Free Ten Thumb Sam by Rachel Muller Page B

again.”

Chapter Eighteen
    â€œEverything’s ready,” Harriet told Sam as he joined her at the picnic table outside the Stringbini bus the next morning. “I checked in with Mr. Pigatto. He made the phone calls we asked him to last night.”
    â€œDid he specifically mention the fireworks display?”
    â€œHe did. He said Mr. Beaverwick sounded interested.”
    â€œGood,” said Sam. “Now let’s just hope that Beaverwick and his friends take the bait.”
    â€œHow is this plan supposed to work again?” Robbie broke in as he and Herbie hopped off the bus. “We didn’t quite get it last night.”
    â€œSimple,” said Sam. “We’re setting a trap. Beaverwick wants to sabotage the circus so he can buy us out, right? So he messes with our fireworks and causes some kind of disturbance that gets us into trouble again.”
    â€œJust think what would happen if someone stolea big firework and lit it inside the big top,” said Harriet. “It could set the tent on fire. Or make people panic and start a stampede. Something like that would be the end of the Triple Top.”
    Herbie looked confused. “We get that you want to catch these guys red-handed. But how are they supposed to steal anything when there are guards watching the fireworks tent around the clock?”
    â€œThe guards are going to get called away at the last minute,” said Sam. “But we’ll still be watching the tent from hiding places nearby.”
    â€œR-ight,” Robbie said, nodding slowly. “And that’s when the bad guys will make their move. Cool!”
    â€œThat’s the plan, anyway,” said Harriet. “And as soon as they leave the tent with the fireworks, we’ll jump on them. Then we’ll call the police. No one gets hurt and we save the circus.”
    â€œCool,” Robbie said again as he and Herbie took off to help Mr. Pigatto move some cases of caramel corn.
    Harriet checked her watch and stood up when her brothers were gone. “Time for me to join Mary Ann on guard duty at the fireworks tent. Honestly, I can’t believe how cooperative my sister is being all of a sudden.”
    â€œStanding up to Beaverwick has made us a team, I guess,” said Sam. “Even Annabel is being nice for a change.”

    Sunday’s matinee went off without a hitch. But as the performers came out to take their final bows, there was still no sign of Mr. Beaverwick or any of his associates anywhere on the circus grounds.
    Sam called Harriet on his cell phone as the audience filed out of the tent. “You think he’s still coming?”
    â€œOf course he is,” said Harriet. “We’ve been counting on him to wait for the last show of the day. He’s going to try to send the Triple Top out with a bang, just wait and see.”

    By seven thirty that evening, everyone was in place and ready for the last performance to begin. At seven thirty-five, Mrs. Pigatto called her husband to let him know that the show was officially sold out.
    Sam was standing beside the ringmaster as he took the call. “There are still people lined up out here, and they’re not going away,” Sam heard Mrs. Pigatto say. “They’re setting up lawn chairs and spreading blankets on the ground to wait for the fireworks.”
    Mr. Pigatto gave Sam a big thumbs-up. “Let’s send out a few performers and give them some entertainmentwhile they’re waiting,” he suggested to his wife.
    â€œThat would look good for the tv cameras,” Mrs. Pigatto agreed.
    â€œThe news crews have arrived, have they?” asked the ringmaster. “I called them, but I wasn’t sure they’d be interested.”
    â€œWell, apparently they are,” said Mrs. Pigatto. “There are no less than three crews out here at the moment.”
    â€œWonderful,” said Mr. Pigatto. “I’ll check in with you again