The Mystery of the Phantom Grashopper

regular freeway!”
    Jim chuckled as the car went by. “Glen Road isn’t private, Trix,” he said. “Anybody can use it.” He signaled and turned into the driveway at Crabapple Farm. “I hope those beans are ready.”

    Everyone agreed that the dinner of brown bread, baked beans, and frankfurters was delicious. Mrs. Belden’s huge bean pot was scraped clean, and not a crumb of brown bread remained.
    When they had finished eating, the young people ordered Mr. and Mrs. Belden out of the kitchen. “Go sit in the living room and relax by the fireplace,” Trixie said. “We’ll be in as soon as we clean up the dishes.”
    Trixie and Honey filled the sink with soapy water while the boys cleared the table. Everyone helped dry and put away dishes and silverware.
    The boys were already in the living room, and Honey was hanging up her towel, when Bobby came bursting into the kitchen.
    “Trixie, I almost forgot,” he said. “I found a lot of neat things in the woods today. You and Honey can wash them for me, please.” He dropped a fistful of things on the counter. ’Thanks 1” he added, running back to the living room.
    “Here we go again,” Honey said with a smile, taking the towel down from the hook.
    Trixie spread Bobby’s newest possessions out on the counter. “More lucky stones,” she groaned. “Two white ones, one black, and one brown this time. And jeepers! Another old baseball card!”
    Gingerly, Trixie pushed the muddy card aside, revealing a small round piece of metal under it.
    “What’s that?” Honey asked, peering over Trixie’s shoulder.
    “Some kind of coin, I think,” Trixie said, picking it up. She washed it quickly and took a closer look. “Honey! This is a Chinese coin! See the writing?”
    “Let me see,” Honey said, bending to look.
    As they studied the coin, Trixie’s face paled. “Honey, this might be one of Mr. Quinn’s coins! We’d better ask Bobby where he found this.”
    “Wait, Trixie,” Honey said quickly. “Were not sure this coin is from the stolen collection. Let’s not get everybody excited until we can find out.”
    “How’ll we do that?” Trixie asked. “Mr. Quinn is out of town.”
    “The library is right across from the medical building,” Honey pointed out. “We can stop there after we’re done at the dentist.”
    “You’re right,” Trixie said, drying off the coin and putting it in her pocket. “I think they have Mr. Quinn’s papers on his coin collection. We’ll check and see if this coin is mentioned.”
    They washed Bobby’s lucky stones, and Trixie dropped them all into the bottom drawer of the cabinet. “The ’junk drawer,’ ” she told Honey.
    “Don’t forget the card,” Honey said.
    “Ugh. Can’t wash that.” Trixie grimaced and dropped the dirty card into the drawer with the stones. “Let’s go see what everybody else is up to,” she urged, heading for the living room.
    The Beldens and their guests sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace, talking and laughing and listening to music on WSTH. Mart convinced his mother to demonstrate her ability with tongue twisters for Jim and Honey, and soon all the young people were convulsed with giggles.
    After a while, Mr. Belden brought out the old-fashioned com popper, and everyone took turns shaking it over the glowing embers. As they munched on the tasty hot popcorn, the music from the radio stopped abruptly.
    “We interrupt this program for a word from our news department,” the announcer said.
    Everyone stopped talking and tamed to listen.
    “The valuable antique weather vane, thought stolen from the roof of Sleepyside’s Town Hall, has been found.”
    Trixie jumped up. Honey gasped.
    “A young man, recently employed as assistant caretaker—”
    Trixie said excitedly, “He means Sammy!”
    “—discovered the weather vane in a small room directly beneath the belfry of Town Hall. The weather vane, shaped like a grasshopper, was wrapped in canvas and apparently undamaged. Station manager and owner Raymond Perkins will be presenting the assistant caretaker with a check for one thousand dollars tomorrow. Well have more details on the morning news. Now, back to our music.”
    “That’s impossible!” Trixie exclaimed, jumping to her feet. “I was in that room on the day after Hoppy was stolen, and it was completely empty! If Sammy found Hoppy in that room, then somebody had to put him there later.”
    “Are you absolutely certain the room was empty?” Brian