THE CASE OF THE FOUR FLYING FINGERS

A house-watching assignment and a gang of little kids who are knocking over garbage cans come together in a multiple-burglary case for the McGurk Detective Agency. It seems the little kids are unwitting ""fingers,"" hired by a tough ""Lady Thumb"" who can tell which houses are empty for summer vacation by the garbage that isn't cleaned up. Never mind that empty houses don't generate garbage--may-be the folks have just departed; and in any case one scary van ride with sinister Lady Thumb will drive such carping thoughts from any but the coolest young head. Once more McGurk's brashness, the touchy interplay among his crew, and Lisl Weil's playful cartoons turn a serviceable plot into a snappy entertainment.