5. Sneaking Up on the Thieves

Chapter 5 Sneaking Up on the Thieves The kids crossed Main Street and cut behind Howard's Barbershop. Lots of people were out in the snow. Some big kids were having a snowball fight. A few other kids were building a snow fort behind the Book Nook. A man was walking his dog. The dog was wearing a green sweater with tiny bells sewn all over it. When the dog walked,

the bells jingled. Everybody except the dog had a red nose and shiny eyes. The kids passed the high school and the swan pond. "Where do swans go in winter?" Brian asked. "They fly to Florida," Bradley said. "In an airplane?" Nate joked. "It would be fun sitting in an airplane next to a big white swan!" They came to Woody Street. There were lights on in Dink's house and in Nate's house. The kids peeked in the windows to make sure there were no burglars prowling around. Bradley pulled out the note and looked at it again. "North on Farm Lane to P," he said as they left Woody Street. They hiked up Farm Lane, leaving footprints in the snow. "We should sneak up on our house," Brian said. "Maybe we'll catch them in the act!" A few minutes later, they stood in Bradley and Brian's front yard. It was almost dark, and snow was floating down in big, wet flakes. Lights were on in every room of the house. Behind the house, the barn stood dark and cold-looking.

"I see big footprints," Bradley whispered, pointing at the ground. "They're probably Josh's," Brian said. "He has giant feet." The kids walked up onto the porch, trying to be as quiet as mice. They peered through the windows at Bradley and Brian's living room. A fire was in the fireplace, and a Christmas tree stood in one corner. Pal was lying in front of the fireplace, sound asleep. "There are Mom and Dad," said Bradley. Everyone was wearing a party hat with HAPPY NEW YEAR! printed on the front. Bradley's dad had on oversize yellow sunglasses. "And my aunt and uncle," Lucy said. "Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are frosting cupcakes!" Nate said. "Let's go in and help them!" Just then, Nate's parents walked out of the kitchen into the living room. Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway were wearing party hats, too, and carrying a banner. They hung it from the fireplace mantel. In gold letters, it said: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"It's going to be a fun party," Nate said. "Why am I standing out in the cold with my nose running?" "Because you're going to help catch two laptop thieves," Bradley reminded Nate. "But they're not here," Lucy said. "Maybe they came, but when they saw how many people were in there, they got chicken and left," Nate said. "Let's go in," Bradley said. "We can't stay out here all night." The four kids banged in through the front door. They shook snow off their hats, pulled off their coats, and kicked their boots into a corner.

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"You're here!" Bradley's mom cried. "We thought you'd been kidnapped and taken to the North Pole!" "Cool!" Josh said, grinning. He had green frosting on his lips. "More cupcakes for us!" "Your cheeks are so pink," Dink's mother said. "You look like you're freezing! Come and sit by the fire." "Good thing you guys showed up," Dink said. "We were getting ready to go out looking for you." "Where were you, Nate?" Ruth Rose asked her brother. "I called our house an hour ago, but no one answered. You were supposed to stay there." "We were following a gang of thieves!" Nate answered. "You were what?" his father demanded. "Mrs. Wong's laptop got stolen out of her house," Bradley explained. Everyone was staring at him and the other younger kids. "Then the thieves came to Nate's house and peeked in the window. We followed them all over town, but we lost them."