Encyclopedia Brown Shows the Way (5 page)

“I asked Coach Pardee what boy turned me in,” she said. “He won’t tell.”

“Men are all the same,” grumbled Sally. “They protect each other. They’re afraid of what women can do if they get a chance!”

The children found seats in the stands as Edwina’s team, the Bulldogs, finished batting in the first.

Sally pointed excitedly. “There’s a boy without sunglasses!”

“He’s the catcher,” said Edwina. “He never wears sunglasses. He wears a face mask.”

“Pooh!” said Sally in disappointment. “For a second it looked like an easy case.”

The first batter up for the other team, the Hawks, drove the ball through the shortstop’s legs.

“Tough one, Bob!” hollered Edwina.

She lowered her voice and said, “I feel sorry for Bob. He was the team captain and regular shortstop last year. But he was moved to left field when I beat him out. I guess he’s a little rusty.”

“He’s jealous, that’s what he is,” snapped Sally. “Bob’s our man, Encyclopedia. He spied on Edwina because he wanted his old position back.”

Before Encyclopedia could reply, the next Hawk batter had knocked the ball for a home run.

“C‘mon, Warren!” Edwina shouted at the pitcher. “You’ll get ’em!”

Warren’s lack of control for the rest of the inning was perfect. He never missed hitting a bat except when he hit an arm or a leg. Six runs were scored.

“The Bulldogs should put in another pitcher,” Encyclopedia said.

Edwina sighed. “After Warren, our pitchers get worse.”

“The Bulldogs need worse pitchers like General Custer needed more Indians,” said Sally.

“Don’t be too hard on Warren,” said Edwina. “He warmed the bench till our best two pitchers were hurt last week. Coach Pardee made him a pitcher because he’s the only left-hander on the team.”

She pointed to two boys sitting on the Bulldogs’ bench. They were dressed in street clothes. One boy had his right arm in a sling. The other boy had his right foot in a cast. Both wore sunglasses.

“Dave broke his foot on the way home after pitching our last game,” said Edwina. “Phil sprained his arm rolling out of bed the next morning.”

“They could be lying,” said Sally. “Either boy could have hurt himself falling by Edwina’s fence. Gosh, Encyclopedia, I can’t tell who’s guilty.”

“I can,” replied the boy detective. “The guilty boy is—”

 

 

WHO?

Sunday afternoon, Encyclopedia and Sally went to the Museum of Science for the opening of the new children’s exhibit, “Touch and Feel.”

Small stuffed animals and fish, as well as shells and bones, were set on low tables. Mobs of little children were touching and feeling.

Encyclopedia was petting a rattlesnake when Chester Jenkins wobbled up.

“What time is it?” Chester asked.

“Half past two,” said Encyclopedia. “Are you going someplace?”

“I’m staying right here,” said Chester. “Cherry fruit punch and chocolate cake will be served at three o’clock. Cherry fruit punch is my favorite.”

“I didn’t know you had a favorite,” mumbled Encyclopedia.

Chester was one of the nicest boys Encyclopedia knew. He was also the roundest. Once after lunch he fell down and rocked himself to sleep trying to get up.

“I’ve got half an hour to go,” he moaned.

“You came just for the eats?” exclaimed Sally.

Chester sucked in his belly nine inches.

“I’m a volunteer guard,” he said proudly. “I’m guarding the exhibit and helping the little kids. But I’ll have to sneak off for a bite. I’m starving.”

“You can’t leave your post,” protested Sally. “I’ll bring you some cake and punch.”

“Would you?” said Chester. Then he frowned. “There might not be anything left. This is a big crowd.”

“Don’t worry,” said Sally. “My Aunt Wanda is on the refreshments committee. I’ll go early.”

“Now you’re talking,” said Chester.

He moved away to watch the Touch and Feel Exhibit. Encyclopedia and Sally wandered into less crowded parts of the museum.

The two detectives lost track of time. It was five minutes before three o’clock when they remembered Chester. They hurried to the cafeteria.

Children were already lining up for refreshments. A long table was laid with bowls of punch, six chocolate cakes, and paper plates, cups, and forks.

Sally found her Aunt Wanda and explained about Chester.

“If he waits another minute, he’ll bite anything that doesn’t bite back,” said Sally.

Aunt Wanda understood. She cut Chester the first piece of chocolate cake. It had seven layers.

“Chester could handle eight without even using his teeth,” thought Encyclopedia.

Armed with the piece of cake and three cups of cherry fruit punch, the detectives returned to Chester. He should have been delighted.

He wasn’t.

“I lost my appetite,” he said. “Look.”

The tip of the rattlesnake’s tail—the part with the rattle—was missing. Someone had stolen it.

“They ought to call this the ‘Touch, Feel, and Take Exhibit,’ ” said Sally angrily.

“Did you see anything suspicious?” asked Encyclopedia.

“I was watching the cafeteria,” Chester confessed miserably.

Suddenly he snapped his fingers.

“Hey, I remember something,” he said. “Just as the ladies were bringing out the punch and chocolate cakes, Esmond Dinglehoofer asked me the time.”

“What time was it?” inquired Encyclopedia.

“A quarter to three,” said Chester. “Esmond said, ‘I’d better get home or I’ll miss the auto races on TV.’ But he can’t be the thief. The rattle was still on the snake when he headed for the front door.”

“Esmond is in seventh grade,” said Sally. “What was he doing at an exhibit for little children?”

“Let’s find out,” said Encyclopedia.

Esmond was on his front lawn when the two detectives biked up. He was making stink bombs.

“I thought you’d be watching the auto races on television,” said Encyclopedia.

“Aw, I’ve seen faster action watching a zipper,” said Esmond. “Nobody cracked up. So I came outside.”

“You were at the Touch and Feel Exhibit at quarter to three,” said Sally. “A little later the rattlesnake’s rattle was discovered missing.”

“So what?” snarled Esmond.

“We’ve come to get it,” said Sally.

Esmond shook his fist. “What you see is what you’ll get,” he threatened.

Encyclopedia wished Sally didn’t rush into things. “Someone stole the rattle while Chester Jenkins was looking away,” he said quietly.

“Chester? That big tomato should have kept his eyes on the exhibit,” said Esmond.

“He was watching the refreshments,” said Encyclopedia.

“Listen,” said Esmond. “The ladies were bringing out the punch bowls and the seven-layer cakes when Chester told me it was a quarter to three. I came straight home to watch television.”

“So Chester told us,” admitted Encyclopedia.

“But you’re probably lying just the same,” said Sally.

Esmond drew himself up to his full height.

“A lie has never passed my lips,” he declared.

“Stop talking through your nose! ” retorted Sally. She stamped her foot. “Ooooh ... I wish I could prove you’re guilty!”

“I can,” said Encyclopedia.

 

 

HOW?

A strange boy stepped into the Brown Detective Agency. He looked at Encyclopedia doubtfully.

“If you were to walk around the earth, how much farther would your head travel than your feet?” he demanded.

“That depends,” replied Encyclopedia, “on how tall you are and where you walk.”

“Say you’re six feet tall, and you walk around the earth at the equator—twenty-five thousand miles,” said the boy.

Encyclopedia did some pencilwork. “Your head would travel thirty-eight feet farther than your feet,” he answered.

“Correct,” said the boy. “I was told you had no leaks in your think-tank. Now I’m satisfied. You’re my man.”

He laid twenty-five cents on the gasoline can.

“My name is Hector Ames,” he said. “I live on the west side, and I’m very interested in the earth. I want to hire you to listen.”

“To the earth?” exclaimed Encyclopedia.

“No, to Justin Mudd,” said Hector.

He explained. He was president of the Idaville Junior Ecology Club. Justin Mudd wanted to join.

“We always interview a boy before deciding whether to accept him as a member,” said Hector.

“Why do you need me?” asked Encyclopedia.

“Justin claims he’s been all over the world, even Africa. Our club could use someone like him. But we don’t know enough to tell if he’s lying or not. So I want you to listen to him.”

“What makes you think he’ll lie?”

“We go to lots of baseball games as a club,” replied Hector. “Sometimes we don’t pay to get in because we work hard for ecology projects in town. We get free passes.”

“I see,” said Encyclopedia. “You’re afraid Justin is interested in saving money, not in saving land. I’ll take the case.”

The boys rode the crosstown bus to Hector’s house. There, Encyclopedia was introduced to the club’s officers. When Justin arrived, everyone took seats in the living room. The interview began.

Justin answered the questions put to him. Yes, he would collect old newspapers for recycling. Yes, he wanted to help stop pollution.

The questioning went on for several minutes. Justin handled himself well. Finally, Mary Dowling, the club’s secretary, asked about his travels.

“We’d like to hear about the wildlife in other parts of the world,” she said.

Hector leaned toward Encyclopedia. “This is where Justin can help the club. We need an animal expert.”