Laura, Luke, Olivia, Carlos, Katie, and Joy were walking home from school, all bundled up.
"What did Ms. Barrow say to you?" Laura asked.
"She said we didn't behave like leaders yesterday," Joy said sadly.
"She's right. We shouldn't have ignored Mr. Curtis when he called on us."
"Ms. Barrow talked to me too," Olivia said.
"She said protesting against my parents wasn't right.
Being rude to adults doesn't make you a leader."
"Well, Luke started it," said Katie.
"We were just standing by our principles."
"I guess it was kind of mean," Laura said to Joy.
Joy nodded. It had been funny to ignore Mr. Curtis yesterday.
But today she felt bad.
"Let's not talk about school.
It's Friday!" said Luke.
"Luke's right. Friday is a day for fun!
Who wants to ice skate on our pond?" Katie said.
"That sounds great," said Olivia.
"But we have chores to do, Katie.
And homework," said Joy.
She was thinking about the leaders project.
Katie rolled her eyes.
"It's Friday. Chores and homework are for Saturday and Sunday."
"We'll go home and get our skates," Carlos said.
"Me too," said Luke.
"Come on. It will be really fun," Katie said to her sister. "Please?"
Joy laughed. "Okay." Katie was right. Friday was a day for fun!
An hour later everyone was skating on the Donovans' pond.
"Whee! Watch this!" Laura said.
She skated on one leg and did a hop.
"That's not as cool as this."
Luke skated fast and then skidded to a stop.
"I've been practicing my spins."
Katie did a wobbly spin on one foot.
"Ouch!" she cried, landing on the ice.
Joy laughed as she watched her friends do tricks on the ice.
"Rats," said Katie. "It's getting dark."
"We'd better go home," said Carlos.
"You guys are so lucky to have a pond," Laura said.
Katie and Joy walked their friends to the driveway and waved good-bye.
Then they headed inside.
"Wait," said Joy.
"I'm going to collect eggs and check on the chickens."
She walked over to the chicken coop.
The chickens were sleeping side-by-side, huddled together for warmth.
"One, two, three, four, five," Joy counted.
"Five? One is missing!"
Frantic, Joy counted again.
There were only five.
Where was the sixth chicken?
She looked all around the chicken coop.
Had someone stolen it?
How could it have gotten out?
Joy walked into the kitchen, her head hanging.
"Mom, Katie," she said. "I have bad news."
"What's the matter, honey?" Mom asked.
She looked up from the stove, where she was stirring a pot of pasta.
"I lost a chicken," Joy said.
"How can you lose a chicken?" asked Katie.
Then she gasped.
"Wait—do you mean one is dead?"
"I don't know.
But this morning there were six.
Now there are only five," Joy said quietly.
"I'm a bad student, a bad leader, and a bad chicken keeper.
Grandpa will be disappointed in me."
"I'll help you look for it,"
Katie said, putting an arm around her sister.
She glanced out the dark window. "Tomorrow," she added.
"I will too," Mom said.
"And who knows?
Maybe the chicken will show up on its own."
She put her arm around Joy too.
The three Donovan girls stood by the window, staring out into the dark.
The wind was strong and it looked colder than ever.
"Why did I go ice skating instead of checking on the chickens?" Joy asked herself.
"Oh, little lost chicken, I hope you're warm and safe, wherever you are."