Free The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox Page A

and a note from your parents.”
    Daniel frowned. When he brought Jasper home, Mom had put her foot down. “No more animals!” So maybe twelve chicks was pushing it. But surely she wouldn’t mind one little fluffy chick? Just one?
    The recess bell rang. The kids lined up to go outside. Harry punched Daniel in the arm.
“Bock-bock-bock!”
he yelled, flapping his arms. He’d tied his sweatshirt around his neck like a cape. “Look at me! I’m Super Chicken!”
    Daniel pulled his hood up over his head. It looked like rain outside. “I’m going to ask my parents if I can have a chick when they hatch.”
    Katrina made a face. “Don’t count on it. My kindergarten class tried this. But the eggs didn’t hatch.”
    Max laughed. “Yeah, Daniel. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!”
    The kids filed outside to play. Daniel was last. He didn’t care what Katrina or Max said. He would get a chick.
    He had two dollars left over from his birthday. But could he convince Mom to sign the note?

Chapter 2
WHICH CAME FIRST—THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?

    As soon as the bus doors opened, Daniel jumped out. He lived in a small, normal-looking house between two bigger houses. Mom called them “mini-mansions.” They towered over Daniel’s home like castles.
    The grass in Daniel’s yard always needed mowing. It was always scattered with bikes and skateboards and toys. But the fancy houses had tidy lawns. They had carefully trimmed hedges and neat flower beds with no weeds.
    Miss Clay lived in the brown house next to Daniel. She usually worked in the city, but today she was out walking her two miniature poodles, Dot and Dash. Dot was black. Dash was white. Miss Clay followed,talking on her cell phone, her high heels clicking on the sidewalk.
    Daniel waved to her. “Guess what!” he called. “We’re going to hatch chicks at school, and I’m going to get one!”
    The poodles slipped off their leashes. They charged at Daniel, yipping and barking. Dot jumped up to lick Daniel’s face. He pushed the dog away, laughing. Dash put his paws on Daniel’s legs.
    â€œDown, boys. DOWN!” ordered Miss Clay. She trotted down the sidewalk toward them. “I’m sorry,” she told Daniel, panting a little as she snapped the leashes back on the dogs. “I just can’t make them behave.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” said Daniel. “I like animals.”
    Mr. and Mrs. Grafalo lived on the other side of Daniel, in a big green house. Mr. Grafalo was in the front yard, pulling weeds out of his begonias. Mr. Grafalo had been a high school principal before he retired. Now he loved to garden. His roses won prizes at the state fair. Rain or shine, he was nearly always working in his yard when Daniel came home from the bus stop.
    Mr. Grafalo believed in rules and order. The kids called him “Mr. Gruffalo” behind his back, because he was so grouchy. He had often pounded on the Millers’door, demanding that they get their bikes off his lawn. Or tear down the tree house that overlooked his backyard. Or cut down their wildflowers, which he called weeds.
    But Mrs. Grafalo had a sweet smile. She gave out king-sized candy bars on Halloween. Sometimes she baby-sat Daniel and his sisters after school. She always had homemade cookies and chocolate milk for them. Her house was full of pictures of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They all lived far away. Daniel knew she missed them.
    Mrs. Grafalo was sitting on the front porch. She waved when she saw Daniel. “Come on up,” she called. “I just baked. I have a batch of gingersnaps to send home with you.”
    Daniel ran up the front steps and took the cookie tin. The smell made his mouth water. “Guess what, Mrs. G.?” he asked. “My class is going to hatch chicks! I’m going to get one!”
    â€œHow lovely,