“Crazy Eddie’s?” Mr. Miles asked. “Isn’t that the joke shop off Main Street?”

  Joe smiled. “Yup, that’s it. I went there last year for April Fools’ Day to buy candies that turn your mouth blue.”

  “Whoever did this,” Frank said, “they went to Crazy Eddie’s to get the slime. Probably the bucket, too.”

  “We’ll have to go there after school and see if anyone there knows anything,” Joe said. “Maybe someone saw the person buy the slime.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Miles!” Frank said. “You gave us our first official clue. Without this, I don’t know what we would’ve done.”

  Mr. Miles smiled down at the boys. “I’m just glad I could help. I’d hate to think whoever played this prank would get away with it.”

  “Hopefully, they won’t!” Frank called over his shoulder as he waved good-bye to Mr. Miles.

  Frank and Joe took the jar and started out the doors, more excited than ever. They knew where their suspect had been. Maybe, with a little luck, they could find out more about him.

  8

  Crazy Eddie’s: Gags, Gifts, and More!

  That afternoon Frank and Joe’s dad dropped them off outside Crazy Eddie’s joke shop. The place was bright green on the outside with a yellow front door. Even the front window was full of things to play pranks with. There were whoopee cushions, squirting flowers, and fake piles of dog poop.

  “I forgot how awesome this place is,” Joe said as they stepped inside. “Look! This is where I got that candy last year!”

  The boys turned down an aisle with all different kinds of fake foods. There were ice cubes with flies and ants in them. They were perfect for putting in drinks to freak people out. There were candies like the one Joe had bought, that turned your mouth different colors. Frank grabbed a can of nuts and opened it. A giant snake popped out.

  “Yikes!” he yelled, jumping back. “I didn’t expect that.”

  Joe walked down the row, looking at bacon-flavored mints and bacon-smelling air freshener. Right next to those was a display of plastic sunny-side-up eggs you could put on the floor to fool people. “I could stay here all day,” he said, picking up a package of rubber chocolates.

  “We should find someone who works here,” Frank said. He’d brought the plastic jar with him just in case. The label read FAKE SLIME in giant green letters.

  They turned down another row, this one with different costumes. There were chicken and horse heads. There was a bunny suit and another costume that looked like a giant panda. At the end of it stood a man with orange hair. He was showing a woman a statue of a lion.

  “Isn’t this a nice statue?” he said, holding it up. It looked like it was made of gold. “Do you like it?”

  The woman leaned closer. Right when her face was an inch away from it, water squirted out of the lion’s mouth. The woman did not look happy. She mumbled something about manners before walking off in a huff.

  “What can I help you boys with? Are you ready to get crazy at Crazy Eddie’s?” The man’s orange hair stuck up in different directions. He was wearing a rainbow-print bow tie and a nametag that said EDDIE. He leaned down, pointing the lion at Joe, but Joe ducked before Eddie could spray him with water.

  Frank held up the empty jar. “Do you sell fake slime here?”

  Eddie laughed. “Do we sell fake slime here? What kind of question is that?” He turned, waving for the boys to follow him. They went down another row filled with jars. “We got green slime, we got red slime, we got blue-and-purple-swirly slime. We got slime with eyeballs in it,” Eddie said, pointing to the top shelf. “We got slime with fake brains in it. You want bloody slime? We got that too!”

  He held up a jar that looked like it was filled with blood and guts. There were fake fingers floating inside. “Ew!” Joe yelled. He took a step back, trying to get away.

  “All I’m saying,” Eddie continued, “is that we definitely have slime.”

  Frank scanned the shelves, and finally found the same container as the empty one they’d found at school. “Someone bought a few jars of fake green slime here,” he said. “And maybe a bucket? With a remote?”

  Eddie scratched the back of his head. “That sounds familiar.” He peeked down the row and looked at the cashier, a teenage boy. “Hey, Gary! Do you remember someone coming in to buy green slime?”

  “Yeah,” Gary said, stepping out from behind the counter. “Like three days ago. You remember—he was asking you all about the remote control bucket. He bought that, too.”

  “That must be him!” Joe exclaimed. “He would’ve bought both of those things.”

  Gary ducked down another aisle and came back with the same kind of blue bucket that Frank and Joe had seen above the stage. This one had a remote with it. “See?” Gary asked. “Isn’t it cool?”

  He held the bucket up in the air, then hit a button on the remote. Tiny pieces of colored paper fell out of the bottom of the bucket. Frank grabbed a handful of it. “So it was a boy, then? How old?” Frank asked.

  “Like your age, I guess.” Gary shrugged. “He was a short kid, had a weird T-shirt on for some band.”

  Eddie shook his head. “Nope! I remember him—I know who you’re talking about. He was tall. Had a blue T-shirt on—”

  “I think it was green,” Gary argued.

  Frank snuck a quick look at his brother. This sometimes happened when they questioned witnesses. Everyone remembered things differently. The trick was finding what they both agreed on. “Did he have glasses? What color was his hair?”

  “He definitely had glasses,” Gary said.

  But Eddie just shrugged. “You know, I don’t think he did. But he had black hair.”

  “He’s right about that,” Gary agreed. “He had black hair.”

  Frank leaned in toward his brother. “That describes a ton of kids at Bayport. Black hair? That’s all we have to go on?”

  “What else?” Joe asked, trying to get at least a little more information out of them.

  “He had a weird voice,” Eddie said. “He talked like he was yelling.”

  Gary nodded his head. “Yeah, the dude sounded kind of loud.”

  Frank and Joe stayed in the joke shop, asking Eddie and Gary more about what the boy looked like, but they kept getting the same answers. There were no security cameras in the store, so there weren’t any photos to check. After a few minutes they left and sat on the sidewalk, waiting for their dad to come back and pick them up.

  “So he has black hair,” Joe said, rubbing his chin with his hand. “And he talks like he’s yelling. That isn’t much help.”

  But Frank didn’t respond. He was staring across the street, like he was thinking about something. “It might help . . . just enough.”

  “What do you mean?” Joe asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Frank said. “Let’s go into school early, before anyone else. I think I have an idea.”

  9

  Just a Hunch

  Wait here with me,” Frank said, standing against the wall by Dr. Green’s office. “Just play along.”

  “Play along?” Joe asked. “Play along with what? Will you tell me what’s going on already?”

  “I did tell you,” Frank said. “It’s just a hunch . . .”

  Normally Frank told Joe everything when they worked on a case together, but this time was different. Frank had said he had a “hunch” about something, and he wanted to follow it. A hunch was when someone had a feeling about something that they couldn’t prove. He wasn’t sure if he was right, so he didn’t want to tell Joe about it just yet. Hopefully, Joe would make his own decision. Then they’d know if it was a lead to follow.

  They’d gotten to school a half hour early and were standing in the hall as most of the students came in. After everyone was settled, the morning announcements were playing over the loudspeaker: “Because the assembly was cut short yesterday, all students should report to the gymnasium after these announcements. Both candidates will give their speeches for class president. Voting in the fourth-grade class election has been rescheduled and will go on this afternoon.”

  As the announcements went on, Chet walked past. He was wearing almost the same outfit as he’d worn the day before, but with a brand-new shirt and tie. He looked nervous. “I don’t think I can do it,” he said. “I can’t go out there again. What if the same person decides to play a prank again? Maybe I should give up. Maybe we should just let Cissy win.”

  “Don’t say that!” Joe cried. “Bayport Elementary fourth-grade needs you!”

  Frank patted his friend on the shoulder. “We’re going to figure this out. We’ll meet you outside the gym in ten minutes. I think we’re close.”

  “I hope so,” Chet said. He pulled the speech from his pocket and started reading it to himself as he walked down the hall.

  As soon as the morning announcements were over, the halls were crowded again. A group of fourth-grade boys pushed each other and laughed as they went toward the gym for the assembly. Frank watched the door to the main office. Eventually Art Carson came out. He’d just finished the announcements and started down the hall.

  “Hey, Art!” Frank called. “I was hoping we could talk to you.”

  “Sure thing,” Art said. “But can you walk with me to class?”

  As soon as Art spoke, Joe knew what Frank’s hunch was about. Art was always talking so loudly that he was nearly yelling. And he had spiky black hair and glasses. He might not have been who Eddie had described, but he fit Gary’s description perfectly. Black hair. A band T-shirt. Glasses.

  “We were just hoping you saw something yesterday,” Frank said as the three boys continued down the hall. “You always get into school early, right? To do the announcements?”

  “Yeah,” Art said. “Dr. Green and I are the first ones here. I do the announcements from her office.”

  “Did you see anything strange?” Joe asked.

  “Nah, I didn’t even go past the gym yesterday.” Art didn’t look at them as he spoke. He just kept walking, picking up his pace. But it seemed like he was nervous. “I think I actually got in a little later than usual.”

  “When you went to the stage, did you notice the bucket above it? With the slime?” Frank asked.

  “I—I don’t remember,” Art stammered.

  “You don’t remember?” Joe asked. He could tell Art was getting more and more nervous. Sometimes when the boys questioned suspects, the suspects got so nervous, they confessed. Would that happen now?

  “Have you ever been to Crazy Eddie’s?” Frank asked. “It’s a joke store off Main Street.”

  Art’s face turned red as soon as they mentioned the name of the store. “No, I’ve never gone there before,” he said.

  Frank felt like he might be closer to some answers. Why would Art get so upset because they mentioned the name of the store? Why was he bright red? Frank knew he had to keep questioning Art if he wanted to get these answers. “Really? You’ve never been in there?” he asked.

  “I just told you, I have never bought anything from there,” Art repeated.

  “You haven’t? Are you positive? It’s a green store with a yellow door. It’s hard to miss,” Joe continued.

  Art kept walking faster, then stopped outside the gym. “Fine!” he yelled. “I’ve been there. What’s your point? Why do you care?”

  “Were you there about three days ago buying green slime and a remote control bucket?” Frank asked.

  “No . . . ,” Art said, but his voice trailed off. “I just . . . Why are you asking me all of these questions?”

  Just then Dr. Green walked up to them. “How are things going, Frank? Joe? Do you have any good news for me?”

  “I think Art might have something to say,” Frank said, nodding to Art.

  “Who, me?” Art cried.

  “The store clerk at Crazy Eddie’s described you exactly,” Frank said. “He said you were in there three days ago.”

  Dr. Green put her hands on her hips and frowned at Art. “Is this true? What are they talking about?”

  Art took a deep breath. His face was bright red. “Okay! I did it!” he said, his voice cracking. “I didn’t want Chet to win. I overheard you guys the other day, when Chet was practicing his speech. He said he wanted to give everyone a chance to do the morning announcements. The morning announcements are my thing!”

  Dr. Green put her hands up in the air. “Are you saying you played that prank on Chet to ruin his speech and keep your spot?”

  “I just didn’t want him to win the election,” Art repeated. “If everyone had the chance to read the announcements, they wouldn’t be special anymore.”

  “So you bought the bucket and slime, then came in early to set up the prank . . . ,” Frank said, talking it through.

  “I used a ladder to put the bucket up there, right in the rafters above the stage. Then, when Chet started his speech, I hit the button on the remote,” Art said. “I know it wasn’t right, but it stopped the speech, didn’t it? He couldn’t finish.”

  Dr. Green just shook her head. “I’m so disappointed with you, Art,” she said softly. “What you did yesterday was mean. Chet was so upset. You are one of our best students. How could you let me down like this?”

  Frank watched Art, how his eyes filled with tears. Frank actually felt a little bad that they’d caught him, even if it was the right thing to do. Art seemed more upset than anyone else. Well, except Chet, of course. “I just . . . I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

  “Well, you’re going to have to apologize to Chet now, in front of everyone,” Dr. Green said. She waved him inside. “And no more announcements for you for the next two weeks.”

  “But, Dr. Green—”

  “Don’t argue with me, Art!” she said firmly. “Now go sit down inside. Wait for me to call you up.”

  Art stomped into the gym and sat down in one of the front seats. He crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s so upset,” Joe said, watching him.

  “He should be upset,” Dr. Green said. “What he did was wrong. And mean. Thank you for finding out who did this.”

  Joe and Frank stood in the gym doorway. Dr. Green went in, sat down beside Art, and whispered something to him. Even though he was the same age as Frank, he seemed so much younger now.

  “Your hunch was right,” Joe said.

  Frank shrugged. “It seemed like Gary remembered the boy better than Eddie did. The description he gave was much clearer. Then, when I thought about who would be in school early enough to set up the prank, Art seemed like a suspect. I didn’t realize he’d heard Chet giving his speech, though.”

  “Me neither,” Joe said. “But it all makes sense.”

  The gym was nearly packed, with the fourth graders in the front few rows. All the seats were full except for a few in the back. This morning no one had signs. Only a few kids had remembered to wear their buttons. Most people weren’t laughing or cheering. They were too afraid they’d get yelled at.

  “We should go,” Frank said, pointing to the locker room. “There’s one person who will be very happy to hear the news.”

  10

  The Race Is On

  As soon as Frank and Joe walked into the locker room, they could hear Chet practicing his speech. He was somewhere near the back lockers. “Good morning, Bayport—I mean, good morning, students of Bayport—”

  “Chet!” Joe called, turning the corner.

  Chet was watching himself in the mirror on the wall. He held his speech out in front of him. “I don’t think I can do this,” he said. “I can’t go out there again.”

  “But we found the person who played the prank—it was Art Carson,” Joe said.

  “He heard you practicing,” Frank explained. “He was scared if you won that he wouldn’t be able to read the morning announcements anymore. Dr. Green is going to have him apologize to you now, in front of everyone.”

  “You guys solved the case. That’s amazing. I’m lucky to have friends like you,” Chet said. He gave the boys a small smile.

  “What’s wrong?” Frank asked. Chet still seemed worried.

  “It’s just . . . ,” Chet started. “I don’t know. What if the prank ruined my chances of winning? What if people laugh at me? Someone yesterday called me slimeball in the hallway. I was so embarrassed.”

  “We’ll be right there,” Joe said, gesturing in the direction of the auditorium. “Right in the front row. If you get nervous, you can look at us. Pretend like it’s just us there.”

  Frank jumped up onto one of the benches and smiled. “It’s time for us to give you a little pep talk,” he said. “Chet Morton, we know you can go out there and win today, no matter what happened yesterday. We became your campaign managers because we knew that Bayport Elementary needed a new fourth-grade president and that you were it. No one is as funny, as nice, or as smart as Chet Morton. And whenever you decide to do something, you really do it one hundred percent!”

  “Yeah!” Joe said, raising his fist in the air. “You’ll be the change this school needs.”

  That made Chet smile, at least a little bit. “You guys are really good friends.”

  “Are you ready?” Frank asked, jumping off the bench. He put his arm around Chet as they walked toward the locker room doors. Joe opened the door to the crowded gym just as Dr. Green was stepping onto the stage.

  “I’d like to introduce our first candidate,” she said. “Please give a round of applause for Chet Morton!”

  Chet froze in the doorway. Everyone turned, watching him.

  “You can do this,” Joe whispered. “Look at those kids with BET ON CHET! buttons. Everyone is rooting for you. And remember—we’ll be right in the front row if you need us.”

  Chet took one step forward, then another, slowly making his way toward the stage. Joe and Frank snuck into two open seats in the front row. When Chet got to the microphone, he took a few deep breaths, then began his speech.