Free at last! Lula started legging it across the backyard.

“Help! She’s getting away!” yelled Stink.

Webster ran after her. “She’s making a run for it. Hurry. Before she hides!”

Lula was fast. She was making a beeline for the Toad Pee Club tent. Webster pounced. Too late! “Oh, no! Looks like she went under the tent.”

Stink poked his head in. He watched a lump crawl along the tent floor.

“Try to catch her when she comes out the other side!” said Webster.

If he was going to rescue Lula, he had to do it . . . now.

“There she is!” yelled Webster. “Get her!”

Stink had to act fast. He did not stop to find a paintbrush. He did not stop to put on a glove. EEK! Stink chased after that tarantula and scooped it right up in his bare hands!

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Webster opened the lid to the critter case. Stink tossed the tarantula inside.

“Hallelujah!” said Webster.

“Halle-Lula!” said Stink.

“I can’t believe you touched it!” said Webster.

“Me either!” said Stink.

“You just shook hands with a hairy, scary spider,” said Webster. “You, Stink Moody, touched a tarantula. With your bare hands! ¡Qué fantástico!”

“I have the Tarantula Touch now.” Stink held up his hands. “I’m never washing my hands again. Call me Edward Spiderhands.”

Webster picked up the critter case. “This hairy Houdini almost got recycled! We better get her some food and water, and take her inside where she’ll be safe.”

“Not in my room, though,” said Stink. “Nah-uh. No, siree, bobcat tail! I might have touched a tarantula, but no way am I sleeping with one in the same room.”

“You should keep it in the bathroom,” said Webster. “My cousin turns on the shower till it’s hot and steamy. That’s how tarantulas like it.”

In the bathroom, Stink turned on the hot water till the mirror got steamy. He set the critter case with the tarantula on the back of the toilet. He closed the door.

A little while later, Judy went down the hall to the bathroom. She opened the door.

“AARGH!” She tore out of the bathroom, screaming her head off.

Mom came running up the stairs to see what was the matter. She went into the bathroom.

“AARGH!” Mom came running out, too.

Dad raced up the stairs. “What’s all the screaming about?” Mom and Judy pointed to the bathroom.

Dad stepped into the bathroom.

“AARGH!” He came rushing out, too.

Stink and Webster came out into the hall. “What’s wrong? You’re not afraid of a little spider, are you?” Stink teased.

“F-f-first of all,” Judy stuttered, “that thing is not little. Second of all, that thing is hairy!”

“It’s a South American pink-toe,” said Stink.

“I’m all for spiders,” said Judy, “but that giant hairy thing could give a person a heart attack.”

“I thought you weren’t scared of spiders,” said Stink.

“I’m not,” said Judy, “but Mom and Dad might be. We have to think of them.”

“You can’t keep a tarantula, Stink,” said Mom.

“Why not?” asked Stink.

“Because you’re scared of spiders, Stinkerbell!” said Judy.

“Not anymore.”

“We don’t know how to care for it,” said Mom.

“It’s probably somebody’s special pet, Stink,” said Dad. “I say we take it to Fur & Fangs, and see if they know anything about it.”

“Dad’s right,” said Mom. “Somebody around here might be missing a South American pink-toe tarantula.”

“Webster and I could go look for signs on telephone poles,” said Stink. “Like ‘Lost Dog’ signs. If somebody lost their tarantula, maybe they put up a sign. Then we can contact the owner.”

“Fine,” said Mom. “I’m willing to give it one more day. But if you don’t find the owner by tomorrow, it’s got to go.”

Stink and Webster raced to the corner. Signs were stapled up and down the pole. “Wow. Three ‘Lost’ signs and one ‘Found,’” said Stink. They read the first sign.

“That’s funny!” said Webster. “Check this one out.”

“They don’t even want their cat back!” said Stink.

“Duh! Look at the picture. It’s a raccoon, not a puppy!” Stink and Webster could not stop laughing.

“There’s one more,” said Webster.

“Lost bird, cat, crab, and one found puppy-raccoon, but NO spider,” said Stink.

“Poor Lula. What if her owner doesn’t even know she’s missing?”

“I got it!” said Stink. “I’ll make a ‘Found’ sign.”

After Webster went home, Stink drew a picture of Lula at the top of his sign.

Stink ran to the corner and tacked the sign on the pole.

That night he said, “Time for a bedtime story, Lula.” He read that spider a chapter from Charlotte’s Web. He told that spider a story about Anansi the Spider that he’d heard at the library. He sang Lula a lullaby—“The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” in Spanish—until he lulled that spider to sleep, even though it was nighttime and tarantulas are nocturnal.