Read Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down Online

Authors: Donald J. Sobol

Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down (3 page)

BOOK: Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down

10.24Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Read Book Download Book

ads

“You got here just in time, Chief,” said Bugs. “In another hour, the sub would have been stripped clean.”

“How’s that?” said Chief Brown.

“I sure hate to tell you this,” said Bugs. “Your son and Sally tried to break into the sub and steal what’s inside.”

“We did nothing of the sort,” protested Encyclopedia.

“We aren’t asking for medals, but I’ll tell you that us Tigers did our best to stop them without using force,” said Bugs.

“Liar!” cried Sally. “If you had laid a hand on me, I’d have given you what Jess got.”

“You talk mighty big,” said Bugs. “You know Tigers don’t fight girls.”

“Your son told Sally to open the sub,” put in Jess. “Bugs attempted to talk her out of it. So she tripped him. After he went down, I tried to tell her she was doing wrong, but she’s a wildcat. She tripped me, too.”

“She was trying to open the sub when you arrived, Chief,” added Bugs.

Chief Brown looked concerned. “This is serious, Leroy. It’s your word against theirs.”

“Don’t take my word, Dad,” said Encyclopedia. “Look at—”

LOOK AT WHAT?

(Turn to page 89 for the solution to
The Case of the Flying Submarine.)

The Case of the Boy Boxers

Sunday afternoon, Encyclopedia was reading the newspaper when the telephone rang.

The caller was Elmer Otis. He talked so fast that Encyclopedia had to run in place to keep up.

“Elmer,” said the boy detective.
“Elmer!
Calm down.”

“I’m calm as a clam,” shot back Elmer. “Get the police! Get your father!”

“What’s the trouble?” asked Encyclopedia.

“I’m at the Youth Center,” said Elmer. “Somebody just robbed the cash box in the office.”

The cash in the office of the Youth Center never amounted to more than three dollars. The money was kept in a cigar box. It was used to make change for the candy and soda machines.

“This isn’t exactly a case for the police,” said Encyclopedia.

“It’s a case for someone,” replied Elmer. “You’d better get over here while the trail is hot.”

Hot trails always warmed Encyclopedia’s blood. He climbed on his bike and rode to the Youth Center.

He was surprised to find Sally sitting outside.

“Boys,” she muttered in disgust.

“What’s the matter with boys?” demanded Encyclopedia.

“They do more talking than punching,” answered Sally.

She explained. Although the Youth Center was usually closed on Sundays, Elmer and two pals, Pete and Oscar, had been allowed to use it. They were training for the junior boxing championships next week.

“They wanted me to lace on their gloves and act as referee,” said Sally. “But... phew! They’re afraid to get hit. I grew sick of watching them. So I came outside till they’d need me to take off their gloves.”

“They’re saving themselves for the tournament, I’m sure,” said Encyclopedia in defense of his sex. Then he told Sally about Elmer’s telephone call and the stolen money.

“Did you see anyone leave the building while you were sitting out front?” he asked.

“No, the building is empty except for those three cream puffs,” said Sally.

She frowned and suddenly clapped her hands. “Wait! Jim Hill ... I saw him come from behind the building. He walked away in a terrible hurry.”

“Jim could have sneaked in and out by the back door,” observed Encyclopedia. “He may be the thief.”

“Not Jim,” objected Sally. “He wasn’t even smart enough to become a Tiger. Bugs Meany says he stands in front of a mirror with his eyes closed to see how he looks when he’s asleep.”

“Maybe Jim had help,” murmured Encyclopedia.

Elmer, Pete, and Oscar were in the gym. They wore boxing gloves.

The two detectives went inside. Elmer, Pete, and Oscar were in the gym. They wore boxing gloves.

Elmer was shadowboxing in a comer. Pete and Oscar were sparring in perfect safety. Neither came within a mile of landing a punch.

“When I hit you on the nose, you’ll smell leather for a week,” promised Oscar without moving closer.

“Yeah? Well, if I hang one on your chin, your socks will fly off,” retorted Pete, keeping his distance.

“The windbags,” thought Encyclopedia. “Sally could deck them both in half a round.”

Elmer stopped shadowboxing and came over to Encyclopedia.

“The theft must have happened a few minutes after Sally went outside,” he said. “The three of us were in the gym. We heard a crash in the back of the building.”

“Did you all go to see what it was?” asked Encyclopedia.

“Yes—it was a lamp,” said Elmer. “I’ll show you.”

The children walked down the hall to the back of the building, turned right, and entered the office.

The cigar box, in which the money was kept, lay on the desk, empty. A broken lamp was on the floor.

“We left everything as you see it,” said Elmer.

Encyclopedia opened the large office closet. Next, he walked out of the office and tried the back door. It opened from the inside. It was locked, however, to anyone on the outside.

“Did any of you three leave the gym by himself?” asked Encyclopedia.

“We all did at one time or another,” said Elmer. “We went for a drink of water.”

The water fountain was across the hall from the back door. Encyclopedia stepped on the foot pedal and took a drink.

“The office, the back door, and the water fountain can’t be seen from the gym,” he said thoughtfully. “And the office can’t be seen from the water fountain or the back door.”

“Is that a clue?” asked Elmer.

“Of course!” exclaimed Sally. “Any one of you could have gone for a drink, opened the back door, and let in the thief without being seen.”

“But the thief couldn’t have escaped without our seeing him,” protested Elmer. “When we heard the crash, Oscar, Pete, and I rushed to the office.”

“And while Elmer telephoned you for help, Pete and I were at the water fountain,” said Oscar. “The thief couldn’t have slipped past us.”

“The thief didn’t,” said Encyclopedia. “When he knocked over the lamp he hid in the closet. Not until you three had looked around the office and returned to the gym did he run out the back door.”

“Do you really believe one of us helped the thief?” asked Elmer angrily.

“The other way around,” said Encyclopedia. “The thief helped one of you.”

WHOM DID ENCYCLOPEDIA SUSPECT?

(Turn to page 90 for the solution to The Case of the Boy
Boxers.)

The Case of the Model Universe

Encyclopedia was sweeping the garage after dinner when he saw Hugo Dipman walk into a lamp post.

“Hugo!” called Encyclopedia. “Are you all right?”

“I—I’m okay,” gasped Hugo. He staggered around on the sidewalk as if he didn’t know whether he was on his head or his heels. “I was looking up at the stars and counting my money.”

“Counting... ?” said Encyclopedia. “Hey, you’re hurt worse than you think.”

“I may be walking around like a left-footed pony, but I know what I’m talking about,” insisted Hugo. “I’m going, to make money out of the stars. Wilford Wiggins says so.”

Wilford Wiggins was a high school dropout. He kept Encyclopedia busy stopping his get-rich-quick deals from cheating the children of the neighborhood.

“You can’t trust Wilford,” warned Encyclopedia. “He’d rather cheat than eat. Why, he’d pin a badge on a frankfurter and sell it as a police dog.”

“I know Wilford is as crooked as a corkscrew,” said Hugo. “But this time it’s different. He’s really got a plan to make all us little kids millionaires.”

“What’s the plan?” asked Encyclopedia.

“Wilford says he’ll make any kid five dollars for every star that can be seen with the naked eye,” said Hugo. “Wilford is holding a meeting at two o’clock tomorrow in South Park to explain his idea.”

“Wilford forgot to tell me about the meeting,” mused Encyclopedia.

“He’s not exactly wild about you,” pointed out Hugo. “You’ve put him down so often he’s beginning to squeak like a drawbridge.”

“Trouble is, he always comes back up,” said Encyclopedia. “I think I’d better go along with you tomorrow.”

After lunch the next day, Encyclopedia left Sally in charge of the detective agency. He went with Hugo to South Park.

“We’re just in time,” said Hugo.

Wilford Wiggins was standing close to the statue of Abraham Lincoln.

“Boy, is he trying to look wise and honest,” murmured Encyclopedia. “The phony! I wouldn’t believe him even if he swore he was lying.”

A large crowd of children had gathered in front of Wilford. He raised his hands and called for quiet.

“Step right up, boys and girls,” he began. “I’m going to tell you how you can get so rich and important you’ll need two desks—one for each foot!”

“Your jokes get worse,” complained Benny Breslin.

“Okay, I’m no clown,” said Wilford. “I’m a square shooter. I’m going to let you in on the biggest secret deal of your lives.”

In the back of the crowd someone started clapping. Wilford believed he was being applauded and bowed.

“Aw, you big dummy. I was slapping my head to keep awake,” shouted Bugs Meany. He pushed to the front. “Tell us your money-making idea and cut out the chin music.”

“You can’t wait, eh, kid?” said Wilford. “Greed, it’s wonderful! Everyone wants easy money. Well, your friend and neighbor Wilford Wiggins is going to get it for you—with this!”

He reached into his pocket. The children pressed forward.

“Here it is!” cried Wilford. “Here is the money-making wonder!”