Sophie was on the lookout all the way to gym. She did not want to miss any chance to be a hero.

“Tell me if you see anyone who needs saving,” she whispered to Kate.

“Okay,” said Kate. She looked down the line of kids following Ms. Moffly. “Uh … saving how?” she whispered back.

Sophie shrugged. She did not know. She really wished there were a busy street to cross. Or a den full of thieves to pass. Why did schools have to be so safe? Especially the gym! There wasn’t a thing to trip over, and all the walls were padded.

As they entered the gym, Kate grabbed Sophie’s arm. “Save me!” she panted.

“What? What is it?” asked Sophie, excited.

Kate leaned her head back and rolled her eyes up. “From this smell!” she said. Then she lifted her head and grinned. “Get it?” She held her nose. “This place smells like moldy meatballs!”

Sophie always thought the gym smelled more like sour sweat socks. But she basically agreed. Still, she tried not to laugh. Being a hero was serious business!

Once they all sat down on the bleachers, the gym teacher, Mr. Hurley, made an announcement.

“Today we’re going outside!” he hollered. (Hollering was how he talked.)

Sophie pumped her fist. Hooray!

After all, anything could happen outside! There could be a tornado. Or a wildfire. Or a tiger escaped from the zoo!

Who cared if there was no zoo in Sophie’s town? Or anywhere close? The farther a tiger had to come, the better. Then they would have to write about it in the newspaper. And that was always good for a hero!

Once they were outside, Mr. Hurley split the class into two teams. Today they were playing kickball, and today that was just fine with Sophie.

Usually, Sophie did not like kickball much. Mostly because she played the same middle position — center field — every time. And that made it a very boring game for Sophie. The ball always seemed to go to the left or the right.

But today that would give Sophie lots of time to be on the lookout for people who needed saving!

Sophie waved to Kate, who was on the other team. Then she took her place and scanned the field for danger.

Sniff, sniff. She sniffed the air for smoke. Or a wild tiger.

She searched the sky for aliens. Or asteroids.

Sophie was ready for any danger she could think of.

Of course, Sophie knew she could not stop a wildfire. Or a tiger. Or an alien. Or an asteroid. But she could be the first to tell everyone to run!

“Sophie, pay attention!” she heard Mr. Hurley holler.

Huh?

Sophie turned. She was stunned, but not because Mr. Hurley was hollering and waving his arms. He always did that. She was stunned that someone had kicked the ball to center field … and that it was rolling right past her!

Sophie ran after the ball.

“Aw, Sophie! Hurry! You should have had that!” her teammates cried.

“Yay, Kate!” she heard the other team cheer as Kate scored a home run.

Sophie finally stopped the ball and rolled it back to the pitcher. She really wished that Toby hadn’t been the pitcher right then. He was frowning at her. Hard.

“I bet you did that on purpose, to help Kate!” he yelled.

Sophie stuck out her tongue at Toby. “Of course I didn’t!” she told him.

Sure, Sophie was happy for Kate. But she would never try to make her team lose.

She put her hands on her hips and told herself to pay attention. It was not going to be easy to be a hero and play kickball. But she would have to try.

Sophie kept her eyes on the field. And the ball. And the players. And before she knew it, she got her chance to be a hero—by saving Grace!

Grace was in right field. Someone had kicked the ball to her and it was sailing right toward her head.

Sophie knew she had to hurry. She ran across the field at top speed. And she gave Grace a giant push.

They both fell—thud! The ball flew past them and rolled away.

Grace jumped up and glared at Sophie. “I could have caught that!” she said.

“Are you kidding? That ball was headed straight for your head!” Sophie said.

Then Sophie heard the words that filled her with tingles. It was Mr. Hurley hollering, “Good job, Sophie! Way to go!”

“See?” she said to Grace. Even Mr. Hurley could see she was a hero!

Then she realized something. Mr. Hurley was hollering to Sophie A., not her.

Sophie A. had kicked the ball … and scored another run.

“Sorry, Grace,” Sophie mumbled as she trudged back to center field.

“What does that big ‘H’ on your shirt stand for, anyway? Horrible?” Toby groaned from the pitcher’s mound.

Grrr! Sophie glared. She was too mad to stick her tongue out. “No, it’s for ‘hero,’” she said under her breath.

Sophie would show him. She had to save someone soon!

But she was also kind of ready for the inning to end.

Then suddenly her eyes popped wide open. There was something buzzing around second base — and Dean’s head—right in front of her!

What if it was a bee?

What if Dean was allergic?

What if it stung him and he swelled up like Sophie’s cousin Will did once? Sophie’s Aunt Jan had called the ambulance and everything!

But even if Dean was not allergic, nobody liked to get stung. One time a bee stung the bottom of Sophie’s foot and she couldn’t walk on it for a week.

Sophie had to get rid of that bee so she could be Dean’s hero!

For one second, Sophie worried that the bee might sting her. But she knew that was not how a hero’s mind worked. So she ran up to Dean and started whacking.

She meant to whack the bee, of course. But Dean’s head got in the way.

“Ow! Stop! Help! My hair! What are you doing?” Dean cried.

“It’s a bee! It’s a bee!” yelled Sophie. “Oh, wait …” She looked at the bug more closely. “Never mind. It’s just a fly.”

Then she saw Dean’s hair. It still looked like a toothbrush, but now it looked like a toothbrush that a dog had chewed on. Sophie tried not to laugh … but everyone else did.

“Back to your positions!” Mr. Hurley hollered.

“Uh, sorry, Dean,” Sophie said. She was careful not to look at him. And then, at last, it was their team’s turn to kick.

Sophie, of course, was in the middle of the lineup. But for once, she didn’t mind. It gave her time to look out for more danger.

Soon the bases were loaded and Toby was up. Sydney was on third base and ready to run.

Then Sophie noticed something. Sydney’s sneaker was untied. She could trip and break her leg! It was Sophie the Hero time!

Sophie dashed out of the dugout as Kate pitched the ball to Toby. She bent down and grabbed Sydney’s shoe just as Toby kicked the ball. Then she started to tie Sydney’s laces as Sydney began to run.

The next thing Sophie knew, Sydney was falling down — on top of her. Then came the runners from second — oof! — and first—ugh!

Sophie crawled out of the pile just as Archie tagged them all out.

Then Mr. Hurley blew his whistle. “Game over!” he hollered.