The Mystery of the Midnight Marauder

wait out there by the mattresses.” She opened the door cautiously and peered around.
    Two small lights had been left on. They enabled her to see that the coast was clear.
    In another moment, Trixie had motioned for Honey to join her, and soon the two friends stood together in the big deserted store.
    Trixie giggled. “We did it, Honey,” she said. “No one even suspected we were there.”
    “I know,” Honey replied softly, “but I’ve just thought of something else. How is the Midnight Marauder going to get in here? Surely he’ll know the police are watching the outside and waiting for him.”
    Trixie caught her breath. The police! She’d forgotten all about them. Surely the Midnight Marauder must have forgotten about them, too. Why else would he have sent a warning letter to let everyone know where he was going to strike next?
    She frowned. “You know, Honey,” she said, “that’s the most puzzling thing of all. The Marauder sent a letter to the school, and to Wimpy’s, and to Manor House—”
    “He wasn’t taking much of a chance with the first two places he visited,” Honey said, staring apprehensively at the dark shadows around them. “His letters weren’t delivered until after he’d robbed both places. And he didn’t really visit Manor House, either. He undoubtedly went to the trailer instead, and robbed and vandalized it.” Trixie stared at her. Honey was right! The Midnight Marauder hadn’t taken any chances at all.
    “But what’s his purpose?” she asked. “What can he be after?”
    Honey giggled nervously. “He’s gone to so much trouble, he must be after a lot of money.“
    “But he hasn’t stolen much money,” Trixie said, thinking hard. “The most he got of anything was from Wimpy’s.”
    Honey shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s just trying to throw everyone off the track.”
    Trixie stood as if frozen to the spot. “Oh, Honey,” she breathed. “I think you’re right again! Suppose you wanted to rob a particular place, but if you did, you’d be the number one suspect. So, to fool everyone, you commit several robberies to make it look like the work of someone else. And suppose it isn’t the first three robberies that are important. It’s the last one. This one. ”
    “You mean,” Honey said, startled, “that he’s been waiting to rob Crimper’s all along?”
    “Yes,” Trixie said, nodding her head, “but not this Crimper’s. Oh, Honey, don’t you see? We’re waiting in the wrong place! Quick! We’ve got to get out of here fast! It’s our last chance to catch the Midnight Marauder in the act! If we fail now, Mart will be under suspicion for the rest of his life!”
    Already she was hurrying toward the head of the stairs. Then she stopped, her heart pounding. Someone was moving about on the floor below!
    Trixie caught a glimpse of a figure sneaking along the center aisle. She saw a dark shadow at his heels.
    Then, suddenly, everything seemed to happen at once. The store’s wide front doors crashed open. Trixie could see the street outside alive with policemen. They carried guns.
    “Hold it right there!” one of them yelled from the store’s entrance. “We’ve got you covered!”
    The figure stood stock still.
    A burly man hurried toward him. “This time we’ve caught you, Mr. Midnight Marauder!” Sergeant Molinson sneered as he shone his flashlight into the intruder’s white face.
    And Trixie saw that it was Mart!

Marauder Is Revealed • 18

    TRIXIE DIDN’T HESITATE for a second. She almost flew down the rest of the stairs.
    “Trixie!” gasped Mart. “What are you doing here?”
    “Wait! Oh, please, wait, Sergeant Molinson!” she cried wildly.
    Astonishingly, the police sergeant was waiting, and in another second, Trixie saw why. The dark shadow she had seen at Mart’s heels had now resolved itself into a long canine shape. It had bared teeth. It was growling menacingly.
    It was Reddy!
    Sergeant Molinson was motioning to his men to stand back. Slowly, Trixie saw him lift his gun.
    “No!” she screamed and flung herself forward.
    She saw Sergeant Molinson’s startled face turn toward her. Then he caught sight of Honey, who was hurrying toward them.
    “Will you look at this?” he yelled. “Here’s two more thieves we’ve caught, right in the act of robbing the place. I should have known all along that the Belden boy had accomplices.”
    Trixie didn’t stop to answer. She lunged forward and took a firm grip on Reddy’s