"Just remember," added Jessi, "not to call them the Crocs. They won't like that." "What about silly-billy-goo-goos?" asked Claire.

"Better not," replied Mal. "I don't think they'd understand." Jessi, Mal, and Mal's brothers and sisters walked to the Hobarts' and found the boys playing in front of their house. The oldest one was whizzing along the sidewalk on a skateboard. His hair was red, and he wore glasses like Mal. The two middle boys were riding their bikes, and the youngest one was on the front lawn with a brand-new toy truck.

When the Pikes and Jessi stopped in the yard, the boy with the truck began to cry. His oldest brother ran over to him.

"It's okay, Johnny," he said. "Don't worry." He looked at Jessi and Mal.

"We come in peace," said Mal, smiling. "Have no fear." The boy grinned back at her. "Don't I know you?" he asked.

"Well. . . I'm in sixth grade at Stoneybrook Middle School," Mal replied.

"Oh. So am I. I must have seen you at school." Mal and the boy looked at each other for so long that finally Jessi said, "I'm Jessi Ramsey. I'm in your grade, too." The boy shook himself, as if he'd been daydreaming. "Sorry," he said. "I'm Ben Hobart. Over there is James. He's eight." "He's in my class at school," spoke up Nicky.

"And that's Mathew," Ben went on. "He's six. And this is Johnny. He's four. He's a little upset. Some of the kids around here have teased him. Well, us, really." "I know," said Mal. "We're sorry." She wanted to say something else, but all she could think of was that Ben was gorgeous. His red hair was much nicer than hers (she thought), so were his glasses, and he did not have braces on his teeth.

"Well," said Mal.

"Well," said Jessi.

"Well," said Ben.

Jessi was about to figure out how to get the younger kids to play together, when she realized they'd already figured it out on their own. James and Mathew had abandoned their bikes, Johnny had abandoned his truck, and the kids were standing in the front yard in a tight group. Vanessa was saying, "We'll teach you guys how to play Statues. It's really fun." "I'll, urn, I'll just go help them," Jessi said to Mal and Ben.