Free Fabulous Five 027 - The Scapegoat by Betsy Haynes Page A

food, and how
archaeologists dug into the ground to find things about the primitive people.
    The third part showed what Christie thought England of the
future would look like. She had used plastic wrap for water in the English
Channel. You could see through it to the tunnels below, which were made out of
clear tubes. Cars and trains went back and forth in them between England and
the rest of Europe. Little space machines circled tall buildings that were
connected by walkways. Miniature rockets were on launchpads, and fountains
sprayed water.
    On a large sign over her project, she had printed:
    ENGLAND AND HOW IT
WORKS:
PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
    She had gotten the idea for the whole thing when Connie and
she were talking about how the Arabs had bred horses. He had said that when you
take a few good things and put them together, sometimes you come up with
something extraordinary. That's when she realized that if she put several
scientific ideas together, she could have a supercolossal project.
    Christie had tossed and turned all night with excitement.
Now everything depended on the judges, especially Miss Finney. She didn't hold
out much hope, but maybe, just maybe, she'd win. She crossed her fingers for
luck.
    "I like the way you built London of the future,"
commented her father.
    "I like the prehistoric part," said her mother. "The
volcano going off in the background makes it look really primitive."
    Christie smiled at her. "Thanks for the help on that,
Mum."
    "Why don't we check out the competition,"
suggested Mr. Winchell.
    After her parents had left, Christie stepped back so she
could see all of her project at one time. Size might not matter in the judging,
but her project certainly was big.
    Mr. Dracovitch had told her class there wasn't one most
important thing about the earth. It was the way everything worked together that
counted. In her mind Christie had dedicated the project to him. She was
satisfied she had done her best, and it was pretty darn good.
    Christie looked around the gymnasium. It was filled with
tables on which the girls of St. Margaret's had their projects set up. None of
the other projects was nearly as elaborate or as big as Christie's.
    Students, parents, and teachers walked among the tables,
looking the projects over. Miss Woolsey, Mrs. Tillington, and Miss Finney were
talking to a man and woman Christie didn't know.
    "Wow! I can't believe it."
    Christie hadn't seen Connie, Davey, and Charlie come up
behind her.
    "You couldn't have built all of that, Christie,"
exclaimed Charlie.
    "I did," she said proudly.
    "If that doesn't take first place, you ought to take
the judges to court," Davey told her.
    Christie smiled. "We'll see what happens."
    "I want to see what Nicki's project is," said
Davey. "She wouldn't tell me what it was, so I figure it's something like
how to drive people crazy. Come on."
    "Be with you in a minute." Connie turned to
Christie. "I've got something for you from Rigel," he said, digging
in his pocket. He pulled out a small box and gave it to her.
    Puzzled, Christie opened it and folded back the tissue that
was inside. It was a bracelet, made of cream-color strands woven in an
intricate pattern.
    "Rigel said to tell you it was for good luck,"
said Connie, smiling.
    "It's made out of Rigel's hair, isn't it?"
Christie asked.
    "Hair from his mane," responded Connie. "But
he had to have help weaving it."
    Christie smiled. "Thanks, Connie," she whispered. "I
know it will be good luck."
    "I'll be back in a little while," he promised. "I've
got to see what Davey and Nicki are fighting about now."
    Christie watched him walk away. She wasn't sure what would
happen between her and Connie, but she liked him very much.
    A flurry of movement caught her attention. Some of the girls
were bustling around their tables, adjusting things to make their projects look
just right. Then Christie saw why. The judges were coming.

CHAPTER 16
    Mrs. Tillington led the judges from table to table. With
them