The Fenway Foul-Up Read Free

the bat now,” Kate said.
    “Maybe,” said Mike. “Or maybe he hid itbehind the dugout or under the seats.”
    Out on the field, the umpire brushed off home plate. Fans streamed into their seats around the ballpark, carrying hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn.
    Mike felt a tap on his shoulder. He whirled around. It was an usher.
    “Do you two have tickets?” the usher asked in a gravelly voice.
    Kate handed their tickets to him. “We’re sitting over there. We were just trying to see if the batboy would give us a used ball.”
    Kate was good at thinking on her feet. When she needed to, she could come up with a reason for just about anything. It was a handy skill for keeping out of trouble.
    The usher looked at the tickets and then gave them back. “You can stay here for now. But make sure you return to your seats whenthe game starts,” he said. “You may not have heard, but Big D’s lucky bat is missing. We’re asking all the fans to keep an eye out for any strange activities.”
    “Okay,” Kate and Mike said.
    The usher moved on. He asked the other nearby fans for their tickets as well.
    On the sidelines, a few players started to stretch. Suddenly, Mike leaned way over the railing.
    “What are you doing?” Kate said. “Are you crazy? You’d better watch it or you’re going to fall onto the field. We might get kicked out!”
    “Just … getting … a … sunflower … seeeeeeeeeed …,” Mike huffed. He stretched his right arm as far over the railing as he could.
    “Hey, kid, cut that out! No one’s allowed near the field during a game!”

    Mike quickly straightened up. The batboy towered over him. The batboy had caught him red-handed.
    “Fans aren’t allowed to reach over the railing or touch the field,” the batboy went on. “You could get in a lot of trouble if anyone else saw you.”
    “Sorry,” Mike said. “I guess I got carried away.”
    “We heard about Big D’s missing bat. We were just looking for clues,” Kate jumped in. “Do you know anything about who took it?”
    The batboy tilted his head and squinted at them. He pushed his Red Sox cap up. “I might,” he said. “But why should I tell you?”
    Mike and Kate exchanged a glance, then Kate shrugged.
    “My name’s Kate Hopkins, and this is my cousin Mike Walsh. My mom’s a reporterfor American Sportz. She’s up there in the pressroom.” Kate pointed to the window above them.
    The batboy’s face lit up when he heard the name American Sportz. “I love your mom’s articles,” he said. “My name’s Bob, but they call me Bobby Batboy around here. It must be cool to travel to all the ballparks and write about different baseball teams,” Bobby added.
    “Mom likes it,” Kate said, “but Mike here would rather have your job.”
    “It’s fun,” Bobby said, “but it’s a lot of work.”
    Bobby looked thoughtful for a second. “Can you guys keep a secret?” he asked at last.
    Instantly, both Kate and Mike said, “Yes!”
    “Good,” Bobby said. He lowered his voice. “The security team found a ransom note atone of the souvenir stands about half an hour ago. The note said that if Big D doesn’t pay by the end of the week, his lucky bat will end up as firewood!”
    Bobby glanced over their shoulders. He leaned in toward Kate and Mike. “See the man in the Yankees cap back there? He was one of the fans standing near the dugout during batting practice,” he whispered. “He was close enough to take the bat. The security people are investigating.”
    “I knew it!” Mike shouted. He gave Kate a high five.
    The batboy looked puzzled. He frowned slightly. “Knew what?” he asked.
    “He was our top suspect, too,” Mike said. “Because of his sunflower seeds.”
    “That’s what Mike was trying to get when you caught us,” Kate explained. She pointedto the pile of black and tan shells near the wall.
    “Wow,” said Bobby. “Sunflower seeds! Right where the bat was stolen! I’d better go tell security.