Dawn giggled. "I don't think it's fair that only the eighth-graders are subjected to this torture. Don't the sixth- and seventh-graders need to know how to be adults, too?"

"Yes," I answered, "but they'll get their turns when they reach eighth grade."

I finished the last of my cookies, swept the crumbs off the table, and stood up. Dawn cleared away our napkins. (Her mother may be messy, but Dawn is neat and organized.)

"We better go," said Dawn.

"Okay. Oh, I have to feed Tigger first!" Tig-ger is my gray tiger-striped kitten. When Dad and I moved out of our house and into the

old farmhouse Dawn's mom had bought, Tig-ger came with us. He's our only pet. I love him to bits. (I thinkSharon is still getting used to him. I don't know what's taking her so long. He's absolutely adorable.)

I scooped up some kibble into Tigger's dish. Dawn looked at her watch again. "Now we really better go," she said.

"Okay. I'm ready." My sister and I left for Claudia Kishi's house.

Chapter 2.

I still feel a little funny riding my bike to Claud's. That's because I used to live across the street from her. Riding my bike from one side of the street to the other would have been sort of silly. But my new house isn't nearby. I can still run inside the Kishis' house without bothering to ring the bell, though. Kristy and I did that when we were little. (Kristy also used to live across from Claud, next door to me, but she's moved, too.) And we continue to do it. So do the rest of the members of the Baby-sitters Club (or BSC).

Dawn and I dashed upstairs and hightailed it past the door of Claud's older sister, Janine the Genius. She wasn't there, though. Then we ran into Claudia's room, picked our way over the junk on her floor, and flopped onto her bed. I was pleased to see that we were not the last club members to arrive.

"Hi, guys," Dawn greeted Claudia, Kristy, and Jessi Ramsey.