Stink and the Freaky Frog Freakout (Book #8) (2 page)

Stink took one giant leap for frog kind. He let King Otto go in the Great Outdoors.

But when he got home, the strangest thing happened. Stink had his air-breathing nose in Amazing Spider-Man comic book issue #159
: Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm-in-Arm with Doctor Octopus.
Stink went down the steps.
Okay, I’ll work with you, Octopus — but I won’t shake your hand!
Stink walked to the front door.
We get a move on, Doc — and fast! Or it’s Swiss Cheese City for both of us!
Stink started to slip on his boots.

Cra-awk!
A little green frog leaped out of his boot, hopped down the steps, and sprang into the grass.

Stink dropped the Amazing Spider-Man #159. He sprang after the frog. “At least you have all your legs,” said Stink. Sock-footed, he chased it through grass and mud on all fours. But the little four-footer blended into the grass. He was so fast on his little frog feet, he got away.

“I give up,” said Stink. He went to squirt off his muddy hands, but no water came out of the hose.

“Great,” said Stink. He picked up his comic book and raced inside. He wipe-wipe-wiped the bottoms of his socks. They were still muddy. And grassy.

That’s the end of you, Hammerhead.
Stink peeled off his socks and tiptoed upstairs to the bathroom.
Being a superhero is no bed of roses.
Stink turned on the water in the tub to rinse his feet.

Sproing!
Something caught his eye. Not a rubber ducky. Not a floaty boaty. A froggy woggy! A real live blinking frog!

Stink could not believe his eyes.

He had heard of it raining cats and dogs. But whoever heard of it raining frogs! He cast about, looking for something he could use to catch the frog.

“Don’t-go-away-don’t-go-away,” Stink urged in a soft voice. Keeping one eye on the frog, he grabbed a cup and
slammo!
He scooped up the little tree frog and raced downstairs.

“Me! Frog! Found! Tree! Three!” Stink ran out onto the back deck, wild-eyed and out of breath.

“Stink, honey,” said Mom. “Slow down.”

“You sound like an alien,” said Judy.

“What are you trying to tell us?” asked Dad.

“It’s raining frogs!” said Stink. “Not cats. Not dogs. Frogs. I found three green tree frogs today. One at the pool, one in my boot, and one in the tub. Just now.”

Stink lifted his hand to show the little green frog in the cup.

“In the tub? I did notice that a frog keeps hopping out of the garden hose when I go to water the roses,” said Mom.

“They’re in the garage, too,” said Dad. “And I’m sure I heard one in the basement.”

“Maybe it’s all this rain we’ve been having,” said Mom.

“Maybe it’s the first sign of spring,” said Dad.

“Maybe Stink is like a big giant human frog magnet,” said Judy. “And all the frogs come out when he’s around.”

“I bet they know I’m a friend to all amphibians,” said Stink. “I mean, I have a pet toad, and I had a pet newt, even though Judy let him go down the drain —”

“I didn’t
let
him,” Judy protested.

“And I read everything there is to know about skinks in the
S
encyclopedia. That counts. And I like the gecko ad on TV.” He leapfrogged around the deck and all the way across the yard to the back fence.

When he got to the creek, he let the frog go in the Pond of Life.

“Avoid big bad birds,” Stink told the little frog. “And may you live froggily every after.”

*   *   *

Sunday and Monday were no-frog days. Not even a toad. Tuesday, too. On Wednesday, Stink saw five more frogs crossing the road on the way home from swimming.

On Thursday, Stink saw a picture of a giant two-foot-long Goliath frog in his
Geo Kids
magazine. It was almost half as tall as Stink! No lie. On Friday, Stink could hardly sleep, the frogs outside were so loud. He had to count frogs-not-sheep to go to sleep.

Then came Saturday. Swim lessons again. Stink got wet up to his neck. He even dunked his left ear in the water. And he won a crab race across the pool (without putting his head under).

After swim class, Stink talked Sophie and Webster into going on a nature walk.

“Nature walk,” said Riley Rottenberger. “You don’t get to see anything on those walks except nature.”

“That’s what we want to see!” said Sophie.

“No, I mean, it’s just trees and plants and dead leaves. Not even poison ivy.”

“Um, hello! Nobody wants to nature walk through poison ivy,” said Stink.

“Maybe we’ll see a flying squirrel,” said Sophie.

“Or a bobcat,” said Webster.

“You guys! Trust me. There are no animals.”

“Not even animal tracks?” asked Webster.

“Not even animal scat?” asked Sophie.

“Not unless you count mosquitoes,” said Riley. “I got about two hundred mosquito bites when I had to go on one. And a gnat went up my nose.”

“Don’t worry, you guys,” said Stink. “This is different. It’s not even in the woods.”

“It’s not?” asked Sophie.

“It’s not?” asked Webster.

“No,” said Stink. “It’s at a pool.”

“But we’re already at the pool,” said Webster.

“The kind of pool that has frogs and lizards and salamanders and turtles.”

“And dead leaves,” said Riley.

“Coolness,” said Sophie.

“Coolness,” said Webster.

“Have fun counting mosquito bites,” said Riley. She waved good-bye.

Riley Rottenberger sure was a sour ball sometimes.

Later that afternoon, when Dad, Stink, and his friends got to the nature center, a young guy came out to meet them.

“Hi, I’m Jasper,” said the guy. He was tall and had a tiny beard on his chin. He wore a hat with a wide brim, a vest covered with little pockets, and rubber boots up to his knees.

Dad shook hands with him, and the kids all told him their names.

“I’m a grad student at the local college,” said Jasper. “And I’ll be your guide. Looks like it’s just us today, huh? Everybody grab a bucket and a net. Let’s head over to the vernal pool.”

The vernal pool was a small wetland surrounded by trees. Pussy willows and cattails lined the banks.

“Are there bobcats here?” asked Webster.

“Are there flying squirrels here?” Sophie asked.

“You guys!” said Stink.

“How about mosquitoes?” Sophie scratched an imaginary mosquito bite.