CHAPTER 3:

Gloria Gets an Idea

Meanwhile, Irona the robot maid, still with the pumpkin on her head, was dusting the windowsill humming in a tune of I've Been Working on the Railroad.

Gloria, with the white bed sheet on her again, snuck behind Irona and went, "BOO!"

"AAH!" went Irona and turned around facing Gloria.

"Ha! Gotcha, didn't I?" laughed Gloria. But when she saw the pumpkin on Irona's head, she went, "AAH!" Then ducked her head with the bed sheet scared to death.

"Gloria," said Irona, "it's me."

Gloria uncovered her head and said, "Oh. I knew it was you all the time, Irona." She put the bed sheet down. "You sure gave me quite a scare, though."

As Gloria walked away, Irona scratched her head and said to herself, "Did I?"

Down the hallway, Gloria sighed, "Phew! Grim."

She then happily said, "Irona's the best robot maid and my very best friend in this whole world. She's strong, too. It would take 2 of her to get any stronger. She's so strong, she wouldn't have to wear a mask to go trick-or-treating on Halloween."

Suddenly, she had a thought. "Wait a minute," she said. Then she got an idea. "That's it! If I let Irona go trick-or-treating with me tonight, we'll each have one sack to fill. We'll get twice the candy!"

She began running in the hallway and chanting, "Candy, candy, candy, candy, candy! Gloria, you are a genius! I know that."

When Gloria came to Irona again, she said, "Hey, Irona old girl! You know what Halloween night is?"

"Uh-uh," said Irona shaking her head.

"Okay," Gloria replied, "well, let me take this pumpkin off your head and I'll tell you." She pulled and POP! off Irona's head went the pumpkin. "That's better." She threw away the pumpkin and said to Irona, "That's a night when kids put on costumes and go out and get candy."

"Really?" Irona asked.

"That's right," Gloria said, "and I was wondering if you'd come along with me tonight. We'll both go out and have each a sack of our very own candy. And besides, it's gonna be your first time going trick-or-treating tonight! What do you say?"

With a joyful smile, Irona replied, "I say count me in! I've always wanted to go trick-or-treating!"

"Okay," said Gloria, "let's go to Richie's attic and find some costumes for tonight."

"Right!" Irona exclaimed and went to Richie's attic.

"You know, just between you and me," Gloria said to herself, "there are times when I love that robot."