Milo Mikowski walked his way to his good friend Ella's house. Ella was taking care of her younger siblings while her parents were away.

    ''Hello, Milo!'' Ella called from the porch. Her bright blue eyes were shining as usual.

    Milo climbed up the stairs. ''Hello! How are you?''

    ''I'm good, Milo. But I need a favor...''

    Milo stepped back. ''Uh... what favor?''

    ''I accepted to babysit six kids- including my two younger sisters. I need your help. Is it too hard to ask to watch eight kids?''

   ''Umm... Well... I suppose... but... Well...''

    ''I'll pay you.''

    ''How much?''

    ''One hundred dollars.''

    Milo's eyes almost popped out of his head. ''Deal!'' 

    ''Now, you better watch them,'' Ella warned. 

    ''Yeah, yeah... where are the little rascals?''

    Ella led him into the backyard.

    ''So,'' Ella started, ''This is Jessie, Batty, Dan, Mike, Laurie, Joe, Sandy, and Luke.''

    ''Ooooookaaaaay,'' Milo said slowly. What was he getting himself into?

    ''Now, you be good,'' Ella commanded them.

    ''Okay,'' the youngsters agreed. 

    But as soon as Ella left, they began to misbehave.

    ''Milo?'' Dan asked.

    ''Uhh... Yes?''

    ''Where do bees use the restroom? Do you know? I have the answer,'' Dan said.

    Milo already knew the answer, but his mom thought the joke was inappropriate.

So he decided to distract the eight-year-old.

    ''How old are you, Dan?'' Milo asked.    

    ''One thousand years old,'' he proclaimed proudly.

    ''DAN!''

    ''But I am!''

    ''You are not,'' Milo was about to say, but suddenly he saw a sight that made him gasp.

    Jessie was hanging upside down from the tree in the backyard! How many times did Ella tell her not to? Milo didn't know, but he ran to her as fast as he could.

    ''C'mon, Jessie!'' Milo said to her.

    Jessie picked herself up and started scrambling up the tree. ''No! I am having too much fun!

    Milo called, ''Ella said to listen to me!'' but it was no use. Jessie was out of earshot.

    Suddenly, Laurie ran to him crying. ''Joseph tied my shoes together and I scraped my hands when I tripped.''

    Joseph followed Laurie. ''She called me Joseph! My name is Joe!''

    Milo tried to explain that Joe was just a nickname when he heard Jessie scream.