By the time they’d finished arguing, Nina had to go home to feed her rat.
“We can get to school early tomorrow morning, and I can help you finish then,” said Nina. “I’m going to be in trouble if I don’t leave now though.”
“Go ahead, Nina,” said Ada. “I’ll make sure Milton keeps dead things out of the mine. And there’s not that much left to do anyway.”
“Are you sure?” said Nina. She was already shouldering her backpack on.
After Nina left, Ada realized that she was late too. Since her detention, Ada’s parents had stricter rules about when she had to be home.
“I can finish up,” said Milton. Ada was a little concerned.
“You better not get me into any more trouble—not even just with Nina. Don’t hide a stink bomb in there or something.”
“No. No. No. Ada, really. I feel bad that I got you into trouble. Let me finish up the project.” He seemed sincere. “I have an idea for how to do the square timbers quickly.”
“Okay, Milton,” she said. But she was still wary.
“I promise, no funny stuff. I just want you to know that you can trust me,” said Milton.
That seemed particularly suspicious, but Ada was too late to argue.
• • •
The next day Ada met Nina and Milton a few minutes early for social studies. Milton brought the model. All the square set timbering had been finished, just as Milton promised.
“It looks great!” said Ada.
“I know! Best work I’ve done, if I do say so myself. Yes, yes, yes.” Milton rubbed his hands together, admiring the replica. “There’s no chance anyone’s got a better project than ours, Ada. Especially now that it has the old Milton magic. It was great before, but now it’s really something special.”
“Get over yourself, Milton,” said Nina.
“Wait. That old Milton magic?” Ada asked.
Mr. Parable came in before Ada had a chance to find out exactly what Milton meant.
“Have a seat! Have a seat!” Bueller squawked.
“You heard the bird, Ava,” said Mr. Parable.
“It’s Ada!” said Ada.
Ada couldn’t stop thinking about “that old Milton magic” all day. What did it mean, exactly? It could just be Milton being pleased with himself, which she had certainly seen before. But the more she thought about all the things that had happened recently, the more she began to worry. Milton liked pranks. Sure, so far they had been fairly harmless, but what if Milton had done something to their model? What if he put some figurines in there doing inappropriate things? What if he lined it with firecrackers? What if it exploded or collapsed or released noxious gas? They could wind up with an F, or worse—suspended. Or expelled! On the way to meet her dad in the art room, Ada ran her thoughts past Nina.
“Normally, I’d agree with you,” said Nina. “But it’s Milton’s grade too. Do you really think he’d sabotage himself just for a laugh?”
“Gosh, who knows, Nina? But I don’t think we can take the chance, do you?”
“I guess not.”
The girls stopped by Mr. Parable’s room before lunch to see if they could get their project back, but Mr. Parable was in a meeting. When they tried again after their last class, Mr. Parable had gone home for the day. The supply closet where he kept the projects was locked, and they weren’t supposed to go into it without permission anyway.
“Drat!” said Ada. “We’ll have to get it back from him tomorrow. I hope it’s not too late.”
• • •
But the next day, Tuesday, Mr. Parable had some kind of training, so an aide filled in. They had a substitute for a substitute! At lunch Ada asked Ms. Stead, the aide, if they could get into the supply closet, but she didn’t have the key.
Ada gave it one final shot on Wednesday morning.
“Everyone has turned their projects in. I’m sorry, but I can’t give you special treatment.”
“But, Mr. Parable . . . ,” said Ada.
“Your project looks wonderful, Ava. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”
“It’s Ada,” she said. “A-D-A. Ada.”
“I wouldn’t be rude if I were you, young lady. I still haven’t decided on your grade.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Peridittle,” said Ada.
“What was that?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Parable.”
The Share Fair was just two days away. All the parents would be there and even the principal! Mr. Parable would give out their grades at the end. Ada would have to figure something out—and fast.