The Scarytales Sleepover Read online

“Don’t worry,” Nancy whispered back. “Your secret is safe with us.”

  Nancy giggled to herself. The troll was in his costume—but forgot to change his sneakers!

  When everyone was inside the library Aunt Ellen began to speak.

  “I was the one who planned all those strange effects,” she announced.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Amara asked.

  Aunt Ellen smiled at Amara.

  “I did it for you, Amara,” she said. “You knew this house so well. So I wanted to really surprise you and your friends.”

  “Shiver me timbers!” the pirate exclaimed. He waved his hook hand. “She wasn’t the only one who was surprised!”

  “I wanted everyone to be surprised,” Aunt Ellen said. “That’s why I gave you two weeks off last month. So you wouldn’t see the Slinky Spider Company at work.”

  “Did Ernest know?” Amara asked.

  “Ernest was the only one who knew my plans,” Aunt Ellen said. She looked around. “By the way. Where is Ernest?”

  One of the bookcases began to move. The secret door opened and Ernest stepped out. He was wearing his baseball cap —and the troll’s shoes.

  “What’s up?” Ernest asked cheerily.

  Aunt Ellen turned to the girls. “I hope you weren’t too scared.”

  “If we weren’t,” Nancy said with a smile, “it wouldn’t be Scarytales!”

  “And we still had a blast!” George admitted.

  “Well, the fun has just begun,” Aunt Ellen declared. “The villains have agreed to work overtime so we can party on!”

  “Yaaay!” the girls cheered.

  Nancy had a lot to cheer about. She had solved another case. And there was still plenty of time for sleepover fun.

  The girls bobbed for apples in the witch’s cauldron. They learned pirate songs from Captain Hook. They even posed for Mari’s camera in fairy-tale costumes.

  But when the clock struck midnight, Nancy and her friends began to yawn.

  “So much for staying up all night,” George said after they changed into their pajamas and snuggled into their sleeping bags.

  “I can’t believe we made friends with a troll, a pirate—even a witch!” Bess said with a yawn.

  “And look!” Katie said, pointing. “Lester made a new friend, too.”

  Nancy looked to see where Katie was pointing. Perched on the mantel were Lester and the mechanical parrot, Sophie.

  “Who’s a pretty bird?” Lester squawked. “Arrrk!”

  Nancy laughed. But when she glanced back at her friends they were all asleep!

  Nancy was sleepy too, but she had work to do. She took out her notebook and opened it to a clean page. Then by the light of an electric jack-o’-lantern, she began to write….

  Amara’s sleepover was a big success! And Katie has Lester back, too. Okay…I was a little scared. But in the end we all lived happily ever after.

  And that’s what really counts!

  CASE CLOSED!

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  First Aladdin Paperbacks edition October 2002

  Copyright © 2002 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  ALADDIN PAPERBACKS

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster

  Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas

  New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  The text of this book was set in Excelsior.

  NANCY DREW, THE NANCY DREW NOTEBOOKS, and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Library of Congress Control Number 2001097940

  ISBN 978-0-7434-3768-4

  ISBN 978-1-4424-8074-2 (eBook)