The next morning, a number of the kids who had witnessed the events at Prunella's house were gathered in the Lakewood center court before the beginning of classes. They included Fern, George, Alan, Arthur, Francine, and Beat. George's right antler had been reattached to its stump with bandages and tape.

"It's so embarrassing," Fern reflected. "To think that a ghost was floating around, carrying out my secret fantasies. So, now that you know all this about me, do you still like me?"

"Uh...I'll have to think about that one," Francine replied. "Oh, of course I still like you, Fern."

"It's no big deal," said Arthur. "If a ghost started acting on my fantasies, D.W. would be in big, big trouble."

"We all have things we hide from each other," Beat observed.

"Do you believe in ghosts now, Fern?" George asked.

"I believe in one ghost," Fern answered. "It must be a horrible existence, to be bound to someone, and have to do whatever they imagine in their subconscious whether you like it or not."

Arthur glanced down at his Bionic Bunny watch. "Oh, look at the time."

"Yeah, we'd better get to class," said Francine.

George, Arthur, Beat, and Francine walked away, leaving Fern and Alan alone together. The two exchanged knowing smiles.

"What do you say, Fern?" Alan suggested. "After school, I'll treat you to a sundae at the Sugar Bowl."

Fern grinned eagerly. "Sure, I'd like that. But I hope you're not being nice to me because you're afraid I'll haunt your dreams."

Alan accompanied Fern on her way to Mr. Wald's room. "Actually, I sort of enjoyed being you in my dream," he admitted. "That is, until the point where I broke my heart."

When they reached the classroom entrance, Fern went inside while Alan walked in the direction of Mr. Baker's room. To Fern's surprise, Principal Haney was standing in front of the assembled pupils along with Mr. Wald.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Mr. Haney turned to her. "Fern, do you know anything at all about Muffy Crosswire's whereabouts?"

"No," Fern answered. "She should be at Uppity Downs, right?"

"No one has seen Muffy since yesterday afternoon," the principal informed her. "Since she came here on Monday against her parents' wishes, we think she may be hiding out here, so we're searching the school."

Fern's mind began to race. Every logical path she followed led to the same obvious conclusion.

"She ran away."

Mr. Haney looked at her quizzically. "What?"

"You were there when her dad hit her. The Muffy I know wouldn't take that kind of abuse. I think she ran away from home."

"If that's true, then she'll be back as soon as she gets hungry," said the principal.

"Not Muffy," Francine chimed in. "She's got credit cards."

"Maybe she ran away with an adult," Fern suggested. "Someone who also had a reason to skip town. Someone like..."

"Like who?" inquired the principal.

"Uh, never mind."

----

"Fern's right," remarked Francine as she and Beat wandered through the playground during morning recess. "Muffy's always been pampered and spoiled. She could burn down the school and her parents would just lecture her. But now her dad's started to hit her."

"I can't blame her," said Beat. "If my parents took that tack with me, I would..." She stopped and pointed toward a large group of children who had gathered. "What's going on there?"

Francine scanned the crowd, and noticed that Binky and Molly were standing on opposite ends of the mob, posturing threateningly. "It's a fight!" she squealed with joy. "Come on, Beat, let's watch!"

As Francine grabbed her by the arm and dragged her along, Beat protested in vain. "I...I think we should just tell the principal..."

The two girls took positions at the back of the crowd, and found it difficult to see because of the many taller children in front of them. Most of the Tough Customers were present, along with many of Francine's friends.

"Come on, Binky!" cheered Sue Ellen, who was standing at the head of the mob. "You can beat her!"

"Go, Binky!" yelled Jenna.

"You da man, Molly!" cried many of the Tough Customers.

Beat shook her head with disgust. "This would never happen at Uppity Downs," she said haughtily.

Molly wore a pair of blue jeans with even more holes than her usual pair, and her hair was unruly and tangled. She raised her muscular arms and growled menacingly at Binky, who flexed his biceps and growled back. Both had removed their winter coats and draped them over the bars of the jungle gym.

Self-appointed referee Rattles gave the signal for the fight to start. Binky and Molly started to circle each other, glowering and hissing. Binky drew back his fist to deliver a first punch...

...when a girl's pleading cry suddenly rang out. "Stop the fight!"

Binky and Molly marveled, and the spectators groaned, when Mavis Cutler appeared from nowhere and stood between the combatants. She was breathing heavily, as if she had just run a long distance.

She turned to Binky, for the moment ignoring Molly. "I didn't really want you to fight Molly," she told him. "It was just a joke. I never imagined you would actually go through with it."

"Get out of the way, Mavis," Binky growled. "I'm gonna earn that kiss from you, one way or another."

Molly gaped and dropped her fists when she heard Binky's words. "Kiss? What kiss? What are you talking about?"

"I told Binky I'd kiss him if he fought you," Mavis explained to her.

Molly clenched her teeth and began to tremble. Then she exploded in rage.

"Binky Barnes, you no-good son of a... I thought this fight was about me! After all this time I thought you finally cared! But no! All you want is to get a kiss from some floozy! You worthless wad of scum! Don't ever ask me to fight you again!"

Then the angry rabbit girl placed her hands over the hair covering her eyes, burst into anguished sobs, and ran away from the crowd.

As the assembled kids murmured, grumbled, and dispersed, Mavis turned to face Binky again. "Bend over, you big lug," she ordered.

"Oh, no." Binky put his hands out. "I'm not kissing you until I've earned it. I've got to do something brave. Something noble. Yeah, noble. Then you can call me Barnes the Noble."

"You came to me and apologized," said Mavis. "That was noble enough."

They gazed at each other for about fifteen seconds, and then Mavis' words finally penetrated Binky's thick skull.

He bent over.

(Next chapter: What about Beat?)