"Okay," I said. "But don't forget that I have proof of what you did." I paused. "You'd better not try anything else, or you know what I'll do!" I tried to sound as threatening as I could, even though I didn't really know exactly what I would do to her.

Hilary was incredibly grateful. She even surrendered her calligraphy pen. "You can have this," she said. "I won't be needing it any more." Then she ran out to meet her mother.

I sat down on the dressing room bench, exhausted but happy. I'd caught the phantom! I just hoped I had done the right thing by letting her off. What if she decided to pull some last-minute trick on opening night? She might do it, just for the pleasure of seeing me look like a fool in front of the huge audience that would fill the civic center. I tried to put the thought out of my head as I went out to meet my father. I should have been feeling happy, not worried. After all, the mystery had finally been solved!

Chapter 14.

Stacey was sitting for Charlotte Johannsen on the day of the pet show, so they arrived at Dawn and Mary Anne's early on that sunny afternoon, to help set up. Charlotte had brought Carrot with her. The little schnauzer was all spruced up. You could tell right away that he'd had a bath. And he was wearing a brand-new red collar. The leash that Charlotte was walking him on was also brand-new, and she looked pretty proud as she entered the yard.

The rest of us, except Kristy, who hadn't gotten there yet, were setting up tables for snacks and for the judges to sit at. Charlotte wanted to help, so Stacey tied Carrot to a tree.

"You be a good dog," said Charlotte. Carrot barked a few times and then curled up and went to sleep while we worked.

We set up a "ring" - a judging area in front of the judges' table - by making a circle of rocks we'd found in the driveway. Stacey surveyed it when it was done.

"It's not exactly round," she said, "but it'll have to do." Stacey was going to be one of the judges. We had decided that not every member of the club should be a judge - only those who could never be accused of being partial to one pet or another.

I couldn't be a judge because of Misty.

Karen set the cage on one of the tables. "What's on her head?" she asked, puzzled.

"Mickey Mouse ears!" said Karen proudly. "They're her costume!" Sure enough, Karen had cut out a tiny pair of black ears and stuck them on Emily Junior's head. Stacey stifled a laugh. "Very nice, Karen," she said. "And Andrew, this must be Midgie," she said, turning to look at him. "What a nice little dog." Andrew looked proud. "He is nice," he said. "Even if he can't do any tricks. He's the nicest dog in the world!" Kristy got Shannon and David Michael settled and came over to talk to the rest of us. "Are you guys ready for this?" she asked, laughing. "You should have seen us on the way over here. The car was like a three-ring circus! First Emily Junior escaped from her cage. Then, just when we'd caught her and put her back, Shannon started trying to jump out of the car at every stoplight. What a mess!" Just then, another car pulled into the driveway. This time it was Mrs. Papadakis, who had brought Hannie and Linny with their pets, and also Scott and Timmy Hsu, who looked a little downcast.

Hannie was holding Pat the cat in her arms, and Linny was carrying Myrtle the turtle - whose sh.e.l.l had apparently been repainted Stacey smelted it, too. "It's like that perfume my mother sometimes wears - Paris Romance, I think it's called." She looked around. "But who would have that on in the middle of the day? My mom only wears it for special occasions." "It's Priscilla," said Amanda proudly. "Doesn't she smell lovely?" The cat must have been drenched in perfume. You couldn't get too close to her without feeling like you were going to keel over, just from the waves of fragrance that rose from her white fur.

"Lovely," said Stacey, wrinkling her nose.

By then, Dawn and Mary Anne's backyard was really filling up. A lot of barking and meowing was going on as the pets got to know each other. Stacey looked around for Charlotte and saw her standing near the tree where Carrot had been tied up. Carrot was nowhere in sight, and Charlotte looked like she was about to cry.

Stacey ran over to her. "Don't worry, Char," she said. "We'll find him." They began to walk around the yard, calling for Carrot. He wasn't near the judging circle, or by the snack table. He wasn't playing with Shannon and Midgie. "Carrot!" called Charlotte, in a teary voice.

"There he is!" said Stacey suddenly. She saw Carrot standing next to Matt and Haley Braddock, whom she hadn't seen arriving.

Matt was holding his leash. Charlotte and Stacey ran to him, and when they got closer they saw the sign that Haley was holding.

OFFICIAL HANDLERS, it Said. WE'LL WATCH YOUR PET WHEN YOU NEED SOME TIME OFP.

"That's a good idea, guys," said Stacey. "But you better get permission from the owners before you start holding their pets. You had Charlotte kind of worried!" "I'm sorry," said Haley, after signing to Matt to tell him to hand over Carrot. "We were just trying to help. Carrot looked so lonely, tied up to that tree." Stacey smiled. "1 know, but he was fine. Anyway, I'm glad you thought of a way to be part of the show. Let's go see if anyone can use your services." As she was walking with Charlotte and the Braddocks, Stacey saw the Pikes arrive. The triplets were struggling with a large, mysterious bundle. "What's that?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Adam and Byron together.

"We were just going to put it over there," said Jordan, pointing to a large bush by the side of the house.

Stacey shrugged. "Okay," she said. "Hey, what have you got there?" she asked, turning to Nicky. He and Mar go and Claire stood huddled together over a small box. Vanessa stood off to the side, looking like she wanted nothing to do with her younger brothers and sisters.

"It's Frodo," said Nicky.

"And wait till you see what they did to him," added Vanessa. "Show Stacey," she said to Nicky.

Nicky opened the lid of the box. Stacey peered in, then jumped back. "What was that green thing?" she asked.

"That's Frodo," said Nicky proudly.

"They got into the dyes my mom uses for cake frostings," said Vanessa, rolling her eyes. "Can you believe it?" Stacey looked again and laughed. "He looks pretty funny," she said. "But it is different, I have to say that!" "It is different," said Becca, who had just appeared next to Nicky. She was looking enviously at Frodo's bright green fur. "I wish I'd thought of that." She held up Misty, who looked like a regular hamster - one who had had her hair combed neatly.

"Misty looks nice," said Stacey. Then trying to change the subject, she said, "Look, here come the Barretts, with Pow." Sure enough, there were Suzy and Buddy, walking Pow, who was covered with pink ribbons. He looked a little silly, but Suzy and Buddy seemed proud.

Stacey barely had a chance to say h.e.l.lo to them before Kristy and Dawn ran up to her, out of breath. "Have you seen Myrtle?" Kristy asked. "He ran off, and Linny is so upset7' A search party was organized. Matt and Haley were given dogs to hold while their owners ran around the yard, looking for the turtle. Linny looked like he was about to cry as he crawled under some bushes. "Myrtle!" he called. "Where are you?" Just then there was a shout. Timmy Hsu held up Myrtle as he yelled, "I found her! I found her!" Myrtle had been sitting among the rocks in the judging circle, her painted sh.e.l.l blending with the dandelions that spotted the lawn.

"Thanks, Timmy," said Linny. "Listen, you can be Myrtle's part owner, just for today, okay?" Timmy nodded happily, but his smile faded as he glanced at Scott, who was standing to one side, looking sad. Then Hannie spoke up. "Scott, since you're my husband, I guess you can be part owner of Pat the cat." By that time, it looked like just about everybody had arrived. Gabbie and Myriah were the last to come. They had spent their morning running after Chewy, who had, as usual, pulled his leash right out of their hands.

"I think we're ready to begin the judging," said Kristy loudly. Her voice was barely audible over the noise that all those kids and their pets were making.

The rest of us helped to round up the kids and get them into line for the parade past the judges. After the parade, each pet would be shown briefly in the judging circle. Then the judges would consult with each other and the prizes would be announced.

Everybody got quiet as they led their pets past the judges' table. The tension increased as each pet had its time in the ring. Some pets, like Carrot, did tricks for the judges. Others just sat there, looking - or in Priscilla's case, smelling - pretty.

We'd all forgotten about the triplets' mystery pet until Adam ran to the judges to tell them that there was a late entry. Then he ran back to the bush where the bundle had been left and reappeared, leading - a pony! Jordan and Byron were dressed up as the front and back of a horse, and Adam led them proudly past the judges' table. The pony pranced and bucked and kicked until the kids and the judges were nearly hysterical.

After the judging, Kristy led the pet owners to the snack table while the judges conferred. I saw Becca looking nervous as she ate a cookie and waited for the results. But she had nothing to be nervous about. Guess why. Because of my idea. Here's what it was: Every pet in the show would get a prize - not first prize or second prize, just a prize that said something about why that pet was special.

The idea was a total success. I saw a lot of happy faces when the judges announced the prizes, starting with "Most Unusually Colored Pet," for Frodo, and going on through "Best-Smelling" (guess which white cat won that) and "Smartest." (Carrot won that one.) "Funniest Pet" went to the triplets, while "Largest Pet" was awarded to Shannon. "Nicest Pet" went to Midgie, and Myrtle won "Prettiest Sh.e.l.l." Karen was thrilled when Emily Junior won "Best Costume," and Scott and Hannie looked proud when Pat the cat won "Cutest." Pow won "Shortest Legs." Gabby and Myriah laughed when Chewy was named "Strongest Pet," and even Matt and Haley got a prize for being "Best Pet Handlers." Boo-Boo won for "Best Personality." (That was a surprise!) And what did Becca win? Well, I predict that Misty's ribbon will be hanging in Becca's room for a long, long time. Here's what it says: "Best Ail-Around Pet."

Chapter 15.

Opening Night. I think that those two words may be the most exciting in the English language. I get a chill just hearing them. And now it was finally here. Opening Night.

We'd had a pretty good dress rehearsal earlier in the week. A few small problems were ironed out that night. For example, my tutu. I think someone mixed up my measurements with the ones belonging to Jumbo the circus elephant. But that's what dress rehearsal is for. And Aunt Cecelia had no trouble taking it in for me. By opening night, my tutu fit perfectly.

"Try it on for me one more time!" begged Becca. She loves to see me all dressed up like a "real" ballerina.

"There's no time," I said. "You'll see me in it when I come onstage. But remember, you have to be quiet while I'm dancing." Once, when Becca was younger and I was dancing in The Nutcracker, she'd yelled, "Hi, Jessi!" when I made my entrance. Everybody in the audience laughed, and I almost died of embarra.s.sment.

"I won't," she promised. "Don't forget that you promised to give me your toe shoes after the show." I was going to autograph them and give them to her for a souvenir. That's what the really famous ballerinas do for their fans. Toe shoes usually can't be worn for more than one or two performances - they just don't last under that kind of use.

"Ready, Jessi?" my mom called up the stairs. "I think your friends are here." I looked out the window and saw Charlie's car parked in the street. He was going to drive my friends to the performance. But why were they here? I was going to be driving with my parents.

I ran downstairs and out the door. My friends had gotten really dressed up for the occasion. "Wow, you guys look great!" I said.

"So do you," said Kristy. I was wearing my black velvet dress. I wanted to have something nice to change into after the performance.

Claudia looked extremely cool and exotic, as usual. Her hair was braided with silver ribbons, and she wore a shimmery dark blue minidress. On her feet were silver sandals, with laces up the calves - kind of like toe shoes.

Stacey had on a tuxedo! That's right, a tuxedo, just like one a boy would wear. But it was made to fit her perfectly, and she looked great. She must have gotten it in New York.

Kristy had put on a dress, for once, and it was strange to see her in something other than a turtleneck and jeans. She looked really pretty. And Mallory, standing next to her in her best skirt and blouse, looked great, too. Dawn and Mary Anne must have traded clothes - they do that a lot - because I recognized Mary Anne's new Laura Ashley dress on Dawn, and Dawn's pink jumpsuit on Mary Anne.

"We just came by to wish you luck," said Mallory. "I know you're going to do a great job. We can't wait to see you dance!" "And don't worry about you-know-who," said Dawn. "I'm sure she won't pull anything." I nodded. But I wasn't so sure. I was still worried about Hilary. It wouldn't take much to ruin my performance and make me look like a jerk in front of everybody. She'd only have to give me a shove, or spill something on the stage before I went on. I just didn't trust her.

"Thanks for coming by, you guys," I said. "I'll see you after the show, okay? You're all invited backstage." "Great!" said Stacey. "Break a - " Then she stopped. "I can't say it," she said.

I was just as glad. I was worried that if somebody said "break a leg" I really might, especially if Hilary decided to pull one of her tricks. I waved at my friends as they got back into the car. "Have fun!" I yelled, as they drove off. By then, Becca had come out of the house. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the car.

"I have a surprise for you," she said. "But I'm not going to tell yet. I promised." I wondered what she was talking about. She looked very excited. She also looked very cute, dressed in her ruffly pink party dress.

I got into the car to wait for Mama and Daddy and Aunt Cecelia, but then I jumped back out. I'd forgotten to say good-bye to Squirt! Logan was going to sit for him so that the rest of my family could come to the ballet.

Mama was just telling Logan about Squirt's bedtime when I burst through the door. Squirt was sitting in his high chair, and I picked him up carefully after making sure that he didn't have too much food on his face (he was eating creamed spinach). " 'Bye, Squirt," I said, kissing him. "Wish me luck!" "Uck," said Squirt. I laughed.

"Do you think he's wishing me luck, or just telling us what he thinks of creamed spinach?" I asked Mama.

"I don't know," she said, laughing. "But we'd better get going. All set, Logan?" He nodded.

And then it was time to leave. We piled into the car and drove to the civic center. In the parking lot, I said good-bye to my family. Then I went through the backstage entrance.

Backstage before a performance is an exciting place. People are running around and yelling things like, "Where's the blue filter for the spotlight?" and, "Has anyone seen my tiara?" Some of my cla.s.smates had already changed into their costumes and were warming up in the wings. The orchestra was making tootling noises in the pit in front of the stage.

I took a minute to peek around the curtain. The audience looked huge! At first I couldn't find my family. Where were they? Then I spotted them, sitting in the middle of the third row. And my friends were seated right behind them. I waved to Mallory, but I knew she couldn't see me. Then I ran to the dressing room.

I changed into my costume carefully, making sure not to rip out any of Aunt Cecelia's careful st.i.tches. I was wearing a brand-new pair of pink tights, to match my pink tutu. After I'd braided my hair, I pinned on my headpiece - a crown of roses. Later I'd replace it with a (fake) diamond tiara, but for the Rose Adagio I wore flowers in my hair.

I decided to do my makeup before getting into my toe shoes, so I sat down at the big mirror that ran across the wall of the dressing room. As I was putting on some blusher (which I never get to wear in real life), I looked behind myself in the mirror and saw Hilary looking right at me. She smiled shyly when she caught my eye.

"Good luck," she said. "You look beautiful." "Thanks," I said cautiously. "So do you." Did she really mean it? Or was she just trying to throw me off?

I finished my makeup and then took one last look in the mirror. Suddenly I didn't look like Jessi Ramsey, sixth-grade baby-sitter anymore. I looked like a ballerina.

The pink tutu was fluffed out perfectly around my waist. The crown of roses sat elegantly on my head. And my face looked - different. Older, more sophisticated. I hardly recognized myself.

"Five minutes!" yelled somebody from out- side the dressing room door. Oh, my lord! I hadn't even warmed up yet! For a minute I felt totally panicked. Then I remembered. I wasn't even in the first act! I had plenty of time.

I ran to the wings, carrying my toe shoes. All of the dancers who were in the first act were already arranged on the stage. The curtain went up, and the orchestra began to play. I heard applause from the audience. Then the ballet began.

I watched the first act as I put on my toe shoes and did my warming-up exercises. I was beginning to get caught up in the story - the story I'd almost forgotten during those weeks of rehearsal. I'd gotten totally involved in practicing my steps over and over again, and the wonderful fairy tale of the Sleeping Beauty had become less important. But now it was coming to life.

On the stage, the king and queen sat on thrones while each fairy danced a special dance as she presented a gift to the baby princess. Then, just as the Lilac Fairy was about to present her gift, the bad fairy, Carabosse, appeared in a coach drawn by four giant rats. (The rats were dancers from the beginner's cla.s.ses.) She shrieked and cackled as she danced, screaming at the king and queen because they had not invited her to the baby's christening.

The king and queen begged her forgiveness, but she would not listen. Instead, she put a curse on the baby princess - that she would one day p.r.i.c.k her finger on a spindle and die.

All the dancers fell back when Carabosse cursed the baby - except for the Lilac Fairy. Lisa looked beautiful in her costume as she stepped forward with her wand, held high, driving Carabosse back and trying to remove the curse. The Lilac Fairy couldn't take the curse off, but she did manage to change it, so that instead of dying, the princess would only sleep - for a hundred years, until a handsome prince woke her up.

I was completely caught up in the story by the time the first act ended and the "fairies" came rushing off the stage. Then I heard the music that was my cue. I took a deep breath and walked onto the stage. I hoped I looked like a real princess - like Princess Aurora, on her sixteenth birthday.

The Rose Adagio began, and almost immediately, I was swept into the dance so completely that my nervousness fell away. I didn't worry about Hilary. I didn't worry about whether Becca was going to call my name. And I didn't worry about whether my friends were having a good time. I just danced.

At the end of the second act, Carabosse came back onstage. She tempted me with her spindle, and when I took it I p.r.i.c.ked my finger and collapsed into my hundred-year sleep. The rest of the dancers put me into a bed, and the "magic forest" grew up around me as I slept.

Next, I danced for the prince who had come looking for me one hundred years later. Of course, I was only supposed to be a vision - a dream. He kept trying to dance with me, but I kept escaping from his embrace.

Then I had a rest, as the prince journeyed to find me, led by the Lilac Fairy. And then he found me and kissed me. I didn't giggle at all. (My friends probably did.) I woke up and danced with all the fairy tale creatures, including Carrie as the Bluebird of Happiness. That part was especially fun.

Then, at the end, I danced with the prince, who was now my husband. The dancer who played him was from another cla.s.s. I think he's an eighth-grader. He's a good dancer, and very strong. That's important in this dance, because he keeps having to lift me up in the air.

The music in that part is so pretty that I could have danced forever. But finally, the music ended and the performance was over. Carrie hugged me as soon as the curtain came down.

"You were great!" she said.

"So were you," I answered. "Do you think they liked us?" I listened to the applause. It had started immediately, and it didn't stop as we took our first curtain call.

"I guess they did!" she said to me, as the curtain went down again.

When we took our second curtain call, she pushed me out in front of the line of dancers. I'd almost forgotten that I was supposed to curtsy by myself. When I did, the applause swelled, and I heard Kristy's whistle. My dad was yelling "Bravo!" I smiled, and looked to my right. There, in the wings, was Mme Noelle. She smiled back at me. She looked proud.

Then I looked back at the audience. People were starting to stand up - but they weren't leaving. They were still clapping. A standing ovation! I'd never gotten one before. I 'felt the tears come to my eyes. And then I saw Becca, her arms full of pink roses, climbing the stairs to the stage.

She walked across the stage and handed them to me, smiling. "Surprise!" she whispered. I took the roses and gave her a huge hug. She'd kept that secret very well. When ? let her go, I looked up to see Mallory standing there with another bouquet of roses - white ones. (I guess she knew how I felt about red roses!) "These are from everybody in the club," she said, handing them to me. "You were wonderful!" I was speechless. I stood with my arms full of roses, smiling out at the audience, until the curtain fell again. I will never forget that moment! Then the show was really over. It was time to get out of my costume, wash the makeup off my face, and go back to being Jessi.

I headed for the dressing room and ran into Hilary in the hall. "Jessi, you were fantastic!" she, said.

"So were you. So was everybody," I answered. "Wasn't it fun?" I'd almost forgotten that I'd ever been worried about Hilary and her dirty tricks.

"I want to apologize again," she said. "I'm really sorry for what I did. And you know what? After this, I'm quitting dance." I was shocked. "You're kidding!" I said.

"Nope," she answered. "I never really loved it. Not like you do. I mainly did it for my mother. And I just wasn't that good at it." "You are too good," I said. I didn't like to hear her put herself down.

"Not good enough for my mother," Hilary replied. "And I realized that things had gotten out of hand that day when you confronted me in the dressing room. I must have been crazy, to do the things I did to you." "How does your mother feel about your quitting?" I asked.

She frowned. "I haven't told her yet. But it's my life, and I have to do what I want." I gave her a hug. "Good luck," I said. "I'll miss you in cla.s.s." And as soon as I said it, I knew it was true. I would miss her. Hilary's okay. And maybe once she quits dance her mother will go easier on her.

When I walked into the dressing room, I saw my friends from the BSC waiting for me. They rushed over to hug me and tell me how wonderful the ballet had been.

"Anybody up for ice cream?" I asked, after I'd thanked them for the flowers. My dad had said that I could invite my friends out for a celebration after the performance.

"Sounds great!" said Mallory, and everyone else agreed. After I'd changed, we walked out of the theater together to meet my family. Becca threw herself at me, and I gave her the toe shoes I'd worn in the show.

"Did you autograph them?" she asked.

"Sure did," I said, smiling at Mama and Daddy and Aunt Cecelia, who were standing nearby, waiting their turn to hug me. "See? Right there." I pointed to my left toe shoe, where I'd written (in red ink, with the calligraphy pen that no longer cursed me), "For Becca, with love from Princess Aurora." About the Author ANN M. MARTIN did a lot of baby-sitting when she was growing up in Princeton, New Jersey. Now her favorite baby-sitting charge is her cat, Mouse, who lives with her in her Manhattan apartment.

Ann Martin's Apple Paperbacks include Yours Turly, Shirley; Ten Kids, No Pets; With You and Without You; b.u.mmer Summer; and all the other books in the Baby-sitters Club series.