7

Secret Business

To lighten the mood the following morning, Mr. Bambuckle suggested the students act out their imaginative entrances—as best they could, of course.

Miffy Armstrong went first, executing her backflip with grace and poise. “It’s truly not difficult,” she said with a bow.

Slugger attempted to copy Miffy’s move, which resulted in him landing headfirst on his chair. The seat made a funny twoing noise, and two of the legs buckled forward.

Mr. Bambuckle—quick as a flash—turned the lights out with his bouncy ball. The moment the lights flicked back on, Slugger was sitting upright in his chair, which looked as good as new.

The students were beginning to realize their teacher was capable of truly extraordinary things, and rather than stare widemouthed at Slugger—who was looking a little dazed—they applauded with the joy of familiarity.

Ren Rivera acted out her entrance next, flattening herself against the wall. Her challenge was not so much to camouflage as it was to tame her fits of laughter. “I need to work on my spying technique,” she said with a chuckle.

Vex pretended to shovel his way out from underneath his desk, earning more laughter from the class. Although the charade put a smile on his face, the dark rings under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. He had worked particularly hard the night before and had barely slept. After a big yawn, he rested his head back on the desk.

As only a good teacher could, Mr. Bambuckle was reading the signs and keeping a close eye on Vex. He had been using Dodger to help plan something special for the boy—something that would give him the break he so badly needed. It was a surprise the entire class would benefit from.

Aside from Miffy’s acrobatic routine, Peter Strayer’s entrance was the most convincing. He had chosen to be absent.

“That was a rather splendid way to start the day,” said Mr. Bambuckle. “Now, if you’ll excuse me for a moment, I have some business to attend to.” He opened an inside pocket of his jacket, and Dodger fluttered to his shoulder. The teacher whispered something to the blue jay, and it swooped through the door and out of sight.

“I wish you could tell us where Dodger keeps flying off to,” said Ren. “Does it have something to do with the Indian spark-maker beetle?”

Mr. Bambuckle shook his head. “As difficult as secrets are, they are necessary for surprises, and this one will be best revealed at the right time. May I also remind you that Indian spark maker beetles are incredibly dangerous—not something to be messed with lightly.”

“Father’s bagpipes are not to be messed with lightly either,” said Harold. “His playing is lethal!”

While the class chuckled at Harold’s joke, Mr. Bambuckle handed out math textbooks—the thick, heavy type that was filled with thousands of problems. “Don’t open these yet,” he instructed.

“What are we going to learn about?” asked Albert Smithers.

Mr. Bambuckle surveyed the room. “Our learning today will be most important. I’ve planned a lesson that will teach you twice as much as usual.”

Albert licked his lips in anticipation.

Mr. Bambuckle walked around the room and checked that everyone was ready. “You may now open your books.”

“They’re blank!” said Albert. “What kind of textbook is blank?”

“One that you’re going to fill in,” said the teacher.

“I don’t understand,” said Vinnie.

“Children are too often expected to answer questions,” said Mr. Bambuckle. “Today, you are going to ask the questions instead. By writing questions—asking them—your brain will work in fast-forward, since you’ll need to know the answers too. Once you have filled a page with questions, swap books with a partner and answer the problems in their book.”

“I want to partner with Victoria,” said Damon, hastily picking up his pencil.

“I want to be left alone,” said Vex, yawning again. “I hate math.”

“Then I shall partner with you,” said Mr. Bambuckle, recognizing a familiar tone creeping back into Vex’s voice.

The long hours of hard work after school were bringing out more of Vex’s brashness. This, the teacher knew, could lead to the boy slipping back into his rebellious ways. He simply couldn’t allow it to happen. Not when Vex’s sacrifice was the reason behind his return to room 12B, and certainly not when he had so much work to do with him—and the other fourteen students, for that matter.

An hour passed, and the students were steaming ahead with their math.

“We really are learning twice as much,” said Albert, his face beaming. “Well, 215 percent to be exact.”

“Why twice as much?” said Carrot, who was rather enjoying the lesson. “We’ve never had to learn twice as much before.”

“Because,” said Mr. Bambuckle, “you won’t learn a thing tomorrow. Certainly not in this room anyway. Outside, though… Well, that is a different matter altogether.”

“What do you mean?” said Sammy. “What’s happening tomorrow?”

Mr. Bambuckle clapped his hands together. “Dear Sammy, I am trusting you remember certain…computer skills I sent your way?”

Sammy nodded.

“Good!” said the teacher. “Because tomorrow, they’ll come in handy.”

The students glanced at each other with nervous excitement. This could only mean one thing—something remarkable was about to happen.