secret word. Kazoo was the cue for Judy
to push the rabbit through the trick
bottom of the hat.
43
Rocky peered into the hat.
No rabbit.
“Kazoo!” he said, louder this time.
“Bless you,” said Stink.
“Ka-ZOO, not ka-CHOO,” said Rocky.
At last, pop! Rocky saw a bunny
ear poke through the bottom of the
hat, and
—
Zing Zang Zoom-a-roo!
—
he
reached into the hat and pulled out a
stuffed rabbit . . .
.
covered in ketchup!
Screaming, Stink leaped up and ran
out of the yard. He screamed as he ran
across the street. He screamed all the
way inside the Moody house.
.
46
Judy came out from under the table.
Rocky’s ears turned red. Rocky’s face
turned red.
“Sorry. I guess I sat on the ketchup,”
said Judy.
“Stella,” said Rocky, “you are the
most UN-spectacular assistant ever!
You messed up all my magic tricks!”
“Not all of your tricks,” said Judy.
“One of your tricks was super-
spectacular.”
“It was?” Rocky asked.
“The Disappearing Pest trick,” said
Judy. “You made Stink disappear!”
.
49
CHA
p
TER
3
The Disappearing Dollar
SHAZAM! Rocky had a new magic trick.
He called Judy Moody. “Meet me at
the manhole. Pronto.”
Rocky ran out of his house. Judy
ran out of her house. They met in the
middle.
“Guess what!” Rocky told Judy. “I
have a new magic trick. The best magic
trick ever.”
“Better than the disappearing Stink
trick?” Judy asked.
.
50
“Way better,” said Rocky. He stared
at Judy. “Why do you have leaves in
your hair?” he asked.
“I was raking leaves,” said Judy. “I
made one whole dollar.” Judy waved
a brand-spanking-new dollar bill
in Rocky’s face. “Want to go to the
candy store?”
“I was just going to ask you if
you had a dollar,” said Rocky. “My
new trick is called the Disappearing
Dollar.”
“But I get my dollar back, right?”
asked Judy.
“Right,” said Rocky.
Judy held out her dollar. One whole
dollar bill. Rocky tried to take the
dollar, but Judy did not let go.
“You’ll get it back,” said Rocky.
“Cross my heart. Magician’s honor!”
.
At last, Judy handed over her
dollar.
“Behold!” said Rocky. “The
Amazing Mr. Magic is about to make
George Washington disappear
—
poof
—
into thin air.”
“I can’t stand to watch!” said Judy.
She covered her eyes with her hands.
.
54
“You have to watch,” said Rocky.
Judy uncovered her eyes. Rocky held
up the dollar bill, snapping it nice and
tight. “Ready? Now you see it. . . .”
Rocky crunched the dollar bill up in
his hands like a gum wrapper. Judy
winced.
55
POOF!
“Now you don’t!” Rocky opened his
hands. His hands were empty. The
dollar bill was G-O-N-E, gone! Vamoose!
Vanished into thin air!
.
“Wait. What? WOW!” said Judy.
“How did you do that?”
“Magic,” said Rocky.
“You’re like the best magician
ever! But my dollar. Where is it?”
Rocky shook his head. “I can’t tell
you. Then it wouldn’t be magic!”
“But . . . I’m Stella the Spectacular,”
said Judy. “Your assistant. Remember?”
“I remember that Stella messed up
all of my magic tricks. This is one trick
she is NOT going to mess up.”
“But I’m your best friend,” said Judy.
Rocky shook his head. “My lips
are zipped.”
“C’mon, Zipper Lips. I got three
blisters for that dollar.” Judy held up
her hand and showed off her three
Band-Aids.
.
“Still no,” said Rocky.
“I didn’t wreck your magic tricks on
purpose,” said Judy.
“Still no,” said Rocky.
“I’m leaving,” said Judy.
Rocky crossed his arms. “So leave.”
“Not without my dollar.”
“I already gave it back,” said Rocky.
“Did not,” said Judy.
“Did too,” said Rocky. “Magically.”
“Ugh! You know what, Rock? I take
it back. You’re like the worst magician
ever. And the worst friend ever.
You’re the Amazing
Mr. Meanie!
And a big
fat dollar stealer!”
.
Rocky watched as Judy stormed off
down the sidewalk. Boy, was she in a
mood. She jammed her hands into her
pockets. Then, Judy stopped dead in
her tracks.
Rocky waited.
61
At last, he saw her pull something
from her pocket. Something crinkly.
Something crumply.
.
Finally, Judy spun around and ran
back toward Rocky, waving her dollar
bill in the air.
.
“You are the best magician ever,
Rock,” she said. “You made my dollar
disappear. But then you made it
reappear in my pocket! And I didn’t
even know! Why didn’t you just tell
me?” she asked.
“I didn’t want to spoil the magic,”
said Rocky.
.
Presto change-o! Rocky and Judy
were friends again. Best friend
s.
Magic!
.