Free Frogs' Legs for Dinner? by George Edward Stanley Page B

ruined!”
    Mrs. Cooke reached down and picked up the snails that hadn’t been squashed. She washed them off and put them in a skillet. “That should solve the problem,” she said.
    â€œI can’t watch this,” Tina whispered to Katie Lynn.
    â€œMe neither,” said Katie Lynn.
    They dropped their cookie dough onto the cookie sheets and put them into the oven. They tried not to look at the skillet with the snails in it.
    When the cookies were done, Katie Lynn and Tina took them out of the oven.
    â€œI hope you girls checked your cookie dough carefully,” said Mrs. Cooke. “I think some of the snails are missing.”
    Katie Lynn and Tina looked at each other in horror.

Frogs’ Legs for Dinner
    The next morning, Katie Lynn was double-checking the last batch of cookies for snails when the telephone rang.
    â€œKatie Lynn,
ma chérie!
Please answer that!” called Mrs. Cooke. “I’m watching the French Chef and I don’t want to be disturbed!”
    Katie Lynn grabbed the receiver. “Hello!” she said.
    It was Mr. Chesterfield.
    â€œWe just ran out of cookies!” he said.
    â€œDon’t worry, Mr. Chesterfield. Grandma’s on her way with the first half of the order,” Katie Lynn said. “We’ll deliver the rest of them as soon as possible.”
    â€œGreat!” said Mr. Chesterfield. He paused. “Have you ever thought about baking other kinds of cookies?” he asked.
    â€œNo, not really,” said Katie Lynn. “Why?”
    â€œI’m in charge of the Zoo Benefit this year,” said Mr. Chesterfield. “And I want to auction off some special cookies to raise money for a new Ape House.”
    â€œA new Ape House!” Katie Lynn cried. “That’s a great idea!” Katie Lynn thought the animals in the zoo sometimes looked a little sad. She wished they could do something like this for all of them.
    â€œI think so, too, Katie Lynn,” said Mr.Chesterfield. “They need a home that feels more like a jungle.”
    â€œWell, I’m sure we can figure out something that will work,” said Katie Lynn.
    â€œGood. Let’s talk about it later,” said Mr. Chesterfield. “Your grandmother just arrived with the cookies.”
    Mrs. Cooke came into the kitchen as Katie Lynn hung up the receiver. “We’re having frogs’ legs tonight!” she announced. “The French Chef showed me how to cook them.”
    â€œFrogs’ legs?”
Katie Lynn said.
    Mrs. Cooke nodded. “Yes. The French Chef says their flavor leaps right out of the frying pan. He’s a food genius!”
    Katie Lynn pictured frogs’ legs leaping all over their kitchen floor. She tried to think about the new cookie. But all shecould think about was cookies with frogs’ legs sticking out of them.
    She ran next door to Tina’s house. Tina was sitting on her front porch, watching Gerald dig in the dirt.
    Katie Lynn told her about Mr. Chesterfield’s telephone call.
    â€œWhat kind of cookies would be special?” Tina asked.
    Katie Lynn shrugged. “That’s what we have to figure out.”
    â€œWell, let’s not add any chocolate chunks to them,” said Tina. “You can’t tell those from snails.”
    â€œWe don’t have to worry about snails anymore,” said Katie Lynn. “Now it’s frogs’ legs.”
    â€œFrogs’ legs?”
Tina exclaimed.
    Katie Lynn nodded. “That’s Frenchcooking, too. Mom went to the market to buy some.”
    â€œI thought frogs were pets,” said Tina. She looked next door to where Jonathan Wilbarger was sitting on his front porch. He looked upset. “Hey, Jonathan!” she shouted. “Don’t you have a pet frog?”
    â€œI used to,” Jonathan said sadly. “But Burt disappeared this morning.” He sniffled. “I really miss him.”

    â€œKatie Lynn’s