After breakfast Andrew opened his desk drawer and looked for a brown magic marker. All he could find was a blue one. He put the Magic Marker in his lunch box and headed for school. He stopped two blocks before he got there. He studied his reflection in a car window. Then he took out the Magic Marker and decorated his whole face and neck with blue dots. Maybe they didn't look like Nicky Lane's freckles, but they sure looked like something! Andrew hurried to his class and sat down. Miss Kelly snapped her fingers. "Let's settle down, children. Stop chattering." Everybody giggled. "What's so funny? Just what is so funny? Lisa, can you tell me the joke?" Lisa stood up. "It's Andrew, Miss Kelly. Just look at Andrew Marcus!" "Stand up, Andrew. Let me have a look at you," Miss Kelly said. Andrew stood up. "Good heavens, Andrew! What have you done to yourself?" "I grew freckles, Miss Kelly. That's what!" Andrew knew his blue dots looked silly but he didn't care. He turned toward Sharon and stuck out his tongue. Sharon made a frog face at him. Miss Kelly took a deep breath. "I see," she said. At recess Nicky Lane turned around and said, "Whoever heard of blue freckles?" Andrew didn't answer him. He sat in class all day with his blue freckles. A couple of times Miss Kelly looked at him kind of funny but she didn't say anything.

Then at two o'clock she called him to her desk. "Andrew," Miss Kelly said. "How would you like to use my secret formula for removing freckles?" Her voice was low, but not so low that the class couldn't hear. "For free?" Andrew asked. "Oh yes," Miss Kelly said. "For free." Miss Kelly took a small package out of her desk. She handed it to Andrew. "Now, don't open this until you get to the Boys' Room. Remember, it's a secret formula. Okay?" "Okay," Andrew said. As soon as he was inside the Boys' Room he unwrapped the package. There was a note. Andrew read it. It said: Turn on water. Wet Magic Freckle Remover and rub into face. Rinse. If Magic Freckle Remover does not work first time... try again. Three times should do the job. - Miss Kelly - Ha! Miss Kelly knew. She knew all the time. She knew his freckles weren't really freckles. But she didn't tell. Andrew followed Miss Kelly's directions. The magic freckle remover formula smelled like lemons. Andrew had to use it four times to get his freckles off. Then he wrapped it up and walked back to his classroom. Miss Kelly smiled. "Well, Andrew. I see it worked." "Yes, Miss Kelly. It sure did." "You look fine now, Andrew. You know, I think you're a very handsome boy without freckles!"