The Mystery of the Phantom Grashopper

“I didn’t think anyone would still be in the building this late,” she said.
    “Probably just the janitor,” Honey guessed without much interest.
    “No, it’s Miss Lawler,” Trixie declared. “And there’s a man walking up the path to meet her, but it isn’t Sammy.”
    “Really?” Honey leaned over to watch.
    On the walk in front of the school building, Miss Lawler shook hands with a tall man and then walked with him to his car parked by the curb. As the man held the car door open for the teacher’s aide, Trixie recognized him with a start.
    “Jeepers!” she gasped. “That’s the man who was in the belfry at Town Hall! And—and that’s the same car that I saw following you that night outside Wimpy’s.”
    “Are you sure?” Honey asked nervously.
    Trixie nodded. “I’m sine. Honey, there is something strange about that man. And there’s some kind of connection between him and Miss Lawler. It’s obvious that she knows him.”
    “It could be he’s a friend of Sammy’s,” Honey suggested as the light changed and the cab pulled ahead.
    “I didn’t know Sammy had any other friends in Sleepyside,” Trixie said uncertainly. “I think something is going on... and I wish I could figure out what it is.”

    “Ah, here’s the dilatory detective now,” Mart said to Trixie when she came into the kitchen a few minutes later. “Get hung up on the way home?” he inquired.
    Trixie took off her jacket and tossed it to Mart. “Thanks for offering to hang up my jacket,” she said. “I’m going to go change into my jeans, Moms, and then I’ll be right down to help.”
    Mrs. Belden was taking a casserole from the oven. “Everything’s just about ready, Trixie,” she said. “Call Dad and the boys when you come back downstairs.”
    While they ate, Trixie told about visiting the police station. “I told Sergeant Molinson about that helicopter we saw. He said he’d get to work and investigate it immediately.”
    “I can’t imagine why you didn’t think of it before this,” Mrs. Belden said. “It certainly does sound suspicious.”
    “Well see if they mention it on the news after dinner,” Mr. Belden said.
    Trixie and her brothers hurried to clean up the dishes after dinner and entered the living room just in time to hear the end of the local weather forecast on WSTH.
    “And now for more news,” the announcer said. “Today, for the first time since the theft of the weather vane from Sleepyside’s Town Hall, the police department received what sounded like a promising new lead. Young people reported seeing a helicopter hovering over the Town Hall the week before the weather vane was stolen.”
    Trixie held her breath and listened intently to the newscast.
    “However,” the newscaster continued, “the helicopter seen that night was found to belong to the National Guard Training Camp. Student pilots were being trained in night flying. There are still no clues to the whereabouts of Sleepyside’s missing weather vane.”
    Mr. Belden snapped off the radio, and Trixie sagged with disappointment.
    “So much for that idea,” Brian said. “Too bad, Trix. I thought your idea about the helicopter sounded pretty good.”
    “Don’t worry, Trixie,” Bobby tried to comfort her. “You and Honey are real good ’tectives. You’ll find Hoppy.”
    Trixie shook her head. “Maybe. If we’re lucky,” she said in a dismal voice.
    “Here, Trixie,” Bobby said. “You can have this.” He handed her a rusty metal button. “It’s a new good-luck piece I found today.”
    Trixie smiled. “Thanks, Bobby,” she said. Tucking the button into her pocket, she headed upstairs to do her homework.
    As she tried to work a math problem, Trixie’s mind buzzed with questions. If they didn’t use a helicopter, how did they get Hoppy off that roof? she wondered. Maybe they did use a giant gorilla!

A Shocking Discovery • 14

    WHEN THE BOB-WHITES entered Sleepyside Junior-Senior High the next morning, they saw a commotion in the hallway outside the social studies classroom. Students and teachers were crowded around the doorway, which was blocked by a burly policeman.
    “Jeepers! What’s going on?” Trixie wondered aloud.
    “I hope no one is sick or hurt,” Honey said.
    “Let’s go find out,” Trixie urged, heading for Miss Craven’s classroom. The others were right behind her.
    The police officer held them back at the doorway. “No one is allowed in this room at the moment,” he