“A skunk?” I looked around. “I might have seen one earlier, but I don’t see one now.”
Jillian looked around. “Yeah, I don’t see any skunks at the moment.”
“If you do, let us know,” the guard said. “Safety is our biggest concern. We can’t have wild animals in the hospital.”
“Speaking of safety,” Jillian said, “we were just wondering if any babies have ever been stolen from this hospital.”
“Babies?” The guard nodded. “About ten years ago, two babies were stolen. Their parents were heartbroken.”
Jillian looked at me. I looked at Jillian. Was he talking about us?
“Was it two girls or two boys?” Jillian asked.
“A boy and a girl,” the guard said. “Twins. Felt terrible about it. Don’t know how those crooks got in to steal them.”
Jillian secretly squeezed my hand.
“Did the police ever find the twins and bring them back to their real parents?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” the guard said.
My heart was beating fast. I think Jillian’s was, too.
“Do you remember the names of the parents?” Jillian asked.
“I do! It was Mr. and Mrs. Deed,” the guard said.
“Do you know where they live?” I asked.
The guy thought for a moment. I squeezed my eyes shut, making a wish that he would remember.
“No, I don’t,” he said. “They might have moved away.” He turned to the pest-control man. “I guess the skunk split. We’ll call you if we want you to come back.”
When they were gone, Jillian whispered, “This is so exciting! Maybe we were those twins who were stolen. Maybe our real parents are Mr. and Mrs. Deed! Maybe they miss us and have been looking for us for all these years!”
“How are we going to find them?” I asked.
“We can do research,” she said. “Come on, let’s go back home before Ron and Tanya get suspicious.”
Stinkball came out from under the wheelchair and looked at us. She didn’t want to be alone.
Just then we heard a noise.
The leaves in the tree above us rustled.
“Hee-hee-hee.”
The squirrel was back.
Stinkball wasn’t scared. She stomped and hissed. She was showing him who was boss.
Then the squirrel made a clicking sound. Ten other squirrels jumped onto the big branch he was standing on. A whole gang of squirrels!
We backed up. The squirrel gang climbed down from the tree. They walked toward poor Stinkball.
The squirrels all had nuts and were tossing them from paw to paw.
“You can do it, Stinkball,” Jillian whispered.
“You’ve got the power,” I added.
Stinkball stomped and hissed and arched her back and did a handstand.
The squirrels just laughed. They dug their hind paws into the ground and wound up for the pitch.…
Stinkball turned, lifted her tail, and … Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst!
Out came the biggest, baddest stink that ever stank.
The squirrels took off running.
We plugged our noses and cheered.
“Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
Do it Stinky style.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
Do it Stinky style.”
Stinkball, Jillian, and I were doing the stinky dance when we heard another noise.…
“Don’t tell me those bullies are back,” Jillian said.
Two black shapes walked out of the shadows. Each had a white stripe down its back.
Stinkball jumped and ran to them.
“Stinkball’s mom and dad!” I exclaimed.
“Her scent must have attracted them to her,” Jillian said. “They must have been looking for her all this time.”
The three skunks sniffed and nuzzled one another.
My heart was bursting with joy. We had stopped a robbery. We had taught a young skunk how to defend herself. And now that little skunk was back with her parents.
Ah, the joy of doing good deeds!
Little Stinkball was walking away with her parents. She stopped and looked back at us. She smiled.
Their beautiful white stripes were gleaming in the moonlight as they walked out of sight.
“Peace out, dude,” I said. “Live long and be stinky.”
“Come on, Billy,” Jillian said. She hopped onto the back of the wheelchair. “Let’s go home. Tomorrow, we can start trying to find Mr. and Mrs. Deed. Then we’ll see if they’re our real parents.”
I stopped. “What if Mr. and Mrs. Deed are our real parents and they gave us away because they didn’t like us?”
“Why wouldn’t they like us?”
“Maybe you were the Princess of Puke and I was the Prince of Poop,” I said.
Jillian gave me a playful punch. “Oh, come on, I’m sure we were very cute babies.”
“Okay, then, what if Mr. and Mrs. Deed are our real parents and they’re even worse than Ron and Tanya Crook? What if they’re pirates? Or zombies? Or creatures from outer space?”
“Billy, we’re nice,” Jillian said. “I bet they’re nice, too.” She smiled.
“You’re right.” I nodded. “Who couldn’t love us?”
We did the Stinky-style dance all the way home.
Secret Extras
SECRET FACTS
Some skunks have spots and swirls instead of stripes.
Male skunks are bigger than females, but females have longer tails.
Baby skunks are called kits or kittens.
SECRET RIDDLE
What do skunks say in church?
Let us spray!
SECRET GAME
Tape the Tail on the Skunky
Make your own Tape the Tail on the Skunky game. You need at least two kids to play.
1. Make a copy of the pictures of the skunk and the tail on this page, or download the printable page at www.maryamato.com/secret-extras.
2. Have a grown-up help cut out the pictures. Do not cut them out of this book!
3. Put a roll of tape on the back of the skunk and a roll of tape on the back of the tail.
4. Tape the skunk to your friend’s back and tell him or her to stand still.
5. Hold on to the tail and stand back-to-back with your friend.
6. Walk twelve steps away from your friend with your eyes closed.
7. After you get to twelve, stop. Keep your eyes closed and turn around, so that you are facing your friend.
8. Walk exactly eleven steps WITH YOUR EYES STILL CLOSED. Do not peek.
9. Keep your eyes closed, and tape the tail gently where you think the skunk’s cute little rear end should be. Hopefully, your aim will be good and you will not be taping the tail to your friend’s cute little rear end.
10. Okay. Open your eyes.
Did your tail end up in the right place? If so, you get 1,000 points! If it ends up on your friend’s arm or leg or cute little rear end, laugh your head off.
STINKY STYLE SONG
Check out the recording of the “Stinky Style” song at www.maryamato.com/secret-extras. Sing along and make sure to add cool dance moves!
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp.
You’re so cool. You’re so black.
Got a white stripe down your back.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Stomp your feet. Raise your tail.
You got moves. You will not fail.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Make a hiss. Stomp your feet.
Arch your back. Jump to the beat.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Don’t be scared. Don’t be blinky.
Turn around and make a stinky!
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky st
yle.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Do it Stinky style.
Whomp. Whomp. Whomp. Oh, yeah.
Mary Amato, Sniff a Skunk!
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