Freddie Ramos Takes Off (6 page)

“Ruff!” Puppy barked again.

“Puppy wants to go home,” Gio said, turning around.

We all walked back to Starwood Park. Gio and Maria went inside their apartment. I followed Mr. Vaslov. I had some questions for him.

8. I Solve the Final Mystery

“Mr. Vaslov?”

He was walking fast, like he didn't want me to catch up with him. Of course, he didn't get too far ahead. I had Zapato Power.

“Can I come inside your toolshed?”

Mr. Vaslov nodded his gray head and opened the door.

The purple sneakers were still on the floor beside Maria's chewed lunch bag. They had silver wings, just like mine, only they were lots bigger.

“Do you have super speed, too?” I asked Mr. Vaslov.

He sat down in a chair to put the sneakers on his feet. “I hope so.”

“Let's race the train,” I said.

We walked to the overhead track in the back of the building.

“I've watched you run here almost every day,” Mr. Vaslov said. “Of all the boys I've seen come and go at Starwood Park, I knew you'd like my special sneakers the best.”

Was Mr. Vaslov right about that? Who wouldn't like running faster than a train? But I didn't want to argue with the man who gave me Zapato Power.

“Thank you,” I said.

Just then, we heard a train rumbling on the overhead track. Mr. Vaslov nodded at me.

“One, two, three!”

We both started racing. Only one of us reached the fence at the station. Me! Mr. Vaslov was way behind. I zipped back to where he was.

“Why don't your sneakers make you go as fast as me?”

Mr. Vaslov put his hand on his chest and caught his breath. “I'm not sure,” he puffed. “I think it has something to do with weight. I can't make the physics work for someone my size.”

“Then the purple sneakers only work for kids?”

“Right now.” He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his face. “But I'm working on it.”

So Mr. Vaslov was an inventor. I'd solved the last mystery, but another one was forming in my mind. What else could Mr. Vaslov invent?

“Can you make flying shoes?”

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Illustrations © 2010 by Miguel Benitez
Copyright © 2010 by Jacqueline Jules

978-1-4804-6199-4

Published by Albert Whitman & Company
250 South Northwest Highway, Suite 320
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068
www.albertwhitman.com

Distributed in 2013 by Open Road Distribution
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com