Table of Contents
The chase is on....
The Goog slowed down on the second-floor stairs. After he hobbled to the bottom, he finally stopped.
Easy, Harry whispered as we looked over the railing.
Harry and I crept down the last few steps. We were getting so close. Tiptoe... tiptoe...
Just as Harry reached out for his cat, The Goog leaped to the left, then ducked into the last room on the first-floor hall.
Harry and I stopped at the door.
We had never been inside this room before.
We cant go in there, Harry! I said. Kids are not allowed. Its for teachers only!
Harry looked me in the eye. We have to. We have no choice. We have to rescue The Goog. Lets go, Doug!
BOOKS ABOUT HORRIBLE HARRY
Horrible Harry and the Ant Invasion
Horrible Harry and the Christmas Surprise
Horrible Harry and the Dragon War
Horrible Harry and the Drop of Doom
Horrible Harry and the Dungeon
Horrible Harry and The Goog
Horrible Harry and the Green Slime
Horrible Harry and the Holidaze
Horrible Harry and the Kickball Wedding
Horrible Harry and the Mud Gremlins
Horrible Harry and the Purple People
Horrible Harry at Halloween
Horrible Harry Goes to Sea
Horrible Harry Goes to the Moon
Horrible Harry in Room 2B
Horrible Harry Moves Up to Third Grade
Horrible Harrys Secret
Special appreciation...
To the schools I visited in Clarkston, Michigan, for inspiring many of the details in the teachers lounge, and Smithville Elementary School in Galloway, New Jersey, for the special details of the boiler room.
Dedicated with love to my beautiful
daughter, Jennifer Kline DeAngelis.
You are the world to me!
Mom
The Goog
My name is Doug, and Im in third grade. I write about what happens in Room 3B. Usually my stories are about my best friend Harry, who likes to do horrible things.
I never thought Id write about Harrys cat.
Hes the reason Harry and I had our first adventure after school.
Hes the reason we ended up in places at South School where we werent supposed to be!
I cant wait to tell you all about it. But first, there are a few things you need to know about Harrys cat.
He likes to do horrible things too.
His real name is Googer. Harry calls him The Goog, and, once in a while, Googie.
I think he looks scary. He has clumps of gray hair that stick together. Harry says that happens when cats get old and cant groom themselves very well.
Harry thinks The Googs hairdo is cool.
I feel sorry for The Goog.
Last summer, he lost one eye and hurt his leg when he got caught in a Dumpster. The lid came right down on him. He was lucky to escape alive!
I went with Harry to the animal hospital when The Goog was being operated on. I remember Harry made a Get Well Googie card in the waiting room. It had a lot of water spots on it because he was crying so much.
The vet stitched up The Googs left eye, and he was fine afterwards. He just teetered when he walked or ran.
Harry and I tried walking around one day like The Goog. We wanted to know what it felt like. It was hard to see with one eye. We didnt like it, so we just limped.
Harry takes good care of his cat. He even brushes The Googs teeth. Googer has his own toothbrush. Its right next to Harrys in the bathroom. But thats not the only thing that grosses me out.
When The Goog is licking himself, sometimes he swallows hair and then coughs it up. I hate hairballs, but they dont bother Harry. He wipes them up off the rug, and looks at them closely. Way to go, Goog! he cheers.
I have to say, though, I have learned a lot about cats from Harry. He knows The Goog has five toes on his front paws and four toes on his back paws. Harry told me cats can see six times better than people in the dark.
He also told me cats have nose-prints instead of fingerprints. Harry said thats important for detectives to know. Harry thinks hes a detective sometimes. He even carries a plastic magnifying glass and mini flashlight in his pocket.
Well, getting back to my story, I never thought The Goog would come to school. Usually he spends the day with Harrys grandmother. She bakes things in her kitchen and sells them. The Goog likes the smell of food, and the kitchen is a warm place for him during the winter. He also gets to lick the dirty dishes.
But today was different.
Harrys grandmother came to South School, and The Goog followed her.
Whats Going On in the Library?
The first part of my story involves a mystery.
Our class was just coming back from lunch recess. Miss Mackle was leading us down the hall. Harry and Mary and I were at the end of the line.
Look! Mary whispered. Theres a sign on the library door. It says its closed for the rest of the day.
Did you see that? I asked. Mrs. Michaelsen just pulled down the shade on her library door.
Somethings going on in the library, Mary concluded. I wonder what.
Something secret, Harry replied as we stepped into Room 3B.
We kept whispering while we hung up our winter coats, wool scarves, and caps on the coatrack. I wonder when, Mary said.
After school, Harry answered, flinging his cap high on the shelf.
After school? Mary and I repeated.
Yup, Harry explained. Ive got the scoop.
Other kids gathered around Harry as he spoke in a low voice. My grandmother is coming at three fifteen. She told me she was baking a special cake for South School. But she wouldnt tell me why. She also said Doug and I could play checkers in the hall while she served refreshments in the library.
Oh, pooh! Mary groaned. I wish I could stay with you.
Me too, Ida said.
I saw Mr. Cardini sneak into the library earlier today with a rolled-up poster, Dexter added. Do you think its a picture of Elvis?
I doubt it, Dex, Ida replied.
Whats the date today? Mary demanded.