THREE

Mrs. Hooping-Koff walked up to Rob Slob’s display. She sniffed the air and made a disgusted face.

People do that a lot when they get close to Rob. They can’t help it. He stinks.

Our teacher gazed down at Rob’s glass display case. “Hmmm . . .” she murmured and read the description he had printed out. “Strange Minerals.”

Rob burped. “I’ve been collecting them for a long time,” he told her.

Mrs. Hooping-Koff ran her finger along the top of the case, studying the little mineral deposits. “Wow, I like the green ones,” she said. “And that purple one is quite unusual, too.”

Rob grinned. “Thanks.”

Our teacher wrapped her fingers around one and picked it up. She brought it close to her face, then sniffed. “And where does this brown mineral come from?”

“From my nose,” Rob said. “I pulled them all from my nose. They’re boogers.”

The brown glob dropped from her hand, bounced on the table, and landed on the floor. Mrs. Hooping-Koff opened her mouth wide and a sound came out, something like “GAAAAAACK.”

Then she covered her mouth and had the dry heaves.

“Does this mean I win?” Rob asked.