Call Me Amy Read Online Free Page B

eyes squinted in the sun. “There’s plenty of fish out there, and so long as a shark doesn’t get ’em, they do okay.”
    Craig was probably the least studious kid in our class, so I was surprised he knew so much about seals and even more amazed that he was actually talking to me. Half the time he wasn’t in school. Just the week before, because he couldn’t manage to get a permission slip signed, he had to stay alone in the principal’s office while we all went on a field trip to a paper mill. Boy, was that a smelly place. Almost as bad as last year’s trip to the sardine factory. I shifted uncomfortably as I felt him studying me.
    â€œCan ya keep a secret?” asked Craig with one eyebrow arched.
    I nodded.
    â€œYa swear?”
    I nodded again.
    â€œI found an abandoned seal pup yesterday.”
    Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows. Was he pulling my leg?
    â€œI’m just checking to make sure his mom isn’t looking for him,” Craig continued.
    â€œHow . . . where?”
    â€œIt was lying right by the edge of the shore over there.” Craig pointed. “He’s got a chewed up flipper that has to heal.” Craig looked out over the ocean again, then shook his head. “He would’ve starved out there. Fed him some herring mashed with milk, ’cause he’s not into whole fish yet. Problem is, it’s illegal to keep a harbor seal.”
    â€œIllegal?”
    â€œLast year they made that Marine Mammal Protection Act. Only Federal agents are allowed to handle harbor seals.”
    â€œWhere is he?” I asked.
    â€œIn my garage. I filled up my kid sister’s wading pool and made a ramp for him.” Craig’s excitement darkened. “My old lady says I’ve gotta get rid of him though.” His rare seriousness faded as quickly as it came. He raised one eyebrow and wrinkled up his nose. “Wanna see him?”
    â€œYes,” I answered without thinking.
    â€œPup’s a little shy of people. That’s the other reason I’m not letting the schmucks from school know. But you and him would probably get along okay.” He studied me a second. “Stop by after school tomorrow.” Craig picked up an old shell, skimmed it across the water and then turned towards shore.
    He swung his bike around and called out, “Gotta split,” as he leaped on, popped a wheelie and took off.I’m sure he thought he was pretty cool, but I was thinking he looked kind of goofy. His long legs had out-grown the bike years before.
    I watched him ride past Miss Cogshell’s, then past the general store and post office until he was out of sight. Right away I started worrywarting about going to his place. I worried that Craig had already changed his mind; that he wished he’d never bumped into me. He’d be embarrassed in front of all his friends if
I
followed him home. On and on my mind circled.
    Dad always said that all I needed was a little self-assurance. Easier said than done. Sometimes I wished I could just go to the doctor’s and get a shot of confidence. I took one last look at the ocean and trudged up the hill.
    That night, I tried to empty my mind by watching
The Waltons
on TV, but instead of thinking about John Boy, I was thinking of Craig. When I remembered how he had teased me about my fuzzy hat in third grade, I decided not to go to his house, but then I kept wondering what Pup was like. It
was
kind of sweet that Craig had already named the seal. Other seal sightings had always been further along the coast in a secluded cove surrounded by steep ledges. Tomorrow might be my only chance to meet a harbor seal up close.

    T HE NEXT DAY at school, I couldn’t concentrate. I really wanted to meet Pup. I glanced over at Craig once during lunch, but he was laughing with the other boys and looking like the same hunk as always. As usual, he wore that big, old army jacket. Did he ever take that thing