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Finally, back at her table, Sophie read it.

She hurried to check her code key.

You have to tell the pahinciafaab!

Pahinciafaab? What was that?

Sophie tried to read it again.

You have to tell the prinadcipb!

Sophie sighed and scratched her head.

Then Toby leaned over. “What do you have to tell the principal?” he asked.

Sophie turned to him and glared. “Hey! That’s a secret code. You can’t read it,” she said.

(Still, at the same time, she was kind of glad he did.)

And Kate was very right. Principal Tate had to be told. And who had to tell him? Sophie the Snoop!

Sophie could just see it. He would be so proud! He might even make her the official Snoop of the School! With her own desk. In the school office. Wouldn’t that be cool?

But then Sophie thought of something else. What if Ms. Steele denied the whole thing? What if she lied and said she was innocent? (She was a criminal, after all.) If she did, Sophie would probably need even more proof.

Just then, Ms. Steele spoke up. “Um … attention, please. It’s, um, time for lunch?”

Lunch! Sophie had almost forgotten. The class lined up.

Then, suddenly, a thought hit her. A big one! As soon as they all left, Ms. Steele would be alone in the room again. She could steal more stuff. She might even try to escape with all the stolen loot!

Sophie could not let that happen. She knew what she had to do. She had to stay in the classroom. She had to snoop on Ms. Steele!

Besides, it was Meat Loaf Day. Sophie did not mind missing that too much.

So instead of lining up for the lunchroom, Sophie whispered to Kate, “I’m going undercover!” Then she slipped on her 3-D glasses. (Who knew? They might help.)

Sophie ducked behind the open classroom door. There! Her trap was set.

It would have been the perfect place to snoop from, Sophie was sure. Except for one thing: As soon as the class left, the sub closed the door.

“Sophie! What are you doing now?” Ms. Steele said.

Chapter 7

Sophie peered up, through her 3-D glasses, into the eyes of Ms. Steele. She had never looked at the eyes of a thief before! It made her heart beat very fast. She quickly bent her head to stare at the shoes of the thief instead.

“Sophie, why didn’t you go to lunch with the rest of the class?” Ms. Steele asked.

Why? Sophie bit her lip. She could not tell the sub the truth. And she also couldn’t pretend that she was just being slow. If she went to lunch now, she’d be leaving a thief there alone!

No. Sophie had to stay.

So she swallowed hard and looked back up. “Can I stay here, Ms. Steele … with you?”

“Here?” Ms. Steele sounded surprised.

I’ve foiled her plans! Sophie thought.

“Please,” Sophie begged. “It would be such a great chance …” She tried to think. “… to do extra reading!” she finished.

Ms. Steele chewed on her fingernail. Suspicious behavior! Sophie thought.

“Um, well, okay,” Ms. Steele said. “I was just going to eat my lunch here, myself.” She shrugged. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t try to read with those glasses on,” she said.

The sub returned to her desk and Sophie sighed with relief. That had been very quick snoop thinking, if she did say so herself.

Sophie sat down at her table and slipped her glasses off. Then she nibbled on her sandwich and took out her chapter book. She opened it and held it up in front of her face. But did she read it? Nope. She did not.

What she did was watch the sub. She watched her very carefully. But Ms. Steele did not do much. She just took out her lunch from a green bag behind her desk.

A big green bag, Sophie noticed. Big enough to hold all kinds of stolen stuff!

Then, with a smile at Sophie, Ms. Steele took out a book, too.

Sophie wondered if just maybe it was Sophie A.’s missing book…

But nope.

Sophie squinted to read the title: The Cat Who Robbed a Bank.

Hmm. She had two thoughts. One: That was just the kind of thing a thief would read. And two: It sounded good.

But maybe, just maybe, the sub was only pretending to read. Of course! Ms. Steele was probably watching Sophie — and waiting for a chance to steal more stuff. Sophie could not help smiling. She was stopping more crimes from being done.

Then again, Sophie kind of wanted the sub to steal more stuff. Then Sophie could catch her dead-handed! (Or was it red-handed? She wasn’t sure.)

That was when Sophie decided it was time to set a trap.

She had brought her backpack to her desk for lunch. She took out her detective hat and put it on the floor. She pushed it into the aisle very slowly with her foot. Then she crumpled up her brown paper lunch bag. She waved it as she stood.

“Oh, Ms. Steeeeele!” she called. “I’m going to throw this away. And go all the way over there — to the sink — to get a drink.”

The sub looked up and smiled. “Okay, Sophie.”

Sophie turned and tiptoed away, humming softly. Then she stopped and spun around. She was sure she’d see Ms. Steele standing up. But the sub was still sitting down.

Sophie tiptoed a little more, then turned. Then tiptoed. Then turned. Then stopped. She had reached the sink. Still nothing. She bent to take a drink and sighed.

She kept peering over her shoulder as the cold water dribbled down her chin.

Come on, Ms. Steele! she thought. Take my hat. I know you want it!

All of a sudden, her patience paid off. Ms. Steele got up and walked toward Sophie’s hat, just as she’d hoped.

Sophie held her breath. She watched the sub bend over and scoop the hat right up.

Then Sophie bolted across the room. “Gotcha!” she called.

“Excuse me?” said Ms. Steele. The sub stared at Sophie’s finger. It was pointing at her. “This is your hat, isn’t it?” she asked. “I just found it on the floor. You really shouldn’t leave it there. You should hang it on your cubby hook.”

Huh?

Sophie dropped her finger. This was not her plan at all. Ms. Steele was way too sneaky! (Or else she did not like Sophie’s hat enough to really steal it.)

“Thanks,” Sophie mumbled. She took the hat and hung it up.

She guessed it was time for Plan B. If only she knew what Plan B was.

If I could just get Ms. Steele’s bag, Sophie thought, and take it to Principal Tate …

And right then, as if he’d heard her thoughts, the principal appeared in the doorway. Sophie couldn’t believe it!

“Hello there, Ms. Steele,” he said. “Just checking in.” His eyes fell on Sophie. “Why, Miss Miller. This is a surprise!” Principal Tate looked back at the substitute. “Is this a punishment?”

“Oh. Um, no. Not at all, Mr. Tate.” Ms. Steele shook her head very fast. “Sophie just wanted to do some extra reading.”

Principal Tate turned to Sophie. One eyebrow was up, and one was down. “Extra reading?” He looked confused. But that was okay. Sophie knew that it would all make sense as soon as she turned the substitute in. “Well, I’m sure Ms. Moffly would be very proud,” he went on. Then Principal Tate turned back to the sub. “Ms. Steele, could we have a word in the hall?”