hamster cage to her seat.

  “Good. Mikey, you’re signed up to take Yertle,” Mr. Vooray added.

  Mikey put Yertle into his traveling box and carried the box to his desk.

  “Now we need someone to take Douglas home,” Mr. Vooray went on.

  “I will!” Bradley said.

  “Are you sure, Bradley?” Mr. Vooray asked. “Will this be okay with your parents?”

  “They love animals,” Bradley said. “We have a pony and a dog already!”

  Mr. Vooray grinned. “Yes, I know. Okay, you and your brother can take Douglas home. On Tuesday we can decide what to do about this mystery.”

  3

  What’s Wrong with Douglas?

  After school, Lucy and Nate went to the twins’ house. Bradley and Brian each held an end of the cage as they walked home. The towel was draped over the cage so Douglas wouldn’t get too cold. Lucy carried the jar of rabbit food.

  “I wonder who left him in the closet,” Nate said. “Maybe it was a kid in another grade.”

  “Why would a kid get rid of a rabbit?” Bradley asked.

  Nate shrugged. “Maybe the kid’s parents made him do it,” he said.

  “It had to be a kid or someone who works at the school,” Brian said.

  “Why?” Lucy asked.

  “Who else could get into Mr. Vooray’s classroom?” Brian asked.

  “Bri, there were parents all over the building today,” Bradley said. “Some of them came in to bring food and help with the parties.”

  “You’re right,” Lucy said. “Some kid’s mom or dad could have left Douglas.”

  “Or what about the guy who brings the milk every day?” Bradley asked. “Or the woman who delivers the mail? And there was a plumber fixing a toilet in the boys’ bathroom.”

  “In other words, it could be anyone,” Nate said.

  Ten minutes later, the kids trooped into Bradley and Brian’s kitchen.

  Mrs. Pinto was sitting at the table, chopping vegetables. “Hi, kids. Leave your boots by the door, please,” she said. The kids all removed their boots.

  “Mom, we got a rabbit!” Bradley announced. He and Brian set the cage on the floor.

  Brian whipped off the towel. “His name is Douglas, and we get to keep him for the long weekend!”

  Mrs. Pinto walked over and peered into the cage. “Hello, Douglas,” she said. Then she looked at her twin sons. “Where did you get him?”

  They explained about the mystery valentine at school.

  “How odd,” Mrs. Pinto said.

  The kids yanked off their hats and coats. They all knelt around the cage.

  “Don’t scare him!” Bradley said.

  “We’re not!” Brian said.

  “Let’s all just be quiet for a minute,” their mother said. “Rabbits are timid animals.”

  They all watched Douglas in the cage. He huddled in a corner, not moving a whisker.

  “He didn’t move at school, either,” Bradley said.

  “Maybe he’s hungry,” Lucy said.

  Mrs. Pinto grabbed a slice of carrot from her cutting board. She pushed it through the cage bars. Douglas didn’t even look at it.

  “What’s the matter with him?” Brian asked his mother. “Is he sick?”

  “I don’t know,” Mrs. Pinto said. “Maybe he’s just scared.”

  Just then their dog, Pal, trotted into the kitchen. He stuck his nose up against the cage. “Woof!” he said.

  Douglas ignored Pal.

  Bradley petted his dog. “Douglas isn’t feeling good,” he explained to Pal. “Can we keep Douglas in our room, Mom?”

  “Sure,” his mother said. “Maybe after a while he’ll get more perky.”

  The four kids lugged the cage and jar of food up the stairs.

  They bumped into Josh at the top of the stairs. Josh was Bradley and Brian’s twelve-year-old brother.

  “What’s in the cage?” Josh asked.

  “A rabbit,” Brian said. “We’re keeping him for the weekend.”

  “Cool,” Josh said. He put his finger into the cage.

  “His name is Douglas,” Lucy told Josh. “But he may be sick. He won’t move or anything.”

  Josh stared into the cage. “Maybe he’s just taking a nap,” he said. Then he headed downstairs.

  The kids brought the cage into Bradley and Brian’s room. They set it on Bradley’s desk. Lucy filled the water bottle in the bathroom. Bradley put a handful of the rabbit food in the cage in front of Douglas’s nose.

  When Bradley took his hand away, he felt something smooth under the newspapers. “I found something,” he said. He felt around under the papers and pulled out a Baggie. Inside the Baggie were three photographs. Bradley laid them on his bed.

  “They’re pictures of Douglas,” Lucy said.

  The kids looked at the pictures.

  In one, he was just a small bunny sitting in a man’s hand.

  Another picture showed Douglas in a yard somewhere.

  In the third picture, Douglas was sitting on a wooden bench. There was water in the background.

  “I wonder who took these pictures,” Lucy said.

  “Probably his owner,” Bradley said.

  “The mystery man!” Brian said in a spooky voice.

  “I wonder if Douglas got left in the closet because he’s sick,” Lucy said. “That’s a pretty mean thing to do!”

  Bradley walked over to his bookshelf. He found a book about pets.

  He turned to the chapter on rabbits. “Guys, listen to this,” he said. “ ‘If your pet rabbit stops eating, playing, or hopping around, he may be sick. Take him to a veterinarian immediately.’ “

  The four kids stared into the cage. Douglas sat as still as a stone.

  “We have to take him to Dr. Henry,” Bradley announced.

  “Who’s he?” Lucy asked.

  “The vet,” Nate explained. “My sister, Ruth Rose, brings our cat there. Doc Henry is real nice.”

  Bradley ran downstairs. “Mom, can you call Dr. Henry?” he asked. “Douglas still looks like he’s sick.”

  The other kids came downstairs while Mrs. Pinto punched in the telephone number.

  Bradley listened as his mother told the vet about the rabbit.


  “Okay, thank you, Dr. Henry,” said Bradley’s mother. Then she hung up.

  “What did he say, Mom?” Bradley asked.

  “If Douglas doesn’t improve overnight, he’ll take a look at him tomorrow,” Bradley’s mother said. “Don’t worry, hon, Douglas will be fine.”

  But Bradley did worry. That night, he slept on the floor next to Douglas’s cage.

  4

  Bad News

  As soon as Bradley woke up Saturday morning, he peered into the cage. Douglas was sitting in a corner. He wasn’t moving.

  “Douglas,” Bradley whispered, “are you all right?”

  Bradley reached into the cage and put his hand on Douglas’s back. The rabbit felt warm, and Bradley could tell that he was breathing. But that was all he was doing.

  Bradley started to get dressed.

  “What’s going on?” Brian asked from his bed.

  “Doc Henry told Mom to bring Douglas in if he didn’t get better,” Bradley reminded him. “And he didn’t.”

  Brian sat up and blinked. “I’m coming, too,” he said.

  The boys got dressed, woke their mother, and made themselves cereal for breakfast.

  Between spoonfuls, Brian called Nate. “We’re taking Douglas to the vet,” he said. “You want to come? Get Lucy, too.”

  When Nate and Lucy arrived, Mrs. Pinto drove them all to the vet’s office on East Green Street. The four kids crowded into the office with the cage.

  Dr. Henry was waiting. “So here’s the mystery bunny,” he said. “Let’s take a look.”

  Dr. Henry gently lifted Douglas out of the cage. He placed the rabbit on his examination table.

  Bradley noticed that Douglas was trembling. “Why is he shaking?” he asked.

  “He’s scared,” Dr. Henry said.

  The vet ran his hands all over Douglas’s body. He looked inside his ears, eyes, and mouth. He weighed Douglas on a small scale and took his temperature. He parted Douglas’s fur and studied his skin.

  “Well, I’d say this is a very healthy rabbit,” Dr. Henry stated. “His eyes are clear, and his teeth are perfect.”

  Bradley showed Dr. Henry the pellets he had in his pocket.

  “These are a fine brand of rabbit food,” the vet said. “Someone took very good care of this fellow.”