Judy Moody Declares Independence (2 page)

“I don’t get it,” said Stink.

“We didn’t want some grumpy old king to be boss of us,” said Judy.

“America wanted to be grown-up and independent,” said Mom. “Free from England. Free to make up its own rules and laws.”

“So Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence,” said Dad.

“And a lot of important people signed it real fancy,” said Judy, “like John Hancock, First Signer of the Declaration. Right, Mom?”

“Right,” said Mom.

“Before we hit the Freedom Trail, let’s go see the Liberty Tree,” said Dad. “That’s where people stood to make important speeches about freedom.”

“Like a town crier?” asked Judy.

“That’s right,” said Dad. “Here we are.”

“I don’t see any tree,” said Stink. “All I see is some old sign on some old building.”

“The British cut it down,” Dad said. “But that didn’t stop the Americans. They just called it the Liberty Stump and kept right on making speeches.”

“I don’t see any tree stump,” said Stink.

“Hello! Use your imagination, Stink,” said Judy.

“Kids, stand together in front of the sign so Dad can take your picture.”

“I still don’t see what’s so big about the American Revolution,” mumbled Stink.

“Some of us like the American Revolution, Stink,” said Judy. “Let freedom ring!” she shouted. Hair flew across her face.

“Judy, I thought I asked you to use a brush this morning,” Mom said.

“I did use it,” said Judy. “On that pink fuzzy pillow in our hotel room!” Mom poked at Judy’s hair, trying to smooth out the bumps. Judy squeezed her eyes shut, making an Ouch Face. Dad snapped the picture.

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” called Judy. “I, Judy Moody, hereby declare freedom from brushing my hair!”

“Then I declare it from brushing my teeth!” said Stink.

“P.U.” said Judy, squinching up her nose.

Dad snapped another picture.

Three worst things about Boston so far were:

    1. Stink

    2. Stink

    3. Stink

“Time to hit the Freedom Trail!” said Dad.

“Let’s head up Park Street,” Mom said, pointing to a line of red bricks in the sidewalk. “Follow the red brick road!”

“Look!” Judy cried, running up the hill. “Look at that big fancy gold dome!”

“That’s the State House,” said Mom. “Where the governor works.”

“Judy!” Dad called. “No running ahead. Stick close to us.”

“Aw,” said Judy. “No fair. This is supposed to be the
Freedom
Trail.”

“Stay where Dad and I can keep an eye on you,” said Mom.

“Roar!” said Judy.

After the State House, Mom and Dad led them to Park Street Church, where the song “My Country ’Tis of Thee” was sung for the very first time.

Stink looked for famous-people initials carved into a tree outside. PLOP! Something hit Stink on the head. “YEE-UCK! Bird poo!” said Stink. Judy cracked up. Mom wiped it off with a tissue.

Stink sang:

    “My country pooed on me

    Right near the Pigeon Tree.

    Of thee I sing. . . .”

“Mom! Dad!” said Judy, covering her ears. “Make him stop!”

Judy ran ahead. “Hurry up, you guys! The church has an old graveyard!”

Mom read the plaque at the entrance: “‘May the youth of today . . . be inspired with the patriotism of Paul Revere.’”

“Paul Revere’s grave is here!” Judy shouted. “So is John Hancock’s, First Signer of the Declaration. For real!”

Judy saw gravestones with angel wings, skulls and bones, and a giant hand with one finger pointing to the sky.

“‘Here lies buried Samuel Adams, Signer of the Declaration of Independence,’” Dad read. “Did you know he also gave the secret signal at the Boston Tea Party?”

“‘Here lyes y body of Mary Goose,’” Stink read. “Boy, they sure did spell funny.”

“And I thought I was the world’s worst speller,” said Judy. She took out pencil and paper from her backpack and made a sketch of Mother Goose’s grave. Stink made drawings of a skull and bones, a leaf, and a sidewalk crack.

“Do we have to keep seeing stuff?” Stink asked when they got to the Ben Franklin statue. “So far it’s just a bunch of dead guys and some old stuff that isn’t even there anymore.”

“But what about the Boston Tea Party?” asked Judy.

“AW!” Stink whined. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

“Stink, don’t be the town crier,” said Judy. “I mean, the town
crybaby
!”

“Tell you what,” said Mom. “Dad, why don’t you and Judy go see the Paul Revere House. I’ll take Stink to the bathroom, and we’ll meet back here.”

“Great idea!” said Dad.

Judy and Dad walked and walked. At last they came to 19 North Square. “Did you know that Paul Revere made false teeth?” Dad asked. “And he made the first bells in America. He even drew cartoons.”

“Wow!” said Judy. “All that on top of riding his horse lightning-fast and warning everybody that the British were coming!”

“That’s right,” Dad said. “A friend of Paul Revere’s climbed out a window and over a rooftop to give the lantern signal from the Old North Church: one if by land, two if by sea . . .”

“Star-spangled bananas!” said Judy.

“And it says here he rode all the way to Philadelphia to tell them the news about the Boston Tea Party,” Dad said.

“Tea party? Did somebody say
tea party
?” asked Judy.

“Okay, okay. Let’s head back to meet Mom and Stink.”

Judy ran up to Stink. “You missed it, Stink!” She told him all about the guy climbing out the window and giving the secret signal.

“Who cares?” said Stink. “We saw something better!”

“What?” said Judy. “A two-hundred-year-old toilet?”

“No, a
musical
toilet!” said Stink. “You put a quarter in —”

“You have to pay to go to the bathroom?” Judy asked. “That stinks.”

“You go inside, and you’re in this round room, and it’s all white and clean — really, really clean — and it plays music!”

“I thought he’d never come out,” Mom said.

“C’mon. We can quick hop the subway over to the Tea Party Ship,” said Dad.

“Finally!” said Judy.

“More old stuff? I declare NO FAIR!” Stink shouted. The shout heard ’round the world.

She, Judy Moody, declared independence from Stink. She ran up the planks ahead of him. She climbed aboard the
Beaver
. The Boston Tea Party Ship!

“Is this a real ship?” Stink asked.

“It’s a real ship,” said a guy wearing a wig and dressed like Paul Revere. “But it’s not old, like the real
Beaver
. We built it to show what the Tea Party ship looked like.”

“Finally! Something NOT old!” said Stink.

Judy climbed some ropes. So did Stink. She tried out a hammock. So did Stink. She went down the ladder into the dark cargo hold. So did Stink.

“Stink! How can I declare independence from you if you keep following me everywhere?”

Judy went back on deck. The Wig Guy was explaining about the guys who wore disguises, sneaked aboard ship after dark, and threw a million dollars worth of tea overboard.

“Who’d like to try throwing tea into Boston Harbor?”

Judy rushed to the front. Stink followed (of course!). They picked up bales tied with rope. Judy heaved a bale of tea over the side. “I won’t drink tea! Taxes are NO FAIR!”

“Take that, King George!” said Stink as he tossed a bale off the ship.

“Who else wants to try?” Wig Guy pointed to a girl wearing bunny ears and carrying a purse that said B
ONJOUR
B
UNNY
.

“C’mon, now. Wouldn’t you like to give ’er the old heave-ho?”

“No,” said the girl. “I quite like tea.” She had a funny accent.

“From England, are you?” asked the man. The girl nodded.