True or False?

Part 1

Greg was a very smart boy, but he liked to cheat. It didn’t matter if it was wrong. He thought if he was smart enough he would never get caught.

Mrs. Goodwin, Greg’s math teacher, lived only two blocks from his house. She would prepare tests and the answers on her computer at home. Greg knew a way to get into her house. The only problem was that Mrs. Goodwin kept a mean dog in her yard when she was away.

One day, Greg got his chance. He was near Mrs. Goodwin’s place when Sam Pother passed him on his bike. Sam had a paper route to help his family, but Greg called him “goody-two-shoes.” He was wishing Sam didn’t get such good grades when he noticed Mrs. Goodwins’ gate was open. Suddenly a loud, barking blur dashed out. Sam pedaled as fast as he could down the street with the dog snapping at his tires.

Greg made a perfect score on his test the next day.

The next week Greg was waiting at the corner for Sam to pass. But this time as Sam went by Mrs. Goodwin’s gate he pulled out a can of dog spray. When the dog tried to chase him, he gave it a blast in the face. Mrs. Goodwin’s dog began to roll on the ground, pawing at his face, and whimpering. Sam got off his bike and went into the yard and Greg followed.

“Oh, hi, Greg!” Sam said, as he appeared around the house with a garden hose.

“What are you doing here?” Greg said roughly. “Are you bothering Goodwin’s dog?”

“No, I’m just trying to teach him not to chase bikes,” Sam said with a smile. He turned on the water and grabbed the dog’s collar. He was busy washing the dog’s face when Greg slipped in the back door.

Before class the next day Greg stopped in front of Mrs. Goodwin’s desk. He said he had something important to tell her in the principal’s office. “It is about Sam Pother,” he said. “I saw him over at your house yesterday afternoon.”

When Greg sat down in his seat he smiled to himself. He knew he would get a perfect math score again today. And he wasn’t surprised when Sam was called into the principal’s office.

Mr. Steele, the principal, was standing in front of his desk when Sam came into his office. He looked really mad. “All right, boy!” he shouted. “Why did you do it?”

“W-what—did—I—do?” stammered poor Sam. He couldn’t think of anything he had done wrong.

“You’re a smart one!” barked Mr. Steele. “Don’t you know that breaking in is against the law? Do you want me to call the police?”

“What—d-did I break?” Sam asked in a quavering voice.

“DON’T GET SMART WITH ME, YOUNG MAN!” Mr. Steele roared in a voice that shook the window pane. He called Sam’s parents. Then he called the police.

—to be continued in the next issue