Baby-Sitters On Board by Ann M. Martin

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"Whole trip was a darn-fool idea," he said. "Shouldn't have come." "But we had fun playing Donkey Kong and shuffleboard, didn't we? And I have to teU you something very important about that fight I was having with Dawn." Mr. Staples and I had discussed it several more times on the cruise, and he'd been really helpful, considering he was a slob like me. We'd talked about his wife a lot, too, and I'd thought he'd seemed a little more cheerful. "And," I went on, "my parents really liked eating dinner with you. Besides, I haven't given you Nannie's phone number yet." "Plus," said Karen, who had joined us, "remember at dinner? You said you'd pull a quarter out of my ear? Well, you didn't do it yet." "I thought we were going to spend some time together at Disney World," I added, truly disappointed. "And you wanted to get Mickey Mouse ears for your grandchildren and have their names put on them." "Okay, okay, okay!" Mr. Staples threw up his hands, but he was smiling. "I know when I'm licked." I didn't leave his side until he had the room key in his pocket again. Then Dawn and Clau-dia and Karen and Andrew and I did go exploring. We returned to our rooms and finished getting dressed just five minutes before dinner. Andrew put on a suit. Karen put on a party dress. They looked so snazzy that I took their picture.
After dinner we managed to hold a quick Baby-sitters Club meeting, but everyone was tired, and no one had any ideas about presents for Mom and Watson and the Pikes, not any decent ideas, that is.
"We're running out of time," I told my friends.
"We know, we know," they replied. But the added pressure only made us more nervous, not more creative.
When I went to bed that night, I was exhausted.
Karen.
Disney World! Disney World! Disney World! This is my dream! I have always, always wanted to come here. Ever since I first saw a TV commercial about it.
I went with Daddy, Elizabeth, and Andrew the next day. I wanted Kristy to come with us, but she decided to walk around with Claudia. And David Michael went off with his big brothers.
It took a long time to get from our hotel to Disney World. First we took a bus to a gigantic parking lot. Then we rode on a monorail to Disney World. The monorail was fun. It was way up high. I felt like we were on a flying train.
When we got off the monorail — Disney World! We gave a lady our tickets and pushed through a turnstile and suddenly we were on Main Street.
"Oooh," I said. "Look. We're in a little town. Right here in Disney World." An old-fashioned fire truck came down the street. So did a horse-drawn buggy. We were standing at the town square. I could see a popcorn machine and — "Look!" shrieked Andrew. "It's Minnie Mouse! I see Minnie Mouse! She's right over there. And she's signing autographs!" "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, please can we go see Minnie?" I begged. "I swear, she is my best friend in the whole wide world." Daddy raised his eyebrows. "She is?" She really wasn't, and we both knew it. But I just had to get Minnie's autograph. And maybe have my picture taken with her.
I grabbed Daddy by the hand, and Andrew grabbed Elizabeth by the hand. We pulled them across the square to Minnie. Some other kids were standing with her, and Minnie was leaning over and patting their heads. The kids were giggling. Their parents snapped pictures. Then Minnie waved good-bye to them.
And what did she do next? She waved to my brother and me! Andrew and I looked at each other.
"Go on over," whispered Daddy, giving me a little push forward.
I took Andrew's hand and led him to Minnie Mouse. I felt excited and scared. It was just like visiting Santa Qaus at the department store. When we reached Minnie's side, she shook our hands.
"Hi, Minnie! Hi, Minnie!" I said.
"Hi, Minnie," whispered Andrew.
Minnie waved again. I guess she doesn't talk.
I opened up my pink purse and took out a pad of paper and a pen. I handed them to Minnie. "Please could you give us your autograph?" I asked. "And could you