The Mystery of the Phantom Grashopper

them are pretty valuable, too,” Brian reminded her. “But I guess someone as rich as Mr. Quinn can afford a hobby like that.”
    Di flipped her long black hair back and looked at her wristwatch. “It’s almost time for the show to begin,” she admonished.
    “Hey, you’re right,” Dan said. “Let’s get going.” Paying their bill quickly, the young people hurried across the street to the theater.

    Two hours later, the Bob-Whites were walking back to the parking lot, cutting across the common. It was a beautiful October night. Only a few stars were out, but a round orange moon hung low in the sky.
    “A pumpkin moon,” Trixie said.
    Di sighed wistfully. “It’s kind of romantic-looking,” she said. “It makes me wish the movie had been a love story.”
    “Humph,” Dan humphed. “Give me a giant gorilla anytime!” He hunched his shoulders and scuffed through a thick pile of leaves, imitating a gorilla.
    Mart pounded his chest and growled. “Want to see me climb up the side of the Town Hall?” he asked in a deep, rumbling voice.
    The others laughed and threw handfuls of leaves at Dan and Mart
    “Hoppy would kick you right off the roof,” Trixie gibed, looking up at the old weather vane.
    Brian noticed Miss Lawler passing the common and motioned the others to stop throwing leaves.
    “Hi, Miss Lawler,” Trixie called. “Did you enjoy the movie?”
    The teacher’s aide waved and stopped for a moment. “Yes, I did,” she answered.
    “So did we,” Trixie said. “Say, have you met Hoppy?”
    Miss Lawler walked across the square to join the young people. “No, I don’t believe I have,” she said doubtfully, looking from one young person to the next.
    “Well,” Trixie told her, “you simply have to meet him right now. Hoppy’s the copper grasshopper up there on top of Town Hall. See him? He’s over two hundred years old, and he’s been standing in that very spot practically since Sleepyside was settled.”
    “Why, how interesting!” Miss Lawler exclaimed. “He’s a real antique!” She stepped back a few steps and craned her neck to get a better look at the ancient weather vane.
    With an impish grin, Trixie turned her back on the boys. “If you want some good luck, Miss Lawler, all you have to do is—” Trixie stopped and frowned as a strange chop-chop-chop sound, growing louder by the minute, drowned out her voice.
    “What’s making that awful noise?” Honey shouted.
    Brian pointed to a light in the sky, moving steadily closer as the noise grew louder. “A helicopter,” he yelled over the loud chop-chop-chop.
    As they all watched, the helicopter swung low and circled the small common, hovering briefly over the Town Hall. Then it rose swiftly and darted out of sight behind some trees.
    “Wonder who that was,” Mart said as the noise faded.
    “It might have been Mr. Perkins, the radio station manager,” Brian said. “Sometimes he has a helicopter shuttle service fly him to the city and back.”
    Dan rubbed his ears. “Boy, for a minute I thought they were going to land right here on the common,” he complained.
    “Welcome to the new, ultra-modem Sleepyside International Airport,” Mart announced in his tour guide voice, gesturing dramatically at the tree-lined common.
    Miss Lawler joined in the laughter that followed the announcement. “Trixie,” she said, “you started to tell me something about good luck. I’d like to hear about it.”
    Trixie grinned, feeling a little silly. “Well, we think it’s good luck to say hello to Hoppy when you pass by,” she said. “At least, Honey and Di and I do. The boys think we’re foolish.”
    “Good luck?” Miss Lawler seemed to think this over. Then she smiled. “Well, I could certainly use some of that,” she said. And with a wave of her hand, she called, “Good evening, Hoppy!”
    “Miss Lawler,” Trixie said impulsively, “you must get lonesome on Sundays. Why don’t you come out to Crabapple Farm tomorrow? That’s our home—it’s only about two miles out of town. My parents love to have visitors. Please drive out and see us.”
    The teacher’s aide shook her head. “I—I don’t drive, Trixie,” she said. “I’m afraid I can’t accept your kind invitation.”
    “Could we drive you home now?” Honey asked quickly. “We have our station wagon—”
    “No, thank you,” Miss Lawler said quickly. “I’ll see you all in school on Monday. Good night.” Turning abruptly, she hurried away without