Baby-Sitters On Board by Ann M. Martin Page A

write one for each of us?" Minnie wrote this on two pieces of paper: LOV& MlA/A/JE /AOUSTS Then she gave the pad back to me. I looked at the papers in awe. Andrew and I had Minnie Mouse's autograph! We would be famous in Stoney-brook. I sure hoped we would have Show-and-Tell when school started again, because boy, would I have something to show! I gave Andrew his autograph and Minnie put her arms around us.
"Smile!" called Daddy.
Andrew and I smiled while Minnie hugged us tightly. Then she patted us on our heads and sent us back to Daddy and Elizabeth.
"Good-bye!" we called.
"Say thank-you," whispered Daddy.
"Thanks!" we cried.
We walked along Main Street.
"Look! Look at everything!" I exclaimed. I began reading the names on the stores. "House of Magic. Penny Arcade, The Shadow Box, Main Street Cinema, The Con . . . Con . . ." "Confectionary," Elizabeth told me.
"What's that?" I asked.
Elizabeth and Daddy glanced at each other. "If s a candy store," said my stepmother.
"Andrew! Andrew! A candy store!" I screeched. "Daddy, can we go in?" "Wait!" said Andrew. "There's a man selling Mickey Mouse balloons. Can we have one?" "Can we get ice-cream cones?" I asked.
"Can we go to the movie theater?" asked Andrew.
"Can we buy magic tricks?" I asked as we passed by the House of Magic.
"Whoa! Whoa!" exclaimed Daddy. "Hold on, kids. We'll try to do everything. I promise.
But we can only do one thing at a time. Since we're here, lef s go to the magic store." "Goody!" I said. "Come on, Andrew." The magic store was dark, but it was filled with great stuff. There were jokes like rubber spiders, and magic tricks like handkerchiefs that turned into eggs. And there were masks and disguises, too.
"You may choose one thing each," said Daddy.
I chose the handkerchief egg. Andrew chose the spider. It was attached to a rubber ball. When you squeezed the ball, the spider jumped. Andrew took it out of the package and made it jump for Elizabeth. She screamed. We all laughed.
Then we started walking down Main Street again. Daddy bought us balloons and ice-cream cones. I could hardly eat my cone, though. I was too excited. That was because when we reached the end of Main Street, the Cinderella Castle stood before us. It was huge, and it looked just like a castle in a fairy tale.
"Oooh," I breathed. "It's beautiful." "Does Cinderella really live there?" Andrew wondered.
I was about to say, "Of course not, silly," when I realized I wasn't sure myself. Andrew and I looked at Daddy.
"Well..." Daddy said slowly. "I'm afraid not. But if s still a pretty nice castle, isn't it?" "Look at the turrets," said Elizabeth.
"The flags," said Daddy.
"The crenellation," added Elizabeth.
I was too excited to bother to ask about crenellation. Besides, it was time to make a decision. From where we were standing, we could walk right to Tomorrowland, Liberty Square, or Adventureland.
"Daddy?" I said. "Where's the Haunted Mansion? Can we go to the Haunted Mansion?" Kristy had been telling me about all the rides at Disney World, and the one I wanted to go on the most was the Haunted Mansion. Space Mountain sounded like a good roller coaster, Peter Pan's Flight sounded fun, Snow White's Adventures sounded maybe just a little scary, but the Haunted Mansion sounded like the ride for me.
I happen to know a lot about spooky stuff. At Daddy's house in Stoneybrook, there's a ghost on the third floor — old Ben Brewer. And next door lives a witch named Morbidda Destiny.
Daddy took a map out of his pocket. "You're in luck/Karen," he said. "The Haunted Mansion is nearby. It's in Liberty Square. Over this way." We began walking. Just when I thought I could see the house on a hill not far away, I heard a horrible, moaning scream. "Oooo-weee-ooooo ..." "What was that?" I shrieked.
I heard the scream again.
Elizabeth laughed. "I think it's coming from the Haunted Mansion, honey. We're in for a scary ride." "I hope so," I said, but I said it in a very small voice. And I reached out and held