Missing! by Anne Capeci

Author:Anne Capeci [Capeci, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781561459674
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2005-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

SNEAKY SUSPECTS

Criminy!” said Finn, letting out a whistle. “Maybe Eddie is the camp thief!”

Dannie turned to Billy with an I-told-you-so look. “Now will you admit you were wrong about Mim?” she asked.

“We should definitely find out if Eddie smoked the Old Gold cigarette we found behind Alice Ann’s cabin,” Billy said. “But I’m still going to keep my eye on Mim.” Standing at the edge of Lookout Rock, he gazed out over the Scenic camp. If she ever turns up, he added to himself.

When Mim finally did arrive, Billy, Finn, and Dannie were already at their desks. Billy saw her tiptoe through the coatroom and into Miss Wrigley’s classroom.

“Eyes on your lesson, Billy,” Mr. Farnam warned.

But Billy couldn’t concentrate on geography. When Mr. Farnam asked him to name the capital of Minnesota, Billy said Mimeapolis instead of Minneapolis. And even though Eddie didn’t do anything suspicious or act up any more than usual, Billy kept glancing his way. The minutes dragged on until it was time for the noon-hour recess.

“Finally!” Billy jumped up from his desk and headed for the coatroom. “Let’s find out where Mim snuck to this morning,” he whispered to Dannie and Finn.

“She didn’t sneak,” Dannie said. “She just went for a walk.”

Billy shrugged. “We’ll see about that,” he said.

Mim was just coming out of the other classroom. Billy hurried over to her. “So, Mim,” he began, “where did you—”

“Guess what?” Mim cut in. She stepped past Billy and smiled at Dannie. “Miss Wrigley wants Marjorie and me to help her unpack the new primers. She said you can help us, Dannie.”

“Finn and I will help, too,” Billy offered.

Mim glanced nervously at them. “Hmm? Oh—there’s no need,” she said quickly. “Miss Wrigley asked for just one more person. Here’s your sandwich and apple, Billy.” She dug into the lunch pail that Billy’s mother had packed for them. After handing over his lunch, Mim hurried back into Miss Wrigley’s classroom with the pail. Marjorie followed on her heels, but Dannie held back.

Putting her face close to Billy’s, she said, “Mim is not a sneaky thief!”

Then she, too, disappeared into Miss Wrigley’s classroom.

Billy frowned. “Why is Mim in such a hurry to get away from me?” he murmured to Finn.

“Forget about her,” Finn said. “Eddie’s the one we need to talk to, remember?”

Billy stared back into their classroom. Eddie was talking to Mr. Farnam at the teacher’s desk.

“I guess,” Billy agreed.

Eddie did smoke that Old Gold cigarette, he reminded himself. Moments later, when Eddie put on his jacket and went outside, Billy and Finn followed.

“Hey, Eddie!” Finn called out.

Eddie stopped next to the school yard fence. Just beyond, Jim Walsh and some of the other older boys were eating lunch on the banks of the Tye.

“What do you want?” Eddie asked as Billy and Finn caught up to him.

Eddie was a head taller than Billy—and twice as big around. Taking a deep breath, Billy faced him squarely.

“Since when do you smoke Old Gold cigarettes?” he demanded.

“None of your beeswax,” Eddie said.

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