Mitch and Amy Read Online Free Page A

isn’t any good anymore and told me to start running and then threw the pieces at me.” Mitchell scowledat the floor when he had finished.
    Amy was shocked. Mitchell’s skateboard that he had worked so hard to build! Oh, poor Mitchell—
    â€œWhy, Mitchell—what did you do?” asked Mrs. Huff, and Amy could see that her mother was just as shocked as she was.
    Mitchell did not take his eyes from the floor. “I ran. What else could I do? There were two of them and they were older than me and bigger.”
    â€œThen you did the wise thing,” said Mrs. Huff. “You would have been foolish to try to stay and fight.”
    â€œDo you really think so?” asked Mitchell, looking up at his mother.
    â€œYes, I do.” Mrs. Huff was emphatic. “You will always find bullies in this world and the wisest thing to do is stay away from them. Who were these boys?”
    â€œAlan Hibbler and Dwight Hill.”
    â€œAlan Hibbler. Isn’t he the son of JudsonHibbler, the distinguished—” began Mrs. Huff.
    Amy interrupted. “That old Alan Hibbler,” she said scornfully. “He thinks he’s so big because his father is famous. He used to kick my lunch box when I was in the second grade.”
    â€œHe sure does think he’s big,” agreed Marla. “He grabbed my raincoat once when I was running and tore the pocket right out.”
    â€œAnd once when I was a Brownie he pulled off my beanie and threw it into the boys’ bathroom,” continued Amy. “I had to ask the custodian to get it back for me.”
    â€œWell, he is bigger than me,” said Mitchell, “and he’s the one who pounded up my skate.”
    â€œBut he looks like such a nice boy,” said Mrs. Huff. “He’s clean-cut and has good manners.”
    â€œHe’s the type who’s nice to grown-upsbut not to children,” Amy explained. “He doesn’t have evil beady eyes or anything like that, but he’s a bully just the same.”
    â€œI don’t think a boy should be allowed to get away with destroying another boy’s skate,” said Mrs. Huff. “Perhaps I should telephone his—”
    â€œMom!” Mitchell was alarmed. “Promise you won’t call his family!”
    â€œBut Mitchell, the boy destroyed your property.”
    Amy knew exactly how her brother felt. “No, Mom, don’t call,” she pleaded, backing up Mitchell.
    â€œHe would really get me if you did that,” said Mitchell. “Boy, he would really get me then.”
    Amy watched her mother study Mitchell’s face. Please don’t call, she thought. Please, please don’t call. Mitchell was going to have enough trouble. If Alan Hibbler had made him run once, what was to keep himfrom trying again? And he would be sure to try if he thought Mitchell had got him in trouble with his family.
    â€œI think Mitchell is right,” said Marla timidly, because, after all, she was not a member of the family.
    â€œBelieve me, Mom. I know,” insisted Mitchell. “Sometimes parents embarrass their children and get them into all sorts of trouble.”
    â€œYes, Mitchell knows,” Amy agreed earnestly. “Alan really would be after him.” Although she and Mitchell no longer walked to school together, she knew her brother often met Alan on the way.
    Mrs. Huff relented. “All right, Mitchell, I won’t call. But I’m not sure it’s good for Alan to let him get away with destroying your skate.”
    â€œMitchell has outgrown roller-skating anyway,” said Amy, anxious lest her mother change her mind.
    â€œThat’s not the point,” said Mrs. Huff. “The point is, if Alan is allowed to get away with this, what will he try to do next?”
    â€œNothing, I hope,” said Mitchell. “Just don’t go calling his family. Maybe he’ll forget the whole thing.”
    Amy could see that her