Encyclopedia Brown Shows the Way by Donald J. Sobol Read Free Book Online Page B

his whistle. I didn’t hear a thing. But that bulldog jumped up and raced around, crazy as a bee in a honey pot.”
    “Don’t take it so hard,” said Encyclopedia. “You lost to a champion.”
    “I don’t mind losing,” said Northcliff. “But the big kid took my red harmonica. He said if he’d lost, he’d have given me his whistle. The liar!”
    “You should have made tracks,” said Encyclopedia.
    “I tried, but his three friends caught me,” said Northcliff. “They wore shirts with the word ‘Tigers’ written across the chest.”
    “Tigers? I should have guessed!” exclaimed Encyclopedia. “The big kid was Bugs Meany!”
    Bugs Meany was the leader of a gang of tough older boys. They called themselves the Tigers. They should have called themselves the Umbrella Carts. They were always pulling something shady.
    “Bugs must have blown a dog whistle,” said Encyclopedia. “People can’t hear it. Only dogs can.”
    “And I thought I was going deaf!” yelped Northcliff. “That no-good cheat! Can you get back my harmonica?”
    “I can try,” said Encyclopedia. “I’ve dealt with Bugs before. Let’s go see him.”
    The Tigers’ clubhouse was an unused tool shed behind Mr. Sweeny’s Auto Body Shop. Bugs was alone when Encyclopedia and Northcliff arrived. He was puffing “Tiger Rag” on a shiny red harmonica.
    At the sight of the two boys, he switched to “Shoo, Fly, Don’t Bother Me.”
    “Scram,” he growled at Encyclopedia. “Or I’ll put your head in a cast.”
    Encyclopedia calmly relieved Bugs of the harmonica and played “I’ve Heard That Song Before.” Then he said, “This is Northcliff Hicks. He claims you stole his red harmonica.”
    “That soft-music contest was a phony,” put in Northcliff. “You blew a dog whistle.” He took the harmonica and rendered the opening bars of “You Took Advantage of Me.”
    “Soft music? Dog whistle?” cried Bugs. “You’re completely out of your tree!” He snatched the harmonica and began playing “Imagination.”
    “You couldn’t beat me in a fair contest, and you know it,” said Northcliff, seizing the har-monica.
    Bugs was puffing “Tiger Rag” on a shiny red harmonica.
He blew “Little White Lies.”
    “Oh, yeah?” said Bugs. “Let’s see how well you play with loose teeth.” He grabbed the harmonica and blew “Just Before the Battle, Mother.”
    “Cut the tough-guy stuff, Bugs,” warned Encyclopedia. “That’s Northcliff’s harmonica. I suppose you’re going to say that you found it.”
    Bugs blinked. “Why, so I did,” he said with a sly smile. “I found it last night on a trash pile.”
    “Where?” demanded Northcliff.
    “Along Miller Road,” said Bugs. “It was dark except for some blue lights strung on the palm trees by the trash pile. I saw something red shining. I walked closer. It was the harmonica.”
    “That’s our trash pile,” Northcliff whispered to Encyclopedia. “Dad strung blue lights for a party in the back yard yesterday. But I didn’t throw the harmonica away. Honest!”
    Bugs grinned, raised the harmonica to his lips, and blew “The Best Things in Life Are Free.”
    “Blow till you’re blue in the face,” said Encyclopedia. “You won’t make me see red. You stole the harmonica!”
     
     
    WHAT MADE
ENCYCLOPEDIA SO SURE?

The Case of the Knockout Artist
    Bugs Meany’s heart burned with a great desire. It was to get even with Encyclopedia.
    Bugs hated being outsmarted by the boy detective. He longed to punch Encyclopedia so hard on the jaw that the lump would come out the top of his head.
    Bugs never raised a fist, though. Whenever he felt like it, he remembered Sally Kimball.
    Sally was the prettiest girl in the fifth grade—and the best fighter. She had done what no boy under twelve had dreamed was possible. She had flattened Bugs Meany!
    When Sally became the boy detective’s junior partner, Bugs quit trying to use muscle on Encyclopedia. But he never stopped planning his