The Case of the Sleeping Dog by Donald J. Sobol Read Free Book Online Page A

you came into the case,” said Mrs. Brown.
    “Drew Smith thinks I’m the one who has broken codes in the past,” Chief Brown said, smiling at Encyclopedia. “He trusts me not to tell the winner’s name to anyone but him.”
    “I hope Drew Smith gave you a copy of the code,” Mrs. Brown said. “Leroy hasn’t failed you yet.”
    Chief Brown took a sheet of paper from his breast pocket. He handed it to Mrs. Brown.
    She read: “aria alter liver scar ale tan.”
    “All are common words except ‘aria,’ which means a tune or a solo performance,” said Mrs. Brown, who had taught high-school English and other subjects.
    She passed the sheet to Encyclopedia.
    Chief Brown said, “If it’s of any help, the names of the singers are Dale Manning, Walter Blake, Stan Z. Zamora, Oscar March, Maria Woods, and Oliver Grossman.”
    “Six singers,” said Mrs. Brown. “What has—”
    She stopped. Encyclopedia had closed his eyes. He always closed his eyes when he did his hardest thinking.
    He thought really hard for a full minute. Then he opened his eyes.
    He asked his one question.
    “Does the chairwoman of the judging committee, Mrs. Galan, have a special interest in names, Dad?”
    Chief Brown was not surprised by the question. Encyclopedia’s one mystery-busting question usually was itself a mystery.
    Chief Brown answered, “Mrs. Galan is writing a book called
Naming Your Baby.
It will have thousands of names for boys and girls.”
    “I might have guessed,” Encyclopedia said.
    “Leroy!” exclaimed Mrs. Brown. “Who won?”
    “Yes, who?” Chief Brown asked.
    “The winner,” Encyclopedia said, “is—”
    Who is the winner?
    (Turn to this page for the solution to The Case of the Shower Singers.)

The Case of the Invisible Writing

    E ncyclopedia helped his father solve mysteries throughout the year. During the summer, he helped the children of the neighborhood as well.
    When school let out, he opened his own detective agency in the garage. Every morning he hung out his sign:
    Brown Detective Agency
13 Rover Avenue
LEROY BROWN
President
No case too small
25¢ a day plus expenses
    The first customer Thursday was Kitty Depugh.
    She laid twenty-five cents on the gas can beside Encyclopedia.
    “I want to hire you,” she said. “Get back my grandma’s pie before Bugs Meany eats it.”
    Bugs Meany was the leader of a gang of tough older boys. They called themselves the Tigers. They should have called themselves the Gift Factory. They were always giving some little kid the works.
    “Suppose you tell me what happened,” Encyclopedia said.
    “Every Thursday I take one of Mom’s homemade key lime pies to my grandma,” Kitty began. “I was taking one to her half an hour ago.”
    “Bugs was watching for you?” Encyclopedia asked.
    “He stopped me a block from Grandma’s house,” Kitty replied. “He offered to trade a magic flashlight that makes writing invisible for the pie.”
    “You believed him?” Encyclopedia asked.
    “I had to have a look,” Kitty admitted. “Bugs took me to his clubhouse and gave me a red pencil and a sheet of paper. He had me write my name. Then we went inside. He shut the door and suddenly it was pitch dark. I couldn’t see a thing. I was scared.”
    “What then?” Encyclopedia inquired.
    “Nothing. Bugs said the magic flashlight was broken. I’d have to come back when he had fixed it. He pushed me out of the clubhouse and kept the pie!”
    “Our first step is to go see Bugs,” Encyclopedia said.
    Kitty shook her head. “No, thank you. A person can get hurt near Bugs.”
    “You’ve got to come,” Encyclopedia insisted. “If you don’t, how will I know the pie Bugs has is yours? Don’t be afraid. I’ve handled Bugs before.”
    Kitty brightened a little. “Well, all right. But if anything happens, please notify my next of kin.”
    The Tigers’ clubhouse was an unused, windowless tool-shed behind Mr. Sweeney’s auto body shop. Bugs was alone when Encyclopedia