“What’s going on here?”
I turned to see Elvira Gulch striding toward us.
“Oh, uh,” Balboni stammered as he stood. “We were just, um, welcoming Cadet Fusilier to the academy.” He reached across the table, offering his hand to Fuse.
Fuse stared at his hand, then looked at the scowling face of Miss Gulch as she folded her arms and watched the three boys.
Fuse shook hands with Balboni, then Layzard held out his hand also. Fuse shook his hand, too. “Thanks,” he murmured.
“Can someone clean this mess up?” Elvira pointed her clipboard at the spilled milk.
“I’ve got it,” Liz said as she daubed at the milk.
“Me, too.” I grabbed some napkins and leaned over in front of Balboni to help Liz.
“Who you looking at?” Elvira Gulch said to the other boys as she walked toward the end of the table.
E
