Free The Berenstain Bears and the Ghost of the Auto Graveyard by Stan Berenstain Page B

said Bonnie. “It needs a tune-up and a new fan belt.”
    â€œTo qualify for the show,” Barry explained, “a car must be authentic and in perfect running order.”
    â€œYeah,” said Too-Tall Grizzly, who had been listening in with his gang. “That’s why there wouldn’t even be a car show without my dad!”
    Too-Tall’s father, Two-Ton, owned a business called Parts R Us, on the outskirts of town near Birder’s Woods. On his vast lot, among the hulks of wrecked cars and trucks, were piles and piles of used auto parts.
    â€œWith all due respect to your father,” said Ferdy, “I fail to see what an auto graveyard could possibly have to do with magnificent classic cars.”
    â€œAuto graveyard?” growled Too-Tall. “Take that back, you little twerp, or I’ll put you in the graveyard!”
    Quickly, Brother stepped in between Too-Tall and Ferdy. “Easy, big guy,” he said. “I don’t think Ferdy meant to insult your dad.”
    With another bored yawn, Ferdy said, “Insulting your father was the furthest thing from my mind. It’s just that I can’t see what his smelly dump has to do with the noble scientific achievement of the internal combustion engine.”

    â€œ Smelly dump? ” roared Too-Tall, balling up his huge fists. “Lemme at him! I’m gonna combust that little nerd right in the nose!”
    Brother moved away as Too-Tall raised a fist at Ferdy.
    â€œAren’t you going to protect Ferdy?” Bonnie said with alarm.
    Brother just shrugged. “I already tried,” he said. “If Ferdy wants to commit suicide, that’s his business.”
    Fortunately, Queenie stepped in to calm down her on-again, off-again boyfriend. “He didn’t mean it,” she cooed, taking Too-Tall’s arm. “You’ve got to remember: His IQ may be off the charts, but his SQ is zero.”
    â€œSQ?” said Too-Tall, puzzled.
    â€œSensitivity quotient,” said Queenie.
    Too-Tall still looked just as puzzled and just as angry. But by now Trudy Brunowitz had darted in to pull her genius boyfriend away from danger. The other cubs could hear her lecturing Ferdy about consideration for others. “Even big bullies like Too-Tall have feelings!” she scolded.
    Truth was, Too-Tall and Ferdy were both right. Two-Ton’s place of business was indeed an auto graveyard and a smelly dump. But it also had a lot to do with keeping Bear Country’s classic cars running. At the front entrance was a big sign that said PARTS R US: IF WE AIN’T GOT IT, WE’LL GET IT! That pretty much told the story. There was hardly a classic car anywhere in Bear Country that didn’t have at least one part supplied by Two-Ton. Squire Grizzly himself sometimes went looking for parts at the “auto graveyard.” In fact, the 1927 Bearcedes that had just brought Bonnie to school was running on a camshaft that the squire had dug out of one of Two-Ton’s wrecks.

    Of course, Too-Tall and Ferdy, opposites in so many ways, were exactly alike when it came to arguments. Neither was about to admit that the other might have a point. And though Ferdy was a genius and a nerd, he was no coward. One time he had stood up to Too-Tall when the big guy had gotten all riled up over Queenie making eyes at Ferdy. “If you don’t watch out,” Too-Tall had snarled, “I’m gonna give you a bloody nose!”
    â€œOh, yeah?” said Ferdy. “If you don’t watch out, I’m going to give you a bloody fist!” Too-Tall got so confused that he forgot he was angry.
    This time, however, Too-Tall seemed so angry that the other cubs were afraid he might actually hurt Ferdy. So Queenie and Trudy made sure to keep their stubborn boyfriends occupied until the morning bell rang and everyone filed into school.

Chapter 3
    A Not-So-Hidden Treasure
    In class that morning, the cubs found out that