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Stink came back with the walkie-talkies. Judy climbed down to a lower branch and Stink stood on a milk crate to pass them up to her.

“Now get me a flashlight. It’s going to get dark up here.”

Stink went and got the flashlight.

“Now can you get me a glass of water?” asked Judy.

“Water? What’s the water for?” asked Stink.

“I’m thirsty!”

“Forget it,” said Stink.

“I’ll pay you fifty cents.”

“How long are you going to be up there?” Stink asked, thinking of all the money he could make.

“Julia Butterfly Hill was in her tree for seven hundred and thirty-eight days. Sooner or later, Stink, you’re going to have to get me some water. And lentils. Julia Butterfly Hill ate lentils.”

“Lentils! You never ate a lentil in your life!” Stink said. He got a bottle of water. “You owe me fifty cents,” said Stink. “We’re all out of lentils. I forgot I used them to make my Empire State Building in Social Studies.”

“I guess I’ll learn to like lima beans,” said Judy. “Ick.”

“Rocky’s on his way over,” said Stink. “He called and I told him you live in a tree now. I told him you are going to be in big trouble when Mom and Dad find out you didn’t go straight to your room.”

“This is my room.”

“Then can I have your room inside the house?”

Rocky raced around the corner into the backyard. “What’s up, Judy? Besides you, I mean?” He cracked himself up.

Judy didn’t laugh. Judy didn’t say a word.

“You have to call her Judy Monarch Moody,” said Stink.

“Oh, I get it,” said Rocky. “Like that girl who lived in the tree. What are you going to do if it rains?”

“I’ll stay under the leaves,” said Judy.

“What about when it gets dark?” asked Rocky.

“I have a flashlight,” said Judy.

“See what I mean?” said Stink. “First she went crazy over some trash. Then it was a weird beetle. She’s driving me up a tree!”

“Oh, no! Not you too?” Rocky and Stink fell on the ground laughing.

“How are we going to get her to come down?” Stink asked Rocky.

“Mr. Todd said the tree cutters tried playing loud music and shining bright lights at Julia Butterfly Hill all night to make her come down,” said Rocky.

“Time for Operation Boom Box,” said Stink.

They blasted loud music to annoy Judy into coming down. She just put her hands over her ears and hummed, “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies.”

“What else did they try on Julia?” asked Stink.

“Lawsuits,” said Rocky.

“I’ll sue you if you don’t come down!” yelled Stink.

“For what?” asked Judy.

“For staying up in a tree and getting out of your punishment or something.”

“Or something,” said Judy.

“Let’s try shaking the tree,” said Rocky. They put their hands around the tree and shook, but the tree did not budge one leaf.

“Tree bark is worse than bug bites,” Stink said, showing his scraped-up arm. “Hey, Judy, I need a doctor. For real. Go get your doctor kit.”

“Nice try,” said Judy Monarch Moody.

Just then, Mouse came outside and bolted up the tree.

“Thanks for the company,” called Judy. “Now I won’t get lonely up here.”

“Great,” said Stink. “Now Mouse won’t come down either. And we’ll have to call her Mouse Swallowtail Moody or something.”

“I have to stay up here,” said Judy. “For the sake of all trees. And owls and flying squirrels and all the things that need trees. Even people. And toads.”

“Let’s just leave her up there,” said Stink. “Who cares if she falls? Who cares if she gets in big trouble?”

“Even Judy Monarch Moody can’t stay up there forever. You have to go to school,” called Rocky.

“Julia Butterfly Hill got a Ph.D. from a college while she was up in the tree,” Judy called back.

“Maybe if we ignore her she’ll come down,” said Rocky.

“Operation Ignore Judy,” said Stink.

Stink and Rocky went inside. Mouse leaped down from a branch and followed them. “Traitor!” Judy yelled after her cat.

Living in a tree was a little lonely. Judy wondered if Julia Butterfly Hill got lonely, too. Seven hundred and thirty-eight days was a long time. Judy had hardly lasted seven hundred and thirty-eight