Probably the World's Best Story About a Dog and th

Paolo's plan for August in Orange Grove City is to hire out his little brother to the neighbors.

Georgie is six; he needs a manager. But then the family dog, Rufus, is stolen. Overnight, Paolo is trying to manage not just Georgie, but their deaf cousin, Billy, who speaks only with his hands; Henry, a strange vacation visitor whom the boys discover living locked in his aunt's attic; and Butter Schwartz, a lonely, half-wild schemer with a paper route.

The last two are definite dognapping suspects.... To top it all, a girl with a big-time crush on Paolo won't let him be, day or night, crisis or no crisis.

For her, missing Rufus is nothing to snaring Paolo, who has met his match as a manager. The solution to the mystery of Rufus, the threat of Theresa, and the future must rest in Billy's hands.