Mr. Willis!” said Frank. The man in the lab coat was the fifth-grade science teacher, Mr. Willis. Neither Joe nor Frank had had him as a teacher yet, but Frank knew him from doing extra-credit projects for the science fair.
“Well, my word. Frank Hardy! What are you doing in my classroom?”
“We didn’t mean to end up here, sir.” Even though he was one of the younger teachers, Mr. Willis was one of those old-school types who liked to be called “sir” and thought politeness was superimportant.
“Yeah,” Joe said, “we were lost in the vents.”
Mr. Willis turned to Joe. “And you are … ?” he asked.
“Joe. Joe Hardy. Frank’s brother.”
Mr. Willis continued to stare at him.
“Sir,” Joe added. Mr. Willis nodded.
“Well, Joe Hardy. What were you boys doing in the vents? I’m fairly certain those are not open to the public.”
“Well, sir, it’s about the talent show …”
“The talent show!” Mr. Willis slapped his forehead. “Oh dear. I forgot that was today. And your talent was climbing through the vents?” Mr. Willis had a reputation for being absentminded.
Joe and Frank explained what had happened during the show. While they talked, Mr. Willis straightened up the desk they had knocked over. Finally, after they were done talking, Frank asked him about the girl he had mentioned.
“What girl?” said Mr. Willis.
“The one you mentioned earlier? The girl with the frogs?” said Joe. He was watching the clock at the front of the classroom. Time was running out. In fifteen minutes Principal Butler would call Adam’s parents, and then it would all be over.
“Oh yes!” said Mr. Willis. “I was working on an experiment, to try to figure out the different temperatures at which materials burn. I had set up a very interesting array of things. I had four candles and a Bunsen burner prepared. The idea was to take different fabrics, and—”
“Mr. Willis?” Frank interrupted him. “What about the girl?”
“Right!” says Mr. Willis. “Some girl came in because she’d seen the frogs in the aquarium.” He pointed to a glass case that sat to the left of the vent the boys had come out of. It was empty.
“She was upset that I was keeping them trapped in here. I explained to her that they had a good life and were safer than they would be in the wild, where predators could get them. Then I turned my back for one minute, and the next thing I know she’s gone—and so were my frogs!”
“They must be the frogs that ended up falling on the talent show,” said Joe.
“I knew Adam didn’t do it!” said Frank.
“Oh dear! I hope the frogs weren’t injured. Do you know where they are now? I need them for class tomorrow,” said Mr. Willis.
“Principal Butler has them in her office, I think.”
“That is great news! I’m going to go get them now.”
Mr. Willis turned away from Frank and Joe. He nearly ran out of the room.
“Wait!” yelled Joe. “The girl—who was it?”
“She didn’t introduce herself, I’m afraid.”
“What did she look like, sir?” asked Joe.
“Well … she was short. And had hair. You know. Like a girl.”
That wasn’t going to be enough to go on. Joe tried again. “Was there anything different about her? Anything that would help you find her again?”
Mr. Willis thought for a moment. He pulled his long hair distractedly.
“Oh yes! She was dressed funny—like a bumblebee. Now I really must go find my frogs. Good-bye, boys!”
Mr. Willis ran out of the room.
“Dressed like a bumblebee?” said Frank. “Who could that be? Was anyone wearing wings for the talent show?”
“No,” said Joe. “But Melissa was dressed in yellow and black! And she said she loves frogs.”
Was Melissa responsible for ruining her own number?