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fangs.
    â€œThere’s some more hay,” Nancy said, pointing to the floor. “But where’s Autumn?”
    Bess gasped as a rubber bat swung against her head. They were about to look around some more when they heard a loud—
    CREEEEAKKKK!
    The girls froze. It was the ladder outside creaking.
    â€œSomeone’s coming up,” Nancy said.
    â€œIt’s probably Harvey,” Bess said.
    Nancy, Bess, and George walked to the door and looked down. Someone was climbing up the ladder. All they could see was a big straw hat. The same hat they spotted behind the hedge yesterday!
    Nancy felt her knees begin to shake.
    She hadn’t really believed in Harvey’s walking scarecrow story—until now!
    â€œOh nooooo!” Nancy cried. “It’s Jake McStuffings—and he’s coming after us!”

Harvey’s Secret
    The girls backed away from the door. They grabbed anything they could find to throw at Jake—a monster mask, an alien action figure. George tried to pick up the monster claw chair, but it was too heavy. Instead she lifted the plastic jar of fangs.
    â€œOn your mark, get set—hurl!” George shouted.
    Outside the door the hat came into view. Followed by the figure of—
    â€œHarvey?” Bess said.
    â€œHey,” Harvey said, stepping into the tree house. Along with the hat he wore baggy overalls and a checkered shirt—its sleeves stuffed with hay!

    Nancy couldn’t believe her eyes. Harvey Mueller was dressed as a scarecrow!
    â€œWhat are you doing up here?” George asked.
    â€œIt’s my tree house!” Harvey exclaimed. “What are you doing up here?”
    The girls dropped what they were holding.
    â€œFirst tell us why you look just like Jake McStuffings!” Nancy demanded.
    â€œUh . . . I am Jake McStuffings,” Harvey blurted.
    â€œSay what?” George asked.
    â€œEvery fall I jump off my pole,” Harvey saidin a hushed voice. “To roam the streets of—”
    â€œLiar, liar, pants on fire!” Bess said, jumping up and down. “You are not Jake McStuffings and you know it.”
    â€œYou’re just pretending to be Jake,” Nancy demanded. “Aren’t you, Harvey?”
    â€œI guess you could say that,” Harvey said.
    â€œSo that was you dancing around in Nancy’s yard on Friday?” George demanded. “And hiding behind Bess’s hedge yesterday?”
    â€œI guess you could say that, too,” Harvey said sheepishly.
    â€œNo wonder you knew I had a porch,” Bess muttered.
    Nancy frowned at Harvey. She planted both hands on her hips and said, “Why would you want to scare us like that?”
    Harvey waved his hay-stuffed arms in the air.
    â€œI wanted everyone to think Jake was real,” Harvey explained. “I was sick of getting laughed at for my scary stories.”
    â€œYou know what’s really scary, HarveyMueller?” Bess said angrily. “Not knowing what happened to Autumn!”
    Harvey wrinkled his nose. “What do you mean?”
    â€œDon’t act dumb, Harvey,” George said. “You were sneaking around everyone’s yards all weekend. You probably sneaked away with Autumn!”
    â€œAre you saying I stole her?” Harvey gasped.
    â€œWell?” Bess said. “Did you?”
    Harvey shook his head. “All I wanted to do was pretend to be Jake,” he insisted. “Cross my heart and hope to croak, drop an eyeball in my Coke!”
    â€œEw!” Bess said.
    Nancy studied Harvey and almost believed him. She just had one more question. . . .
    â€œWhere were you at nine o’clock on Saturday morning?” Nancy asked.
    â€œThat’s easy,” Harvey said. “I was on Main Street with my mom buying new sneakers.”
    Nancy glanced down at Harvey’s clean, whitesneakers. Even the laces looked new.
    â€œIf you don’t believe me,” Harvey went