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person who did this. I’d show him.”
    Charlotte glared at Paul Rossi, who now hung from the monkey bars. She hadn’t noticed before, but he had a bruise on one cheek. From sneaking around in the dark? “There’s got to be a way …”
    â€œAway to what ? Charlotte, what are you up to?”
    â€œI’m going to figure out how to catch our thief, that’s what. We’ll bait a trap, then we’ll stand guard and catch him red-handed.”
    â€œYou’re nuts, Charlotte Campbell. You’ve been reading too many of your ma’s mysteries.”
    But by the time school let out, Charlotte had a plan. She and Betsy talked about it all the way home, figuring out the details.
    As they were saying good-bye, Robbie caught up with them. “I know how we can catch the thief!” he said.
    Betsy and Charlotte laughed and rolled their eyes at each other. Betsy headed home.
    â€œStop making faces, Charlie. I do know how to catch him. I have a plan. And it’s perfect.”
    â€œLet me unlock the door first, buster.”
    â€œBut, Charlie, it’s a great idea. It’s sure to work.” Inside, he raced for the bathroom, but he was bouncing with excitement when he got back. “You know down at the mill, how they have those giant magnets?”
    â€œSo?” Charlotte set her books on the kitchen table.
    â€œOkay. We need to get one of those magnets. And we’ll carry it around and when we feel a tug, we’ve found the thief’s hideout.”
    â€œThat’s ridiculous. Do you know how heavy those magnets are? Your whole class couldn’t lift one. It takes a crane.”
    â€œWe could too lift one. I’m gonna ask Ma. She’ll get one for us from the mill. Just you wait and see, Charlotte Campbell. You’re not the only person around here with a brain.”
    The next morning before school, kids again stood around talking quietly about the theft. Charlotte and Betsy stood close together in a sunny corner next to the low brick wall whispering, polishing their plan. “It’s good we hadn’t started cleaning out our own houses yet. We’ll have lots of stuff for bait.”
    Charlotte pointed to Paul Rossi. He and some other boys were smacking each other’s hands. It looked like a game of some sort. “Him. I know he’s the one. So all we have to do is make sure he hears us talking about all the junk we’ve still got in our cellars. How we’ll put it outside ready to haul tomorrow night. Then we stay up late and watch. When he shows up to steal it, we catch him.”
    â€œCatch who?” Sophie Jaworski asked. “That teacher?”
    Charlotte’s head snapped up. How had Sophie sneaked up on them? “What teacher?”
    Sophie lowered her voice. “Mr. Costa. You know the one. He’s new this year. Teaches science to the eighth grade.”
    â€œHow do you know him, Sophie?” Betsy asked.
    â€œI don’t. But my sister has him. He’s mean. He really stinks. She and her friends think he’s the one. I listened outside her door last night. One of Helen’s friends says Mr. Costa could be working for that Italian dictator guy, you know, Mussolini. Mr. Costa is Italian.”
    â€œSo’s Paul Rossi,” Charlotte whispered to Betsy. “Could be they’re working together.”
    Betsy shook her head. “A teacher? Come on, Sophie.”
    â€œI’m telling you, Helen and her friends have it all figured out. You know how that history teacher, Mr. Debevec, has signed up for the Marines, and Mrs. Alexander’s son is training to be a Navy pilot?”
    â€œWhat’s that got to do with Mr. Costa?” Charlotte asked.
    â€œWell, he’s young like them, and he’s not married either. So how come he didn’t sign up to fight?” Sophie lowered her voice to a sly whisper. “Maybe he’s a traitor. Or maybe he’s just a