George Edward Stanley - The Spy Who Barked

Text copyright 2002 by George Edward Stanley. Illustrations copyright 2002 by Guy Francis. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. Originally published by Golden Books, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 2002.

www.randomhouse.com/kids

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stanley, George Edward.
Adam Sharp : the spy who barked / by George Edward Stanley;
illustrated by Guy Francis.
p. cm.
A Stepping Stone book.
SUMMARY: Eight-year-old spy Adam Sharp pursues the very short Ambassador of Barkastan, who has stolen a top-secret computer program, DOGBARK, that will let him understand the language of dogs.
eISBN: 978-0-307-81744-0
[1. SpiesFiction. 2. DogsFiction.] I. Francis, Guy, ill. II. Title.
PZ7.S78694Af 2003 [Fic]dc21 2002013419

RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

v3.1

To my mother, with love. You didnt laugh when I told you I wanted to be a spy.
G.E.S.

To my mom and dad
G.F.

1
Secret Agent Kid

Class! Class! Wake up! Mrs. Digby said. Please open your spelling books to page seven!

Adam Sharp yawned. He was so sleepy. Hed stayed up too late last night practicing judo.

Adam opened his spelling book. But he knew he wouldnt be in class very long. A red light was blinking on the television monitor above Mrs. Digbys head. It meant that the janitor would come by to get him in a few minutes.

Thats because Adam Sharp wasnt just a student. He was also a secret agent for IM-8. IM-8 agents were assigned the secret missions that other agents were too scared to go on.

There was a knock at the door. The janitor stuck his head in the room. The Gifted and Talented Teacher needs to see Adam Sharp, he said.

Of course! Mrs. Digby turned to Adam. Were so proud of you, she said. Youre so gifted and talented. And well dressed, too!

Thank you, Adam said. He buttoned the jacket of his tuxedo and straightened his black tie.

Adam was the only student at Friendly Elementary School in the Gifted and Talented Program. But there was a good reason for that.

Suddenly, Jurgen Slug stood up. Jurgen had only been at Friendly Elementary School for a week, but Adam didnt like him. He thought Jurgen was mean and selfish. Jurgen also smelled kind of funny. Adam always felt sleepy when he was around.

Im gifted and talented, too, Mrs. Digby, Jurgen said. Why cant I go?

Adam was surprised. No one had ever asked that question before.

You have to be chosen by the Gifted and Talented Teacher, Jurgen, Mrs. Digby said. You werent chosen.

Adam followed the janitor out of the room. The janitor wasnt really a janitor. He was J. He made the gadgets that Adam used for spying.

They walked down the hallway to the janitors closet and went inside. J closed the door. Then he pushed a red button and another door opened in front of them. It led to a big room full of big computers. This was the headquarters of IM-8.

The Gifted and Talented Teacher sat behind a big desk. But he wasnt really a teacher. He was T. T was the head of IM-8.

Good morning, Sharp, T said to Adam. I need to hear your report on DOGBARK. What do you think of it?

Its a great computer program, sir. The world needs it, Adam said. No one has ever known before what dogs were saying. Its time we did.

T nodded. I agree. Thats why Ive arranged for you to address the United Nations next week.

Ill be ready, sir, Adam said.

Adam went back to his classroom. No one was there. He checked his watch. It was time for recess. Good. Adam liked recess.

Then Adam saw something bad. His lunchbox was missing! The lunchbox wasnt just a lunchbox. It had a secret compartment with a laptop computer. Someone had stolen DOGBARK!

Adam raced down the hall. Just as he got to the janitors closet, J opened the door. Adam stepped inside.

Whats the problem? T asked.

My lunchbox was under my desk, Adam said. Somebody stole it!

Kids dont steal lunchboxes, J said. Thats why I put a secret compartment in yours. I thought it would be safe.

Adam thought for a minute. That means Im not the only spy in Mrs. Digbys class! he said. He turned to T. I need to go to recess!

Its no time for playing, Sharp! T said. You have to find DOGBARK!

Thats what I plan to do, Adam said grimly.

He hurried out to the playground and counted his classmates. Just as he suspected. Someone was missing! Jurgen Slug!

Adam pushed a blue button on his watch. It turned on a homing device inside his lunchbox. A road map of Friendly, Maryland, appeared. It had a moving yellow square on it.

Thats strange, Adam thought. His lunchbox was headed toward Friendly Airport!

2
The Very Short Ambassador

T told the principal that Adam was going on a Gifted and Talented field trip. That really meant Adam was going on an IM-8 mission.

Adam raced home on his bicycle.

His mother and father were in the living room. His mother was reading the newspaper. His father was reading a romance novel. It was one that Adams mother had written.

Mom! Dad! I wont be home for supper, Adam shouted as he raced up the stairs to his room. Im going on a Gifted and Talented field trip.

Oh, thats wonderful, Adam! his mother called. Im so glad youre in the Gifted and Talented Program.

These trips are very educational, son, his father added. Theyll help you get into college.

Adam unlocked the door to his room. Inside, it looked like IM-8 Headquarters. Only smaller. Adams parents never went in his room. But it was an IM-8 rule that he keep his door locked. And Adam followed the rules.

Adam grabbed his overnight bag. He always kept it packed. He ran back downstairs. He jumped onto his bicycle and raced to the airport.