Spy in the Bleachers (7 page)

Benny kept looking back, to the top of the aisle. He waited for Wheelie. And then he saw the mascot at the top of the stairs.

Wheelie stopped to slap hands with fans. Whenever a fan handed him something to sign, Wheelie autographed it.

“Well, look at that,” said Emma. “Wheelie is autographing everything!”

It took Wheelie a long time to reach the bottom of the aisle. Finally he reached the row where Jessie, Violet, and Benny were. He autographed Benny’s T-shirt.

“Thank you,” said Benny.

Carlos patted Wheelie on an orange shoulder. “Way to go, Wheelie. That’s the right thing to do.”

Wheelie climbed over the railing to his special platform and special seat. The game began!

From inside the mascot’s costume, Henry thought the world looked orange. That was because one of Wheelie’s orange eyelashes was drooping in front of the eye opening. Everything Henry saw from that eye looked a bit orange-y.

Mr. Tanaka had asked Henry to take Winn Winchell’s place inside the mascot costume.

“But I’ve never been a mascot before,” Henry had said. “I’m not sure I’d know what to do.”

“You will do a great job,” Mr. Tanaka had said. “And you will be helping the team.”

So Henry had gone to Wheelie’s dressing room and taken off his shirt and shoes. Just as he finished putting on the mascot’s costume, there was a knock on the door.

Henry had opened the door. A boy about his age was there. He wore a Hatter’s uniform. He handed Wheelie an envelope.

Henry took the envelope, but he didn’t say anything. He knew Wheelie did not talk.

The boy turned and walked away quickly. Henry saw the words
Hatters Batboy
written across the back of the boy’s uniform.

The envelope that Henry was holding was full of something papery. The handwriting on it said
Wheelie.
The handwriting slanted to the left! Henry put the envelope in one of the pockets of his shorts. Then he went out onto the field to throw T-shirts to the fans.

It’s fun playing Wheelie,
thought Henry, as he settled into his special chair.

The Cogs pitcher struck out the first Hatter, walked the second, and got the third to hit into a double play. In the bottom of the first inning, Reese Dawkins hit a home run with a runner on base. Henry stood up and did five cartwheels across the platform. Then he jumped up and down and pumped his arms in the air. The Cogs were leading, 2-0!

In the top of the second inning, Cody Howard was the first Hatter to bat.

Henry sat in the special chair. He put both feet flat on the platform. He crossed his arms and sat very, very still. Henry knew that if Cody Howard hit a home run, it meant that Carlos was stealing the signs.

Henry stared at Cody. It seemed like Cody Howard was staring right back at him! Of course Cody didn’t know he was looking at Henry, since Henry was dressed as Wheelie. Cody hit a foul ball on the first pitch. He looked out toward the bleachers. He pointed his bat at the bleachers, then pounded it on home plate.

Henry heard a
clang-clang-clang
behind him. Carlos was banging the lid of his hot dog box up and down.

Now Henry realized what Carlos was doing. Carlos wanted to upset Cody Howard and make him miss!
Carlos is a true Cogs fan
, thought Henry.

Cody swung at the second pitch and missed.

The Cogs fans cheered loudly.

Cody stepped out of the batter’s box and walked around. Finally the umpire made him step back into the box. Cody pointed his bat toward the bleachers.

Henry did not move a muscle. He sat as still as a statue. He knew Cody wanted Wheelie to tell him what pitch was coming.

Cody swung and missed.

“You’re out!” shouted the umpire. Cody walked back to the Hatters dugout. He glared toward the bleachers.

Carlos tapped Wheelie on the shoulder and handed him a hot dog and soft drink. “I love your new style, Wheelie! The fans love the jumps!” Carlos bent low so only Wheelie could hear him, “I’m glad to see you’re signing autographs for free. That’s what a mascot should do.”

Henry nodded. He looked at his hot dog.
How am I going to eat this with a costume on?
he wondered.

The Cogs didn’t score in the second or third innings. Neither did the Hatters. The score stood at 2-0. In the top of the fifth, Cody Howard came to bat again.

Once again Henry sat very still. His feet were flat on the platform. His arms were folded against his chest.

Once again Cody Howard seemed to be looking straight at him. Cody pointed his bat and pounded the plate. Henry could see Reese Dawkins hold down two fingers: curve ball. Henry watched the pitcher release the ball. He watched it zoom toward the plate, then curve. He saw Cody Howard swing and miss.

Cody pounded his bat on the plate. He pointed his bat at the bleachers. He scowled.

Wow, thought Henry. Cody is so angry that even if I signaled what pitch was coming, he would swing and miss.

Swing and miss is what Cody did. Strike two.

Cody tried to blast the next pitch out of the park—but his bat hit only air.

“You’re out!” shouted the umpire.

Wheelie jumped up and down. He pumped his arms. The fans roared their approval.

“I love the Cogs!” shouted Emma Larke.

“Go, Cogs!” shouted Carlos. “Go for the pennant!”

“Yay, Cogs!” shouted Benny. “Yay, Wheelie!”

Cody Howard did not get a hit at all. The Cogs won the game, 4-0.

When Henry climbed back over the rail and stood in the aisles, he was mobbed by fans. Some wanted his autograph, which he gave. Others just wanted to pat him on the back.

Wheelie waited until all the fans had left. Then he and Jessie and Violet and Benny walked to the owner’s box.

Mr. Tanaka, Grandfather, and Winn Winchell all sat in the owner’s box.

Jessie saw how happy Mr. Tanaka looked. Grandfather looked happy, too. Winn Winchell did not look happy.

“Henry!” said Mr. Tanaka, jumping up. “You were wonderful!” He helped Henry take off the top half of the Wheelie costume.

“I caught a Wheelie T-shirt!” said Benny, pulling the shirt over his head. “And I got Wheelie’s autograph, too,” he said, pointing to where Henry had signed the shirt
Wheelie.

“Yeah, yeah,” growled Winn Winchell. “So the kids all had fun.” He pointed at Henry and said, “But this kid can’t play Wheelie like I can.”

Winn jumped up and clenched his fists. “Tomorrow
I’m
the mascot again,” he said.

“No,” said Mr. Tanaka, “you’re not.”

“What?!” Winn shouted. “I’m the mascot! This kid isn’t the mascot!”

“The Cogs won today,” Mr. Tanaka said to Winn. “The Cogs and Hatters are tied for first place. Whoever wins tomorrow wins the pennant.”

“What’s that got to do with the mascot?” demanded Winn.

Mr. Tanaka pointed at a chair. “Sit down,” he told Winn.

Winn glared at the owner, but finally Winn sat down.

“The Cogs have lost games they should have won,” said Mr. Tanaka, his voice stern.

“The Cogs have lost because somebody was stealing signs.”

“Stealing signs isn’t a fair way to win,” said Benny.

Winn waved his hand at them. “It’s got nothing to do with me.”

“Yes, it does,” said Henry. “You’re the sign stealer.”

“You’re crazy,” answered Winn.

Henry reached into a pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Today the Hatters batboy came to Wheelie’s dressing room. When I was in costume, he handed me this envelope.”

“That’s mine!” shouted Winn, jumping up.

But before Winn could grab the envelope, Mr. Tanaka stepped forward and took it from Henry’s hand.

“Give me that!” shouted Winn. “It’s mine!”

Mr. Tanaka ignored the shouts. He opened the envelope and pulled out what was inside.

“Money,” said Mr. Tanaka. “One-hundred dollar bills.” He counted the bills. “Ten of them!” Mr. Tanaka glared at Winn. “What is this money for?” he demanded.

“The money is from Carlos Garcia,” said Winn. “Carlos wanted me to steal the signs and give them to Cody Howard. I refused.”

“That’s not true,” said Benny.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” growled Winn.

Henry spoke up. “The writing on the envelope isn’t Carlos’s handwriting.”

“Yes, it is!” Winn insisted. “Carlos is the sign stealer.”

“Mr. Tanaka,” said Benny, “we can prove that isn’t Carlos’s handwriting.” Benny reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean napkin. “Today I asked Carlos for his autograph. I watched him sign this napkin. This is his handwriting.”

Mr. Tanaka held the envelope in one hand and the napkin in the other. “Carlos Garcia’s handwriting does not match the handwriting on the envelope,” he said.

Jessie spoke. “I also got an autograph today,” she said, handing Mr. Tanaka a score card. “I asked Cody Howard to sign my scorecard,” she said. “And he did.”

Mr. Tanaka held the scorecard in one hand and the envelope in the other. “The handwriting is the same,” he said.

“Okay, okay,” said Winn Winchell. “So I was taking money from Cody. He wanted to win the batting title, and he was willing to pay me to help him.”

“What you have done is dishonorable,” said Mr. Tanaka. “You are fired,” he added.

Mr. Tanaka opened the door. Four ballpark security guards stood in the hallway.

“Take Winn Winchell out of Cogwheel Stadium,” said Mr. Tanaka. “Never let him come here again.”

The guards escorted Winn Winchell out of the owner’s box.

Mr. Tanaka waited until they were out of sight. Then he turned toward Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. “Thank you so much for discovering who the spy was,” he said. “And thank you also for all the other help you have given the Cogs and me.”

“You’re welcome,” said Jessie. “We like to help.”

“And we play fair,” said Benny.

Mr. Tanaka smiled. “Tomorrow is the last game of the season,” he said. “If the Hatters win, they will win the pennant. If the Cogs win, they will win the pennant. The game will be a fair game, with no sign stealing, thanks to the four of you.”

“Do we get to watch the game?” asked Grandfather. “Or will we be in your office working on seating plans?” he teased his old friend.

“We will be sitting right here, in the owner’s box,” said Jim Tanaka. “And Jessie, Violet, and Benny will be with us.”

Everybody looked at Henry.

“I know where I’ll be,” said Henry.

The last game of the season was a night game. Grandfather couldn’t park the car in his usual space because the stadium parking lot was so full.

“Are you adding more parking spaces for next year?” Violet asked him.

“Yes,” said Grandfather. “And if the Cogs win the pennant tonight, I’ll bet I have to add even
more
seats and parking spaces.”

“I hope they win!” said Benny. He was wearing his autographed Wheelie T-shirt.

Henry went to Wheelie’s dressing room. Jessie, Violet, and Benny hurried to the owner’s box with their grandfather.

The owner’s box was above the ground seats of Cogwheel Stadium. It was just to one side of home plate.

“This is a great view,” said Jessie, looking out at the ballpark through the open windows.

“Did we miss Henry?” asked Benny.

“Henry did a wonderful job as Wheelie,” said Mr. Tanaka. “He gave away more T-shirts and water bottles than ever. Now he’s on his way to the bleachers.”

“Did he jump up and down and pump his arms?” asked Violet.

“Oh, yes,” said Grandfather with a chuckle. “And the fans loved it.”

“I think the players loved it, too,” said Mr. Tanaka. “They think Wheelie brought them luck yesterday, so they’re glad he’s doing the same thing today.”

A vendor came into the owner’s box and set a large tray of hot dogs on a table.

“Please help yourselves,” said Mr. Tanaka.

Then the game began.

“You can see the whole ballpark from here,” said Jessie.

“Yes, the owner’s box has an excellent view,” said Mr. Tanaka.

“You can see the whole stadium from the bleachers, too,” said Benny.

Mr. Tanaka and Grandfather laughed. “Yes,” admitted Mr. Tanaka, “you can.”

Benny looked toward the bleachers and spotted Carlos Garcia. Benny waved, even though Carlos couldn’t see him. Benny saw Wheelie sitting in his special chair on the platform. Benny waved. Wheelie waved back.

“There are so many interesting people in the bleachers,” said Violet. She was looking at Emma Larke, who was wearing the same Cogs uniform she wore yesterday.

“Look!” said Violet. “That’s Simon Brock sitting next to Emma Larke.”

“It was very good of you children to introduce her to Mr. Brock,” said Mr. Tanaka.

Violet watched Emma and Simon Brock.