The Spy in the Bleachers

  “I see Henry and Violet!” shouted Benny. He pointed to the second row of seats, where Henry and Violet sat.

  “We just got here,” Violet told Jessie and Benny. “We handed out all the foam gloves.”

  “I filled trays with popcorn boxes,” Benny answered. “I could hardly keep up!”

  “And I wrapped hot dogs and put them into vendor boxes,” answered Jessie.

  “I’m hungry,” said Benny, looking around.

  “Me, too,” said Henry. “It’s way past lunch time.”

  Jessie looked around, then smiled. She had spotted a pennant that seemed to float in the air. But she could tell that it was attached to a wire, and the wire was attached to a baseball cap. “Carlos!” she shouted.

  “Who are you calling?” asked Henry.

  “Carlos Garcia,” said Jessie. “He’s a hot dog vendor.”

  In no time at all Carlos reached their seats. The children bought hot dogs. Henry paid for the hot dogs and also gave Carlos a tip.

  “Thanks,” said Carlos. He added the money to a large stack of bills in his hand.

  Henry noticed that the top of the stack had one-dollar bills. He thought he saw a hundred-dollar bill on the bottom. If that’s a hundred, thought Henry, somebody bought a lot of hot dogs!

  The children ate their hot dogs and looked all around.

  Henry looked at the baseball field and the players. He could see home plate clearly. He would have a great view of each pitch as it crossed the plate.

  Jessie looked for Wheelie. At last she spotted him. The mascot was so close! The first row, right in front of them, was filled with fans.

  Wheelie was sitting just past the fans. His chair was on a long platform built just below the front row of seats. Jessie thought that the mascot had the best view in all of Cogwheel Stadium.

  Violet was looking around at all the people. Many of them wore Cogs baseball caps. But almost as many wore Hatters baseball caps. Violet looked at her own baseball glove, which she had brought into the stadium. She would love to catch a home run ball. After Violet finished eating her hot dog, she slipped off her free Cogs glove and put it beside her. She put on her real baseball glove. Shyly, she kept her gloved hand on her lap, where nobody could see it.

  Benny wanted to look everywhere! He wanted to see the baseball players. He wanted to see Wheelie. He wanted to see and hear all the people. And he wanted to keep Carlos and the hot dogs in sight.

  “Can you see?” Henry asked his brother.

  “I can see everything,” said Benny. “At first I thought these seats were too far away, but now I like them.”

  The person in front of Benny turned around and smiled at him. “Bleacher seats are the best seats in the whole park,” she told him. “From the bleachers you have the best view of the whole game. Especially home plate.” She looked at Violet. “And in the bleachers you might be able to catch a home run ball!”

  Violet looked at Henry, and Henry looked at Violet. They both recognized the young woman. She was the one who had torn the free glove in half and then stomped on it. Henry was surprised that she seemed such a happy, friendly person. He was even more surprised that she was wearing a Cogs baseball cap!

  “I’m Henry Alden,” he told her. “These are my sisters, Violet and Jessie, and my brother Benny. We’re from Greenfield. This is our first time at Cogwheel Stadium.”

  “I’m Emma Larke,” the young woman said. “Clayton is my home town.”

  “Are you a Cogs fan?” asked Violet, staring at Emma’s baseball cap.

  “I was,” she answered. “I was a Cogs fan from the time I was five years old. But now I hate the Cogs,” she said with a frown. “Especially Reese Dawkins, who’s a horrible catcher.”

  Benny was confused. “But you’re wearing a Cogs baseball cap,” he said to Emma.

  “Oh,” she said, touching the brim of her cap. “I forgot.” She took the cap off and put it in her canvas bag. Then she put a visor on and turned to face the field.

  “Carlos Garcia doesn’t like Reese Dawkins, either,” Jessie told Henry and Violet. “He said so when I was loading hot dogs into his vendor box.”

  The Hatters batted first. Emma Larke jumped up and cheered every Hatter. The Cogs’ pitcher struck out two of them. The third one grounded out to first.

  Each time a Hatter made an out, Wheelie stood up and pumped his fists.

  “The Cogs look like a good team,” Jessie said.

  The Cogs weren’t able to score in the first inning. Emma stood up and cheered each time a Cogs batter made an out.

  “Hey, you!” yelled a fan several rows back. “Sit down!”

  Between innings, Wheelie stood up and entertained the fans. First he puffed out his chest and strode back and forth on the platform. Then he pointed to the Hatters dugout and pinched his nose together with two fingers. Cogs fans cheered because Wheelie was telling them that the Hatters stank.

  In the top of the second inning Cody Howard came to bat for the Hatters. Henry noticed that Cody batted left-handed, and the Cogs pitcher threw right-handed. Left-handed batters usually did well against right-handed pitchers.

  Wheelie held his nose.

  Emma stood up. She took off her visor and waved it in the air. “Go, Cody!” she shouted.

  The pitch came in and Cody Howard blasted the ball into the bleachers. The home run sailed over their heads.

  “Wow,” said Jessie, “he guessed right on that pitch.”

  “Yes,” said Henry. “It was a fastball.”

  The score was now 0-1. The Hatters were winning.

  The next two Hatter players struck out swinging. Each time, Wheelie stood up and pretended to faint, as if their swings knocked him down.

  Benny was having a great time. He loved seeing everything that was happening. He saw Carlos come down the aisle with two hot dogs in his hand. Carlos leaned over the rail and gave the two hot dogs to Wheelie.

  Violet was also watching Carlos Garcia. She loved the way his orange Cogs pennant swayed on its wire. She saw Carlos take an envelope out of his pocket and give it to Wheelie. Carlos was frowning as he walked back up the aisle.

  Jessie watched the game closely. From where she was sitting, she had a perfect view of the catcher. She could see Reese Dawkins put down one finger, then two, then three.

  Although the Cogs got runners on base, they didn’t score. At the top of the fifth inning, Cody Howard came to bat again.

  Emma Larke stood up. She took her visor off, then put it on backwards. “Go, Cody!” she shouted again.

  Wheelie stood up and stretched. He held his hand to his mouth like he was yawning. He sat back down.

  Carlos stood at the railing behind Wheelie. He opened his metal vendor’s box. He slammed its lid up and down three times.

  The Cogs pitcher threw the ball and Cody Howard hit it the length of the park! Violet saw the ball coming their way. Everybody stood up to catch it. Violet saw the ball getting closer and closer—she reached for it with her baseball glove.

  Violet felt the baseball land in her glove. I caught it! she thought. I caught it!

  “Great catch!” shouted Henry.

  “Wow!” said Jessie, patting her sister on the back. “That was terrific.”

  All the fans cheered.

  Violet smiled shyly. She looked at the beautiful white baseball she had caught, turning it around in her hands.

  “Can I see it?” asked Benny.

  “Sure,” said Violet, handing the ball to Benny.

  Emma Larke turned around. “That was a very nice catch!”

  “Thank you!” said Violet.

  “You were smart to bring your glove,” Carlos told her. “A good ballplayer is always ready.”

  Then Carlos frowned. “That’s a second home run for Cody. He hit it because Reese Dawkins called the wrong pitch.”

  “The pitcher threw a curveball,” said Henry, who had been watching closely.

  “That’s right,” said Carlos. “And Cody hit it out of t
he ballpark. The Hatters are now leading, two-nothing.”

  “What do you think the pitcher should have called?” asked Jessie.

  “A change-up,” said Carlos. “Reese Dawkins called the wrong pitch.” He banged the lid to his hot dog box a couple of times and walked away.

  Everybody sat down again.

  “That was a great catch, Violet,” said Henry. “What a great souvenir of Cogwheel Stadium.”

  Violet grinned. “I’m going to put the baseball on my bookshelf at home.”

  Henry looked at Jessie. “Cody Howard acted like he knew what pitch was coming.”

  Jessie nodded. She remembered what she’d told Benny about the way catchers made signals to pitchers. The batter of the other team wasn’t supposed to know what those signals were—but did Cody Howard know?

  “I hope this isn’t what it looks like,” Jessie said to Henry.

  The Cogs players tried to score, but didn’t. In the top of the eighth inning, Cody Howard came to bat again.

  Emma Larke turned around. “Cody is going to win the batting championship,” she told the Aldens. “And Reese Dawkins isn’t!” She clapped her hands.

  Cody stepped up to the plate, the Cogs pitcher threw the ball, and Cody Howard hit it out of Cogwheel Stadium.

  “It is what it looks like,” Henry said to Jessie quietly.

  Jessie nodded. “Somebody is stealing the signs Reese Dawkins is giving the pitcher.”

  “And that somebody is signaling the signs to Cody Howard,” said Henry.

  At the end of nine innings, the Cogs lost, 0-3. Cody Howard scored all three of the Hatters’ runs.

  “This is bad,” said Henry. “Unless the sign-stealing stops, the Cogs might lose all five games. That means they would lose the pennant.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Next to the Dugout

  The next morning Grandfather drove the children to Cogwheel Stadium. He parked in the same spot as before. “I’ll bet you want to play more ball today,” he said.

  “Actually, we want to help Mr. Tanaka as much as we can,” said Jessie. Last night after dinner she and Henry had told Benny and Violet about the sign stealing. Now all four children wanted to find out who was stealing Reese Dawkins’s signs and signaling them to Cody Howard.

  Grandfather led them to the owner’s office on the upper level of Cogwheel Stadium.

  “Good morning,” said Jim Tanaka. “Did you enjoy yesterday’s game, even though we lost?” he asked.

  “Yes,” said Benny. “I love the bleachers.”

  “We had a very good time,” said Jessie. “Thank you so much for the tickets. And we would like to help you today, if you still need help.”

  “I would love more help,” replied Mr. Tanaka. “Henry and Benny, Wheelie could use your help. And Jessie and Violet, I’ve got a job for you too.”

  Wheelie the mascot had his own small dressing room. The man who played the mascot was dressed in cargo shorts, a T-shirt, and socks. “I’m Winn Winchell,” he told Henry and Benny. “Call me Winn when I’m not in costume. When I’m in costume, call me Wheelie.”

  “You talk!” said Benny.

  “Yep,” said Winn. “I talk when I’m Winn. I don’t talk when I’m Wheelie.”

  “Why?” asked Benny.

  “Because cogwheels don’t talk, that’s why,” answered Winn. He took the bottom half of the orange Wheelie costume off its hook.

  Henry watched Winn step into the bottom half of the costume. Henry saw suspenders hanging from it. He grabbed the suspenders and held them up for Winn.

  “You’re a quick learner,” said Winn. He pulled the suspenders over his shoulders. “See that box in the corner?”

  Henry and Benny looked where Winn was pointing.

  “Those are rolled-up T-shirts,” Winn told them. He handed Henry a large canvas bag. “Stuff as many of them in here as you can,” he said. “When I go out on the field, you carry the bag and follow me. You hand me one T-shirt at a time, and I throw it to a fan. Got that?”

  “Yes,” said Henry. This is cool, he thought. I get to walk on the baseball field!

  Winn handed Benny a canvas bag, too.” Plastic water bottles,” he said. “You carry this bag and follow behind Henry. Sometimes I give away shirts, and sometimes I give away bottles.”

  “Now listen carefully,” he told them. “Whenever we’re out of T-shirts or water bottles, you let me know. That’s when we come back here and take a break. And as soon as we get back here, you help me take off the top half of my costume. And then you hand me a tall glass of ice water. Immediately.” Winn pointed to a small refrigerator in the corner.” He looked at Henry and Benny. “Any questions?”

  Henry and Benny shook their heads.

  “Good,” said Winn, “because Wheelie doesn’t talk.” He took the top half of his Wheelie costume from its hook and began to slip it over his head.

  Henry helped Winn, who became Wheelie. Wheelie turned in a circle, then faced the door. He made a come-with-me motion with his arm. Henry and Benny grabbed their canvas bags. They followed Wheelie onto the baseball field.

  As soon as he walked onto the baseball field, Wheelie turned three cartwheels. The fans cheered.

  Henry was surprised at how loud the crowd noise was. Really loud! So this is what baseball players hear, he thought.

  Wheelie waved his arms to the fans and they shouted louder. Henry followed the mascot as he walked around the field, close to the stands. Each time Wheelie threw a free T-shirt into the crowd, Henry handed him another one. And when he threw a plastic water bottle, Benny ran up with his canvas bag of bottles.

  When they were out of T-shirts they went back to the dressing room. Henry helped take off the top half of Wheelie’s costume. Benny poured a glass of ice water and handed it to the mascot.

  Winn drank the entire glass of water. He handed the empty glass to Benny. “It’s hot inside this costume,” he said. He reached into the bottom half of the costume and pulled out a bandana. An envelope fell out of the bandana onto the floor. Money fell out of the envelope and scattered everywhere.

  Benny stooped to pick up the money. He saw one-hundred dollar bills!

  “Don’t touch that!” shouted Winn. He bent down and pushed Benny aside.

  Benny didn’t like being pushed. He thought Winn was rude.

  Henry bent down behind Winn and picked up the envelope. The word Wheelie was handwritten on it, in big letters. The handwriting slanted toward the left.

  “Is that the money you charge for an autograph?” Benny asked.

  “Mind your own business,” said Winn as he grabbed the envelope out of Henry’s hand. Winn stuffed the money back into the envelope. Then he pushed the envelope down into his pockets.

  Henry stood up and pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket and held it out toward the mascot. “Could I have your autograph?” Henry asked.

  Winn looked at the piece of paper. “I’ll give you an autograph if you give me ten dollars.”

  “Oh,” said Henry, taking back his paper. “Let me think about it.”

  Henry now knew that the mascot wanted ten dollars for an autograph. But the envelope had been full of one-hundred-dollar bills. The money in the envelope wasn’t for autographs. What is it for, then? thought Henry. And why did Winn get so upset about it?

  “Fill up your canvas bags,” Winn told Henry and Benny. “We go out the door again in five minutes.”

  Jessie and Violet were helping out in the large open area behind the bleachers. A small waterfall had been built there. Fans could walk into it and cool off on really hot days. Jessie and Violet helped the line of people move along. Violet kept the line straight and alongside the wall. Jessie let everybody have one minute under the waterfall, then it was the next person’s turn.

  “Time’s up,” said Jessie to a girl who was about Benny’s age.

  “Awww,” said the girl as she stepped out of the waterfall.

  “You can get back in line and do it again,” said Jessie with a sm
ile. She watched as the girl ran to the back of the long line and stood there, dripping wet. There were other dripping wet people in line, too.

  “It’s so hot,” said Violet. “I feel like walking through the waterfall myself, just to cool off.”

  “The waterfall is a wonderful idea,” said Jessie. “Mr. Tanaka makes sure the fans have a lot of fun.”

  Violet nodded, then frowned. “I hope the Cogs win today. Maybe the sign stealer won’t be here today.”

  Violet noticed a woman wearing a lavender dress. Violet loved all shades of purple and always noticed them. But she wondered why somebody would wear such a beautiful, dressy dress to a ballgame.

  The woman had long blonde hair that curled up at the ends. She wore a straw hat with a wide brim.

  The woman turned around. It was Emma Larke.

  Emma didn’t notice Violet or Jessie or even the waterfall. She seemed to be looking around for something, or somebody.

  “Look,” Violet said to her sister. “It’s Emma Larke. She looks so different from yesterday. Let’s say hello.”

  But just then Carlos Garcia walked up to Emma. He didn’t notice Jessie or Violet, either.

  “Reese Dawkins looked bad yesterday,” the sisters heard Carlos say to Emma.

  “Yes, but he’s still playing today,” answered Emma.

  “The manager doesn’t want to switch catchers this late in the season,” said Carlos. “But next year—next year will be different.”

  Emma opened her straw handbag and pulled out her binoculars. She showed them to Carlos.

  As Emma was showing the binoculars to Carlos, Violet saw Carlos pull an envelope from his pocket. Violet noticed handwriting on the envelope, but she couldn’t see what it said. She saw Carlos drop the envelope into Emma’s purse.

  Carlos turned and saw her. “Hello, Violet,” he said. “What are you doing?”

  “Hello,” said Violet. “We’re helping out with the waterfall shower.”

  Emma turned, too, and said hello to Violet and Jessie. “I would have gone into the waterfall yesterday,” she said, “but I don’t want to get my clothes wet today.”

  “That’s a beautiful dress,” said Violet.