Tom yawned and looked at the clock again. Mr. Henry was cool, but he only had so many stories and Tom heard them all the first time Mr. Henry had subbed. Tom didn't like to admit it, but he had got to like learning.

Mrs. Dalrymple had been missing for days and he was scared. She was important. She taught him basketball and fixed his family. Tom tried to make himself listen to Mr. Henry as he talked again about the bear chasing him away from a mushroom patch. Mrs. Dalrymple would tell ...