The Unexpected Weapon — Connie Griffith

Meet Tootie! She's a lively thirteen-year-old with loads of energy, imagination, and enthusiasm. Often she's headstrong and takes matters into her own hands. The story of Tootie and her family is set in the 1920s.

Tootie's sister, Pearl, falls in love with "Banjo Ed," a swindler who poses as a street evangelist. Tootie and her friend Joey Staddler devise a plan to expose Banjo Ed's greed and selfishness. But that leads to trouble, and soon Tootie and Joey have more trouble than they can handle.

The whole McCarthy family gets involved in revealing Banjo Ed's true character. But Tootie finds an unusual "weapon" that causes him to leave town fast -- very fast.