Lucy on the Ball Read Online Free

Lucy was creeping out of the front closet. She must have been hiding in there from the vacuum cleaner. She hated that noise.
    “Lucy, come here, girl,” Bobby called.
    Lucy slunk over to Bobby. She looked around. He could almost hear her thinking,
Is that awful noise gone for good?
    “It’s okay,” Bobby said, patting her. Then the doorbell rang. Not once. Several times.
    The chimes of the bell set Lucy off. She began to bark.
BARK!
    “Lucy, quiet!” Bobby yelled.
    That stopped Lucy for about two seconds. Then the bell rang again. The barking started again.
    Bobby ran to the door. Lucy ran behind him, still barking.
    He flung the door open. A lady with dark hair, wearing a blue raincoat and blue gloves, stood in the doorway.
    Lucy jumped on her.

    “Down, Lucy!” Bobby pulled her away from the visitor. “Hello,” he said.
    “Hello.” The lady said her name, but Bobby didn’t catch it. Lucy’s barking was too loud.
    “May I come in?” the woman said. “I think your mother is expecting me.”
    “Lucy, settle down!” Now Lucy added her prancy dance to her barking. “Yes, she is,” Bobby said, opening the door wider.
    Mrs. Quinn was hurrying down the stairs. “Oh, hello,” she greeted the woman. “I see you met my son, Bobby. And our dog, Lucy.”
    Lucy was finally quiet. She looked over the visitor with a curious expression.
    “Uh, yes.” The woman frowned. “We’ve met.”
    Mrs. Quinn said, “Let me take your coat. Then I’ll show you around. Bobby, why don’tyou stay down here.” His mother gave him a look. “With Lucy.”
    Bobby knew what that look meant. He was supposed to keep Lucy quiet.
    “Come on, Lucy.” Bobby led her into the den. His mother kept paper and colored pencils for him there. Maybe he could do a few sketches of Planet Man.
    For a while Lucy sat near Bobby as he drew. Finally Lucy got bored and wandered off. Bobby didn’t notice.
    He was still hard at work when his mother and the adoption agency woman came downstairs. Since he hadn’t heard her name, Bobby thought of her as the Baby Lady.
    The Baby Lady and Mrs. Quinn walked into the den.
    “What are you drawing?” the Baby Lady asked.
    Bobby didn’t really like people looking at his artwork until he was finished. He pulled the paper closer to him. “A picture to help save the environment.”
    “My, that’s an ambitious project,” the Baby Lady said.
    “Yes, it is,” Bobby answered politely.
    “I take it you like to draw?” the Baby Lady asked.
    “Yes,” Bobby agreed.
    “He’s a very good artist,” Mrs. Quinn said.
    “What else do you like to do in your free time, Bobby?” the Baby Lady asked.
    Before Bobby could answer, Lucy trotted into the room. She had something in her mouth.
    “What have you got there, Lucy?” Mrs. Quinn asked.
    Mrs. Quinn tried to pull the thing from her mouth.
    Lucy pulled it right back. She thought it was a game!
    “Come on, Lucy,” Mrs. Quinn demanded.

    Lucy dropped a chewed-up ball of blue leather on the floor. Mrs. Quinn picked it up and examined it. “I think it’s a glove.”
    The Baby Lady took it from her. “I think it’s my glove.”
    All eyes turned to Lucy.
    “Lucy!” Mrs. Quinn said sharply.
    Lucy wasn’t just cute. She was smart. She knew she had done something wrong.
    “Oh, I’m so, so sorry,” Mrs. Quinn said to the Baby Lady.
    “I’m sorry, too,” Bobby whispered.
    Lucy hung her head. She seemed sorry as well.
    “We will replace your gloves, of course,” Mrs. Quinn added.
    The Baby Lady shook her head. “It’s all right. They didn’t cost much. Dogs will be dogs, I guess.”
    The Baby Lady didn’t seem to be mad. But she didn’t seem pleased, either.
    Mrs. Quinn walked the Baby Lady to the front door and said goodbye. Then she came back to the den. She sat down in a chair. She put her hand to her head.
    “Do you have a headache, Mom?” Bobby asked.
    “I’ve got one now.” Mrs. Quinn turned to Lucy. “How could you, Lucy?”
    Lucy tried