Excerpt
andlt;bandgt;andlt;bandgt;CHAPTER ONEandlt;/bandgt;andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Tangled in twine, Frankie flopped onto his living room floor. He was too busy wiggling around to notice the stares of the other Possum Scouts.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;How did you get so twisted up?and#8221; said Frankieand#8217;s mom, who was also the troopand#8217;s Marsupial Mother. and#8220;You were only supposed to tie a basic sailorand#8217;s loop.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Frankie tried to shrug, but his arms were pinned to his chest. He glanced over at the other scouts. They had all tied their knots correctly. and#8220;That one looked too easy,and#8221; said Frankie. and#8220;I wanted to come up with a super-duper knot.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Why didnand#8217;t you just ask for help?and#8221; said Mom. She tugged at the rope. and#8220;This is way too tight to undo by hand.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;I get extra points for that, right?and#8221; said Frankie.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Not when itand#8217;s the wrong kind of knot.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The other scouts started to snicker. Theyand#8217;d probably be laughing their lungs out if Frankieand#8217;s mom wasnand#8217;t there. Even his best friend Kenny had a hard time keeping a straight face.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Frankie had to do something to impress them. and#8220;I know how to get free without any help.and#8221; He sucked in as much air as he could, then tried with all of his strength to snap the ropes, like a superhero. That only made the knots tighter. The ropes burned his skin.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Stop that before you pop something!and#8221; said Mom. and#8220;I need to cut you loose.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Would you like to borrow my safety scissors?and#8221; said Carter Hawkins. and#8220;I always keep a pair in my emergency utility pouch.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;This . . . isnand#8217;t . . . an emergency . . . ,and#8221; said Frankie, turning an odd shade of bluish-purple.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;Why, thank you, Carter,and#8221; said Mom. and#8220;Thatand#8217;s very handy of you.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8220;A Possum Scout is prepared for anything,and#8221; said Carter.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;And Carter always was. Like the time when Kevin twisted his ankle and Carter made a splint out of Popsicle sticks. Or when Oliver got stung by a bee, Carter knew to put mud on the bee sting. And when Lucas got woozy from being hungry, Carter had an extra snack pack. He was such a scout superstar that some of the other kids were convinced he actually was part possum.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Carter unzipped the pouch around his waist and fetched the scissors for Frankieand#8217;s mom. Then she went to work snipping Frankieand#8217;s ropesand#8212;and prideand#8212;into little pieces.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#169; 2010 Eric Wight