Chapter 27 Summary

School is not out for the summer for another month and Palmer faces the dual challenge of avoiding Nipper in public and keeping Beans and the others from being angry with him. Palmer's tactic of spitting on the schoolroom floor earned him both punishment and celebrity status, so he invents even more ways to create the same results. Palmer manages to get detentions for the balance of the school year with the exception of the last day of school. So Palmer determines to wear an elephant mask to avoid Nipper's recognizing him on the way home.

On the night before the last day of school, Dorothy, Palmer and Nipper are in their usual location in Palmer's bedroom. Palmer shares his conflict with wanting school to be over vs. his approaching birthday signaling his eligibility to be a wringer. Dorothy tries to calm Palmer's...