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  Contents

  Chapter One

  Absolutely No Way

  Chapter Two

  One Hundred Pop Bottles

  Chapter Three

  Welcome to Popplehoff Castle

  Chapter Four

  Knight in Hiding Armor

  Chapter Five

  Big Trouble for Little Genie

  Chapter Six

  Cool, Fresh Breath

  Chapter Seven

  A Spooky Problem

  Chapter Eight

  The Third Wish

  Chapter Nine

  Hunt for the Dolls

  Chapter Ten

  Ghostly Gifts

  October 3

  How to Hon a School Trip

  By Affison Katherine Miller

  Yay! Today the whole fourth grade is going on a trip to a Real live Castle! Of course, we don't get many castles in Cocoa Beach, but apparently this one was shipped over from Europe stone by stone when the owner moved here. It must have been like doing the biggest jigsaw puzzle in the world, fitting all the pieces back together again I wonder if there were any pieces missing of the end, like there usually are when I do a puzzle. I'll have to tell Mary to look out for holes in the walls!

  Anyway, Mrs. Jasmine says we have to do a project on castles by next week, so I'm going to make sure I get lots of notes and draw loads of pictures. Dad got a book on knights out of the library for me, and it's actually really interesting.

  I don't want anything to go wrong today, so that means Genie can't come. It's not that I don't think she's the coolest thing even it's just that wherever she goes, trouble sure follows. I hate to think what she might do in a castle with all her goofy magic. So that's that No little Genie on the school trip.

  Absolutely no way.

  “Now, have I got everything?” Ali Miller said, peering inside her backpack “Pens, pencils, sketchbook, purse, packed lunch …”

  “I know something you've forgotten,” Little Genie announced. She was standing on the edge of Ali's desk, a tiny, sparkling figure in her wide swirly-patterned pink pants, tight-fitting top, and golden slippers with curled-up toes.

  Ali frowned. “What?”

  “Me!” Genie danced up and down, her blond ponytail bobbing. “Please, can I come with you, Ali? Please, please, please!”

  “Oh, Genie!” Ali sighed.”! thought we decided you were going to stay home.”

  Ever since Little Genie had popped out of a Lava lamp Ali's gran had bought for her, Ali's life had been turned upside down. Ali loved having a real, live genie. How many other people got to have three wishes granted by their very own magic friend? The only trouble was, Little Genie had missed so many lessons at Genie School that her magic was always mixed up!

  “Listen, Genie,” Ali said firmly. “I've been looking forward to this trip to Baron Popplehoff's castle for ages. I don't want anything to go wrong!”

  “I'll be really good,” Little Genie promised, clasping her hands and gazing up at Ali with her huge blue eyes. “I'll be so good, you won't even know I'm there. I've never caused you a big problem, have I?”

  Ali put her hands on her hips. “What about the tidal wave inside my school?” she reminded Genie. “And the pepper-flävored cookies? What about the bright -pink soccer jerseys?”

  “Oh, nothing like that will happen today” Genie said confidently. “Look, you won't even have any wishes.” She held out her wrist with the tiny hourglass-shaped gold watch on it. Whenever the sparkling pink sand began running through the hourglass, Ali received three new wishes. The wishes lasted as long as it took for all the sand to run through, but because the hourglass worked on unpredictable genie time, neither Ali nor Genie ever knew how long that would be.

  Ali stared at the hourglass. The top half was filled with pink sand and the bottom half was empty. “It's been two weeks since the last lot of wishes,” she pointed out ‘The sand might start running again today.”

  “I'm sure it won't!” Genie said. “And even if it does,” she added solemnly, “I promise I won't do any magic unless you ask me to.”

  “Sorry, Genie.” Ali sat down on her bed and opened -her flower change purse to see how much money she had. “I think it would be better if you stayed at home—oh!”

  Ali almost jumped out of her skin as a puff of glittering pink smoke suddenly appeared right next to her “Genie!” she gasped. “Was that you?” Coughing, she waved her hand in front of her face.

  When the smoke cleared, Ali was amazed to see a huge wooden shield with a golden lion painted in the middle of it propped up against her backpack. “Wh-what's this?” she spluttered.

  “Don't go ape!” Genie scolded. She was always using expressions from the sixties. Ali bet her gran would like talking to Genie.

  “But what is it?” Ali asked.

  “It's a shield,” Genie announced happily. “I read about them in your history book.” She pointed to a book lying on the desk next to her. The book was nearly as big as she was.

  Ali tried to lift the shield. It was so heavy she couldn't even move it “I thought you said you weren't going to do any magic unless I asked you to,” she said crossly. “And it's squashing my lunch!”

  Genie wasn't listening. She had heaved the book open and was flipping through it “You need a sword, too,” she said. “Knights always carried a sword and a shield.”

  “No!” Ali said quickly as Genie closed her eyes and began to murmur a spell. “No sword! And get rid of the shield before my mom sees it.”

  Genie opened her eyes. “Are you sure?” she said “Mrs. Jasmine might give you extra credit if you turn up with some real weapons.”

  “Quite sure,” Ali said firmly.

  Genie shrugged and sent the shield away with a puff of smoke. “There, all gone. So does that mean I can come with you?” she asked eagerly.

  Ali rubbed her hand over her eyes. Little Genie was beginning to wear her out! “Wouldn't you rather stay here?” she pleaded.

  Genie looked miserable. Her ponytail sagged. “But I always have to stay at home when you go to school.”

  “Can't you play with Marmalade?” Ali asked. Marmalade was the ginger cat that lived next door He and Genie had been great friends ever since she had helped him scare away the bullying cats in the neighborhood that kept coming into his yard.

  Genie shook her head. “No, he's going to the vet for his checkup this morning. I'll be so-o-o-o bored! Please let me come with you, Ali.”

  Ali frowned. If Little Genie was left on her own all day, she might get into even more mischief. Maybe it would be better if she did come on the trip to the castle after all. At least then Ali would be able to keep an eye on her!

  “Okay…,” she began.

  “Fantastic!” Little Genie shouted. And she turned three somersaults in the air; one after the other

  “But,” Ali went on sternly, “no magic. Agreed?”

  “Definitely no magic!” Little Genie opened her eyes very wide and put one hand over her heart. “I promise. I'll even stay lamp size all day so no one will see me.” Sometimes Genie made herself full size, so that she was as tall as Ali, but Ali had to admit it was a lot easier to keep
Genie hidden when she was the right size to fit into her Lava lamp home.

  Ali lifted her backpack onto the desk and Genie jumped into the pocket. She snuggled down and waved up at Ali. “Don't worry” she called. “We're going to have a great time!”

  “I hope so,” Ali replied. She had just fastened the backpack pocket when she heard her mom calling up the stairs.

  “Ali, are you ready? It's time to go.”

  “Coming,” Ali called back. Carefully she slung her backpack over her shoulder and ran downstairs.

  “Have a good time!” Mr-Miller called from the kitchen.

  “Yeah, and bring me back a sword!” added Ali's little brother; Jake, through a mouthful of Frosty Flakes.

  Ha! Ali thought imagining Bulldozer (as she liked to call him) with a sword. Noway!

  Her mom was waiting by the front door, car keys in her hand. “Are you looking forward to the trip?” she askèd Ali as they went out to the car

  “Yes, I can't wait!” Ali said eagerly.

  A tiny voice from inside the backpack pocket whispered, “Neither can I!”

  * * *

  Oh, look, Mom!” Ali said as Mrs. Miller pulled the car up outside the school. “The bus is already here.”

  “And there's Mary,” her mom said. Mary Connolly was Ali's best friend. She was standing in the playground waving at them. “Off you go, then. Nave a great time!”

  “I will!” Ali said. She jumped out of the car clutching her backpack and hurried over to Mary. The rest of their class was already there, waiting to board the bus.

  “Hi!” Mary greeted Ali. “I thought you weren't coming. You're the last one to get here.”

  “Sorry” Ali said. “I—urn—couldn't find my sneakers.” She couldn't tell Mary that Little Genie had made her late by popping the shield into her bedroom. Mary didn't know about Genie. In fact, Genie had told Ali that if she breathed a word to anyone about her new friend and her magic powers, Genie would have to go back into her Lava lamp forever and there would be no more wishes.

  Just then Mrs. Jasmine hurried over, carrying a clipboard.'There yoli are, Ali,” sfie said. “I was beginning to wonder where you were.” She checked Ali's name off the list and then turned to the rest of the class. “We can get on the bus now,” Mrs. Jasmine told everyone.

  “Let's try to get the backseat,” Ali said to Mary. “It's the best place to sit”

  But as soon as the bus driver opened the door, Tiffany Andrews pushed her way forward, along with her friends Sara Parker and Melanie Bell. “Mrs. jasmine, I have to sit at the back of the bus,” Tiffany announced loudly. “Otherwise I get carsick” Smirking and looking important she marched to the front of the line and climbed onto the bus, followed by Sara and Melanie.

  “Typical Tiffany!” Ali grumbled. “She always gets what she wants.”

  “Well, it's quieter for us if she does.” Mary grinned at Ali. “I don't mind where we sit, as long as we're nowhere near Barry Jones!”

  Ali and Mary found a seat and Ali carefully put her backpack on the floor Unfortunately, Barry Jones sat down behind them, banging his backpack against Mary's head as he squeezed in.

  “Ow!” Mary complained, rubbing her head,

  “Sorry,” Barry said “Hey, this castle stuff is great!” he declared. “I'd love to have been a knight I bet I'd be great at sword fitting!” He began slashing at the air with an imaginary sword and nearly hit Ali.

  Ali sighed. Sometimes Barry Jones was as annoying as Jake—but Jake was only six, and Barry was nine, like Ali. She was beginning to wonder if she'd enjoy this trip at all with both Barry and Genie around to cause trouble!

  There was a cheer as the bus driver started up the engine and pulled out of the parking lot at last.

  “One hundred bottles of Popplehoff on the wall.” Behind them Barry Jones launched into song. “One hundred bottles of pop. And if one pop bottle should happen to fall, there'll be ninety-nine bottles of pop on the wall!”

  Mary groaned. “I hope he's not going to sing all the way to the castle.”

  “Well, he's still got ninety-nine bottles to go!” Ali pointed out

  Mary turned around and knelt on her seat to glare at Barry. “Are you going to sing for the whole trip?”

  “I'm bored!” he, complained.

  “But we only just left the school playground!” Mary protested. “How can you be bored already?”

  Ali smiled. Just then she felt something tugging at the leg of her jeans. She looked down at the backpack. She could see Genie's arm poking out.

  Ali glanced sideways to be sure that Mary was still arguing with Barry; then she bent over and undid the pocket “What's the matter?” she whispered as Genie's blond head popped up.

  “It's the hourglass,” Genie whispered back. “The sand's started running through it” Genie's eyes grew wide.”Your wishes have started again!”

  “Oh no!” Ali bent lower to stare at the tiny watch on Genie's wrist Sure enough, the pink sand had started slipping through the hourglass.

  “Don't look so worried.” Genie beamed at Ali. “You know how much you love having your wishes!”

  Ali groaned quietly. It wasn't that she didn't like having three wishes. She'd loved looking after the cute cartoon tiger with purple fur that Genie had brought to life from a chocolate ad, for instance. But today she just wanted to enjoy the trip without worrying about magic spells going wrong.

  “I'm not going to use any wishes while we're at Popplehoff Castle!” Ali said in a determined voice.

  Genie looked very disappointed. “But if you wait until the trip is over; the sand might hâve run all through the hourglass by then,” she pointed out “Then you won't get any wishes at all.”

  “I'll just have to take that chance,” Ali said. “No wishes and no magic!”

  “Are you talking to yourself again?” Mary teased, turning around and settling back in her seat Luckily, she seemed to have persuaded Barry to stop singing.

  Ali blushed. “Um—no.” She glanced down at the backpack and was relieved to see that Genie had popped out of sight again.

  “Want a mint?” Barry leaned between the two seats and thrust a bag of peppermints at them. Ali had to jerk backward to stop Barry's finger from poking into her eye.

  “Okay, thanks,” she said. Maybe if Barry was eating candy, he wouldn't start singing again.

  Barry yanked hard at the bag, trying to open it Suddenly the bag split and Ali and Mary were showered with peppermints!

  “Help!” Ali yelped as one hit her on the ear.

  “Oops” Barry said. “Sorry”

  ‘There isn't a single one left in the bag!” Mary said as she picked peppermints off her seat “Honestly, Barry, can't you be more careful? And they aren't wrapped, so we can't eat them.”

  AM bent over to collect some peppermints that had fallen on the floor in front of her She was just in time to see Genie pop out of the pocket and snatch up a peppermint that had landed on the backpack

  Ali pushed the rest into the other backpack pocket and fastened it firmly. There was no point in giving them back to Barry now that they'd been all over the floor

  Barry slumped down in his seat with a sigh, looking dismally at the empty bag in his hand. A moment later, Ali and Mary heard “Eighty-nine bottles of Popplehoff on the wall” from the seat behind them.

  Mary stuck her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes. “Tell me when we get there!” she moaned to Ali.

  Ali laughed, then noticed Genie popping out of the backpack pocket again. She was licking her lips. Surely she couldn't have eaten that peppermint already? Ali thought It was nearly as big as her head!

  Genie glanced cautiously at Mary, who. still had her eyes closed. She pointed over Ali's head at Barry and began waving her arms around. Then she put her hands over her ears and pulled a face. Ali grinned. Genie wasn't impressed by Barry Jones's singing either

  “Want me to stop him with a bit of magic?” Genie whispered to Ali.

  “No!
” Ali whispered back, alarmed. “Don't you dare!”

  “Please!” Genie begged.

  “No!” Ali said through clenched teeth.

  Looking disappointed, Genie slipped down into the pocket again. This time Ali zipped it up. Barry was being really annoying with his endless songs and flying peppermints, but she'd rather put up with them than let Genie loose with her magic.

  A little while later; when Barry was down to thirty-four bottles, Ali sat up in her seat and nudged Mary. “Look,” she said excitedly. “PopplehofF Castle!”

  The bus had turned down a long, sweeping driveway lined with leafy trees. Ahead of them stood a huge castle built of gray stone. At each of the four corners, turreted towers stretched up into the blue sky.

  “It looks just like a castle should look!” Ali gasped. “Isn't it cool?”

  “Let me see!” squeaked an excited voice from inside the backpack.

  Ali looked flustered as Mary glanced around, puzzled. “Oh! I just wanted to see out the window on the other side of the bus,” Ali said quickly, peering past her friend.

  The bus rolled into the parking lot beside the castle and drew to a halt.

  “Stay in your seats for a moment please,” Mrs. Jasmine called.

  “Mrs. Jasmine, I need to get off the bus first,” Tiffany Andrews announced from the backseat”! feel sick.”

  Ali rolled her eyes at Mary. That was just like Tiffany—she had to be first to do everything.

  Mrs. Jasmine looked suspicious. “I thought you said you were all right if you sat in the backseat,” she reminded Tiffany.

  “I am, usually” Tiffany sniffed. “But it was a really bumpy journey.”

  Ali and Mary grinned as the bus driver turned around to raise an eyebrow at Tiffany.

  “Well, we'll all be getting off in just a few minutes,” Mrs. Jasmine told her. “Please make sure you have your pencils and notebooks ready to take notes for your project. We're going to be shown around the castle by Mrs. Ledbetten one of the official guides.” Mrs. Jasmine pointed out the windows at a white-haired woman in a tweed suit and sensible shoes.