What had Stookie meant by that? Jerry wondered as he hurried to his room to get his swim things. Aw, he was probably just joking around. Like he said, his bark is worse than his bite. Not that I have to worry about that, because nothing is going to go wrong!
He emptied his knapsack out on his bed. He was stuffing a beach towel and bathing suit into it when his mother called up.
“Jerry! Please bring your dirty clothes downstairs so I can wash them!”
“Okay, Mom!” Jerry replied. He gathered up the clothes and headed downstairs. “I’m going to the pool after lunch, okay?”
“Sure,” she said. She looked out the window. “I see Stookie’s not going. He and his family just pulled out of the driveway with a car full of camping gear.”
“Yeah, they’re gone for three days,” Jerry said. “I’m taking care of Stookie’s gerbils.”
“That’s a big responsibility,” his mother said. Then she frowned. “Are they leaving their house unlocked for three days?” she asked.
“No,” Jerry said. “Stookie gave me a key.”
“Well, you better put it in a safe place, then,” his mother advised.
“Good idea,” Jerry said. He hurried back to his room and looked through his knapsack. It was empty!
That’s funny, Jerry thought nervously. I’m sure I put the key in here this morning.
He checked all the pockets. Nothing.
Maybe it’s tangled up in the clothes! He raced back to the washing machine, pulled over a chair, and lifted the lid. He plunged his arms into the warm, soapy water and started pulling clothes out.
“What are you doing?” his mother yelled from behind him. Startled, Jerry whipped around, sending a stream of water drops over the floor. He looked from the shirt in his hand to the pile of dripping clothes on the floor.
“Sorry, Mom! Sorry!” he cried. “I —I can’t find the key to Stookie’s house. I know I put it in my knapsack, but now it’s not there. I thought it might have gotten caught in my pajamas or clothes or something.” He lifted his sodden pajama top out of the wash. “But I can’t find it here, either.”
His mother shook her head. “I always give your clothes a good shake before I put them in the wash. I didn’t find a key.”
Jerry dropped the wet top back into the wash.
His mother ruffled his hair. “Now, don’t worry. Think about where the key might have fallen out of your knapsack.”
Jerry’s head snapped up. “The soccer field!” he cried. “Stookie and I went right to the field from his house! I bet it fell out on the way, or when I was looking for that coin!”
“The best way to find something you’ve misplaced is to retrace your steps,” his mother said. “I’ll clean up this mess. You go find that key!”
