Free Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary Page A

she’s all right,” protested Beezus. “She’s just saying that.”
    â€œShe’s OK,” agreed Henry. “Beezus knows.” There must be some way to keep Ramona from getting her own way.
    The lady did not seem to hear. “Take my hand, little girl,” she said, as if she meant to be obeyed. “Come on, children.” The people who were standing near them were still eyeing Ramona uneasily and were glad to make a path to let them through.
    Why couldn’t the lady leave them alone? Henry didn’t see how he could bear to move away from the auctioneer, when it had been such hard work to get through the crowd. For a minute he thought he wouldn’t leave. If he let Beezus and Ramona go alone, maybe he would get a chance to bid. Still, his mother said he had to take Beezus with him, so maybe they’d better stay together. He didn’t want to catch it when he got home.
    â€œWill you let us through, please? This little girl isn’t feeling well,” the lady repeated. The crowd, pleased to see that someone was leaving, let them through. Henry begrudged every step that took them away from the auctioneer.
    At last they reached the sidewalk. “There you are,” said the lady cheerfully. “Run along now and tell your mother she had better put your little sister to bed.” Then she turned and made her way back into the crowd.
    There they were, all right. Disgusted, Henry turned on Ramona. “Now see what you’ve done. How am I going to bid on a bike when we can’t even hear the auctioneer way out here?”
    â€œI want to go home,” said Ramona.
    â€œDon’t you want Henry to get a bicycle?” asked Beezus.
    â€œNo,” said Ramona.
    Beezus grabbed her little sister by the hand. “Ramona Geraldine Quimby,” she snapped, “you’re coming with us and you’re going to behave yourself!”
    â€œYes,” agreed Henry. “I’m pretty tired of being pushed around by a little kid like you.”
    Beezus glared at her sister. “And if you don’t behave I’ll…I’ll tell Mother about the time you waited until she went to the store and then tried to give the cat a bath in the Bendix. Then you’ll be sorry!”
    Ramona sulked but she didn’t say anything. Wearily the children struggled into the crowd. Ribsy’s tail drooped. Henry was so hot and tired he felt it was pretty useless to go back at all. Ramona would probably think of something else, anyway. By staying on the edge of the driveway and squeezing along the edge of the police station, they moved slowly ahead.
    At last they were able to hear the auctioneer again. Henry was afraid there were so many tall people in front of them that they couldn’t be seen even if they could make themselves heard. Beezus and Henry yelled experimentally a couple of times, but they really didn’t expect to be heard.
    â€œI wish Robert and Scooter were here,” said Henry. “Maybe if we all yelled together he would hear us.”
    â€œThey’re on the other side of the driveway,” said Beezus. “We could never get through.” Then, looking frantically around, she gasped, “Ramona! Where’s Ramona? I can’t find her.”
    â€œMaybe she went home.” Henry looked around, but it was impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction.
    â€œShe was down here with Ribsy a minute ago.” Beezus looked frightened. “Henry, what will Mother say if I’ve lost her for keeps?”
    â€œShe must be around some place. She couldn’t go far in this crowd.” Henry was disgusted. First it was a parking ticket on a dog, because Ramona was hungry. Then because of her they were taken out of the crowd. And now she had to wander off when he was trying to bid on a bike. That’s what happened when he tried to go some place with a couple of girls. Nevertheless, he looked around for