The next morning in the schoolyard, Olive and Maya were talking with Cassie and Sara.

"How was your night last night?" Sara asked the group.

"Boring," Maya said. "We had to go to bed at 7:00!"

"Pa losing his pocket watch was the most interesting thing that happened," Olive admitted. She liked her pretend pioneer family just fine, but doing chores, having dinner and then going straight to bed had been pretty uneventful.

"He lost his pocket watch?" Cassie asked.

"Well that's what Ma thinks," Olive said. "But he always keeps it on the rocking chair and it wasn't there. Michael and Matthew didn't touch it - and Maya and I haven't even seen what it looks like. When Pa and the boys were out doing chores with Jeff, Ma was mostly in the house but went into town to get something from the general store. Our door doesn't really have a great lock, so someone definitely could've walked in and taken it," she shrugged.

"Hey, what time is it?" Sara asked.

"I'd ask my Pa - but he doesn't have a watch anymore," Maya said. "And contrary to what my dramatic sister says - he *probably* just misplaced it."

"I just think it seems odd that Mr. Hawthorne isn't here by now," Sara said.

As if on cue, Mr. Hawthorne quickly walked up the path leading to the school. He went inside and returned quickly with the bell.

Once the students were seated, Mr. Hawthorne spoke, "I am so sorry, children," he started. "My brother owns the general store - we live in the back rooms. Sometime last night or early this morning, someone smashed one of the windows and stole some flour, cornmeal, and for some reason…one of my shoes. Which makes me angry because, at that point, just take them both," the class chuckled.

As Maya and Olive were working on their grammar assignment, Maya turned to Olive and whispered, "burglaries - now we're talking!"

Olive smiled. Things had escalated so quickly, but she was happy that Maya was getting interested in the field trip. She was also a little concerned it took a crime being committed for this to happen, but still. They had just one more full day of school to get through, a half-day tomorrow, followed by the festival and that evening they'd get to go home.

The girls returned home to find Jeff heading home.

"Hi Jeff!" Maya said, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Olive rolled her eyes. This was the same girl who had given her a hard time for her crush on Liam Milner, a student at Larkin's brother school, Dearing Academy. She'd call Olive "Olive Milner." Hmm what *was* Jeff's last name? Olive would have to ask Cassie tomorrow so she could use it against Maya in the future.

"What happened to your hand?" Maya asked, noticing Jeff's right hand was bandaged.

"Oh! I cut it this morning doing chores but your ma bandaged me up real good," he smiled.

"Oh no!" Maya sounded like Jeff had told her he was dying of dysentery.

"I'll be fine, though. You girls have a good day. I need to get home and go fishing with my pa."

"Bye, Jeff!" Maya said.

"Goodbye, Jeff," Olive said.

Jeff waved one more time and headed down the path.

After supper, Olive and Maya were washing dishes in the wash basin. Michael came and offered to dry them.

"Thanks," Olive said, handing him the towel.

"Hey, Michael, how'd Jeff hurt his hand?" Maya asked.

"I don't know," Michael shrugged. "He told us he cut it this morning before he got to the farm."

"That liar!" Olive cried. Maya glared at her and Michael looked confused.

"He told Martha and me he cut it while you guys were doing chores and that Ma bandaged it for him," Olive explained.

"Oh. No, he arrived this morning with it bandaged," Michael said, as he dried a plate.

That evening, Olive and Maya were up late (it was after 9pm - so quite scandalous) talking.

"You know what I think," Olive said.

"What's that?" Maya asked.

"That your little boyfriend stole Pa's pocket watch and then broke into the general store," Olive replied.

"Jeff would never!" Maya replied. God, she really did sound like she was on Little House on the Prairie and Nellie Oleson had just insulted her beau.

Sure, Maya had only known Jeff for two days, didn't even know his last name, and had barely spoken to him, but she knew him well enough to know he wasn't a burglar.

Right?