Chapter 7

Chapter 7 "A stakeout?" Josh said. Ruth Rose nodded. "Like in the cop movies?" Dink asked. She nodded again. "You think Mrs. Davis's house is going to get robbed tonight?" Josh said. A third nod. "And I plan to be there to see who does it." She grinned. "Will that be enough proof for Officer Fallon?" "Suppose a burglar does come," Dink said. "What do we do, tie him up?" "All right!" Josh said. "I'll bring the rope."

Ruth Rose shook her head. "No rope. We just sit and watch. If someone comes, one of us will run to the police station. The other two will stay. If the guy leaves, we follow him." Dink thought that over. "Follow him where?" "Wherever he goes, Dink. Maybe he'll lead us to where he stashed the stuff he robbed," Ruth Rose said. "And maybe that's where he's got Tiger." "Well, I guess it'll work, as long as we just watch the guy," Dink said. Ruth Rose nodded. "We just wait and watch." "And eat cookies," Josh added. Dink and Josh sat in the dark tent, waiting for Ruth Rose. It was almost ten o'clock. Josh wore camouflage pants and a black T-shirt. Dink had on jeans and a dark gray sweatshirt. "Where the heck is she?" Josh asked. Dink peeked out the tent flap. "My folks will kill me if we get caught running around Green Lawn at night." "Mine would ground me for ten years," Josh said. "Why'd we let her talk us into this?"

Dink heard a noise. "Did you hear something?" he whispered. Josh peeked out. "Ruth Rose? Is that you?" "Boo!" Ruth Rose giggled. "I'm right here, Josh." Dink poked his head out. He couldn't see a thing. "Come on, Ruth Rose, stop fooling around. Where are you hiding?" "I'm not hiding!" Suddenly Dink could see her. Ruth Rose was sitting about four feet away, right in front of him! She was wearing black jeans and a black jacket. Her hair was covered by a ski cap. She'd even blackened her face. Except for the whites of her eyes, Ruth Rose was practically invisible. "What's that stuff on your face?" Dink asked. "Liquid shoe polish." She pulled a bottle out of her backpack. "Here, put some on." "Do we have to?" Dink said. "Yes! What happens if the burglar sees your two white faces glowing in the moonlight?" Dink poured some of the polish into his hand and smeared it all over his face. "This stuff stinks," he muttered.

Josh did the same. "I feel like Rambo," he said. Dink saw Josh's white teeth gleaming. "Let's head out," Ruth Rose said, slipping away from the tent. The boys followed her down Woody Street. Mrs. Davis's house was dark as they crept into her backyard. Dink tried not to think about what they were doing. Ruth Rose chose their hiding place, a shadowy patch between two thick bushes behind the house. The moon was almost full, but large clouds kept slipping in front of it. The kids wiggled around, getting comfortable on the lawn. "Did you bring the cookies?" Josh asked. "Yes, but let's save them till later," Ruth Rose said. "We might be here for hours." Josh let out a big sigh. "People who break their promises…" "She's right, Josh," Dink whispered. "And I don't think we should talk anymore. If the burglar comes, he might hear us and take off." Five seconds passed. "One little cookie wouldn't kill you, Ruth Rose." nkledc. "Josh, this is a stakeout, not Ellie's Diner."

"Cops eat on stakeouts." "JOSH! SHHH!" Dink stretched out on the grass. He watched the back of the house for moving shadows. Nothing moved. He slapped at a mosquito. A white cat strolled through the yard. Dink yawned. Every few minutes, he checked his watch. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, it was nearly eleven o'clock. Josh was sound asleep, but Dink could see that Ruth Rose's eyes were wide open. "Are you hungry?" she whispered. He nodded and shook Josh's shoulder. Ruth Rose opened her pack. She brought out a bag of cookies, three bananas, and three cartons of apple juice. They ate in silence, listening and watching for a burglar to show up. "Thanks, Ruth Rose," Josh whispered. Then he lay back down and shut his eyes again. Dink yawned and tried to get comfortable. He wished he'd brought his sleeping bag. It was soft

and…suddenly he saw something move in the shadows next to the house. He shook Josh and put his mouth next to Ruth Rose's ear. "Look," he whispered, pointing. But whatever he'd seen wasn't moving now. Dink trained his eyes on the back of the house. He saw only shadows of the trees and bushes. Then one of the shadows moved. Dink smelled Josh's cookie breath. "He's here!" Josh whispered. Dink could feel Josh trembling with excitement.