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signed for by the chief scientist. That way they’d send me to the lab where I could sabotage the systems.”
    â€œAnd the plans?” Harry asked. “They’d search you on the way out.”
    â€œPut them in an envelope addressed to myself and left it in the letter tray to be sent out.”
    There was a long silence. Then Beth said:“That’s brilliant!” and Sam laughed and clapped.
    Everyone else agreed, except Chloe who told them that the HAT assessors must have muddled up the papers and got Alfie’s confused with hers.
    â€œI still think my plan would have worked too,” Jack muttered.
    â€œIt must have taken you all evening,” Miss Jones said as she tried to settle Class 3D down again.
    â€œNot really,” Alfie said. “I still had time to find out where the missing satellite landed.”
    Mr Trenchard regarded Alfie through his spectacles. For once he didn’t seem to need reminding of what was going on.
    â€œAlfie,” he said. “Settled in OK, I hope?”
    â€œYes, thank you, sir.”
    â€œExcellent. Wouldn’t want any complaints getting back to…” Mr Trenchard leaned meaningfully across the table. “You-Know-Who,” he whispered.
    â€œNo, I don’t, actually,” Alfie said.
    But Mr Trenchard ignored this. “Now, Miss Smith—or is it Jones? Well, whoever it was has told me you know where this satellite thingy is.”
    â€œThat’s right. You see, my dad was talking to Mr Rogers in Willow Lane, and he said that Mrs Sykes had heard from the Oyanbanji boys that Mrs Green in the shop said old Mr Phillips got a dreadful fright the other night when something fell out of the sky.”
    Alfie had said all this in a rush and he didn’t expect Mr Trenchard to follow, but tohis surprise the Head Teacher nodded. “And did this Willow Lane character say what it was that fell from the sky?”
    â€œEr, well,” Alfie explained, “Dad spoke to old Mr Phillips and he said that yes he’d had a fright because a shooting star almost fell on him, and his dog ran off, and talking to Edward Hogsmouth he thought—
    Mr Hogsmouth, not the dog—that it landed somewhere in Mrs Prendergast’s back garden.”
    â€œI see.” Mr Trenchard took off his glasses and polished them furiously on a grubby handkerchief. “Your dad’s got quite a network of informers.”
    â€œThey’re just people who live nearby.”
    Mr Trenchard winked. “Course they are. So we reckon this satellite is in Mrs Prendergast’s garden?”
    â€œYes,” said Alfie.
    â€œThank goodness no one knows about it.”
    â€œApart from old Mr Phillips,” said Alfie.
    â€œWell, yes, obviously.”
    â€œAnd Mrs Hogsmouth,” Alfie added. “Oh and Mrs Green and the Oyanbanji boys andMr Rogers and Mrs Sykes. And Dad of course. And the dog.”
    â€œAnd this Willow fellow. But thank goodness no one else knows it’s in this lady’s garden. Where is the garden, by the way?”
    â€œIt’s the one where the men in black overalls and dark glasses hide to keep watch on the school,” said Alfie.
    Mr Trenchard leaped to his feet. “Spies? Keeping watch on the school? They must be SPUD agents!”
    â€œI don’t know. Mrs Prendergast takes them cups of tea.”
    Mr Trenchard sniffed. “Consorting with theenemy,” he said darkly. Then he looked up suddenly. “Wait a minute. These SPUD agents—how often do they watch the school?”
    â€œEvery morning,” said Alfie. “They use binoculars.”
    â€œThen maybe they have the satellite already. It’s right under their noses.”
    Alfie shook his head. “I don’t think so. They were still hiding and drinking tea this morning. One of them had a rich tea finger.”
    The Head Teacher nodded and steepled his fingers. “Excellent. Now then, Alfie, what’s