Read Encyclopedia Brown Solves Them All Online

Authors: Donald J. Sobol

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BOOK: Encyclopedia Brown Solves Them All

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“Less than an hour ago I was sitting under a tree thinking about Ruth,” said Tyrone. “I figured if I bought her a present, she’d think about me, too. But I’m broke. Then, all of a sudden—
pfff-lunk!
The arrow hit the tree right above my head.”

Tyrone reached up. He pretended to pull the arrow from a tree.

“If I were three inches taller, I’d have been a goner,” he said. “And if the arrow didn’t get me, this diamond would have knocked me silly for a month.”

From his pocket Tyrone pulled out a diamond. It was the biggest diamond Encyclopedia had ever seen.

“The diamond was tied to the arrow,” said Tyrone. “The perfect gift for Ruth! See what I mean about Cupid?”

“You’d better show me where you were sitting,” said Encyclopedia.

“I was sitting under one of Mr. Crane’s trees,” said Tyrone.

Mr. Crane was one of the richest men in Idaville. As the two boys came within sight of his big house, Tyrone stopped cold. “Police!” he yelped.

Three police cars were parked near the house. Policemen were walking about, searching the grounds.

“I don’t want to get mixed up with the police,” Tyrone said. “I’m really not a lover at heart—I’m a coward.” He shoved the arrow and the diamond into Encyclopedia’s hands and fled.

The next instant Encyclopedia heard his father calling.

“I’m glad to see you, Leroy,” Chief Brown said quietly. “We’ve got a bit of a mystery here.”

Then he told Encyclopedia about the events of the morning at Mr. Crane’s house.

Mr. Crane owned the Greenwood Diamond, one of the largest and most valuable diamonds in the world. About an hour ago he had been alone in the house. He heard someone force open a window.

Fearing a thief, Mr. Crane raced to his study. He removed the diamond from its glass showcase. Then he took down a bow and arrow which hung on the wall. He tied the diamond to the arrow and ran to the back staircase.

Halfway up the narrow flight of stairs was a landing with a window. Mr. Crane opened the window, fitted the arrow to the bow, and waited.

Soon a masked man appeared at the bottom of the staircase. He realized how Mr. Crane intended to keep the diamond from him. He ran up the stairs, but he was too late. Mr. Crane had already fired the arrow with the diamond out the window.

Enraged, the masked man beat Mr. Crane with his fists before escaping.

“Mr. Crane is in the hospital. Luckily, he’s not seriously hurt,” said Chief Brown. “He thinks the thief may have been Mr. Holt. For two years, Mr. Holt has tried to buy the diamond, and recently he has become ugly and threatening.”

“Have you questioned Mr. Holt?” asked Encyclopedia.

“Not yet—I’m having him picked up and brought here,” replied Chief Brown. “The trou ble is that the thief—Mr. Holt or whoever he was—found the diamond.“

Encyclopedia brought the arrow and the diamond from behind his back.

“No he didn’t,” said Encyclopedia. “Tyrone Taylor found it.” He brought the arrow and the diamond from behind his back and explained about Tyrone.

Then he said, “If Mr. Holt was the masked man, I think I have a plan to trap him.”

Encyclopedia unfolded his plan as Chief Brown put the arrow and diamond in his patrol car. Father and son were standing at the bottom of the narrow back staircase when Mr. Holt was brought in by Officer Parks.

“What’s the meaning of this?” demanded Mr. Holt.

Chief Brown said, “Mr. Crane was beaten up this morning by a masked man. His Greenwood Diamond is missing. Were you in this house this morning?”

“No!” retorted Mr. Holt. “And I have no idea what this is all about. But if the diamond is missing, find it. I want to buy it!”

Chief Brown stared at the narrow staircase. “The diamond won’t be hard to find,” he said. “It’s only an arrow flight away.”

“Then what are you standing there for?” shouted Mr. Holt. “Go outside and hunt for it!”

“Put him under arrest,” Chief Brown snapped to Officer Parks.

After Mr. Holt was dragged away, Chief Brown said, “Your plan worked fine, Leroy.”

HOW HAD ENCYCLOPEDIA TRAPPED MR. HOLT?

(Turn to page 93 for the solution to the Case of Cupid’s Arrow.)

The Case of the Wounded Dog

When Encyclopedia solved a case at the dinner table, his father usually gave him the evening off.

Encyclopedia had just solved the holdup of the Denton Supermarket over roast beef and fried mashed potato balls. As he dug into a slice of upside-down cake, he felt free to relax.

But Chief Brown had a second case.

“There’s been trouble again with Pinky Plummer’s dog Rex,” he said.

Pinky Plummer was one of Encyclopedia’s closest pals, and Rex was a neighborhood favorite. Nobody had ever complained about the little dog. Nobody, that is, except Mr. Harwood, who had moved next door to the Plummers last month.

“Rex has been digging up Mr. Harwood’s rose beds again,” said Chief Brown. “Mr. Harwood called headquarters this afternoon. He demanded that Rex be locked up.”

“Gosh, Dad, is that a case for the police?”

“I don’t want it to become one,” said his father. “I thought I’d pay both the Plummers and the Harwoods a visit tonight. Perhaps I can head off serious trouble between them.”

Chief Brown leaned back in his chair.

“I’d like you to come along, Leroy,” he said thoughtfully. “You’re a good friend of Pinky’s.”

Of course, Encyclopedia said he would go. Getting mixed up in the problems of grown-ups, however, wasn’t something he especially liked.

After helping his mother clear the table and wash the dishes, he got ready. He put on a clean shirt and flicked a wet comb through his hair. Then he got into the patrol car with his father.

It was eight o’clock when they drew near Pinky’s house. Night was down. The lights from the houses threw shadows across the street and lawns.

Suddenly four reports sounded near Mr. Harwood’s house.

“Those were gunshots!” said Chief Brown.

“Look!” exclaimed Encyclopedia.

Mr. Harwood was standing on the sidewalk in front of his house. He held a gun in his right hand.

Seconds later the street came alive. Families ran out of their houses to see what was going on.

Chief Brown jumped from the patrol car. He had his pistol drawn.

“There was a robber in my house!” said Mr. Harwood. “Right in my study! I fired at him, but he got away!”

As Chief Brown began questioning Mr. Harwood, the Plummer family walked over from next door. Pinky gave a cry and dropped to his knees. Rex was lying in the shadows, whimpering softly.

Pinky gave a cry and dropped to his knees.

The little dog was wounded in the leg.

“You shot my dog!” cried Pinky.

His eyes filled with tears. He leaped up and ran at Mr. Harwood. His father caught him and held him back.

Several neighbors moved nearer Mr. Harwood. They were in an angry mood.

“I shot at a robber,” Mr. Harwood insisted. “I didn’t mean to hurt the dog. I didn’t even see him.”

Mr. Plummer picked Rex up carefully. “He’ll be all right,” he said, trying to comfort Pinky.

“You people go back to your homes,” Chief Brown told the onlookers. “Go on, now.”

When the street was cleared, Chief Brown introduced Encyclopedia to Mr. Harwood.

“So this is the boy who runs a detective agency,” said Mr. Harwood. He chuckled and patted Encyclopedia on the head. “Come inside. I’ll show you where I saw the robber.”

He led the way into his house and stopped in a room walled with bookcases. In the center of the room was a desk and chair, and behind these stood a large easy chair and a reading lamp. A newspaper lay on the carpet by the lamp.

“I live with my sister,” said Mr. Harwood. “It’s a small house, and I spend most evenings here in the study.”

Encyclopedia walked to the open window. The ground was only three feet below.

“My sister is visiting friends tonight,” said Mr. Harwood. “I was alone in the house. I was reading the newspaper in the easy chair, and I expect I dozed off. Suddenly a noise awoke me. A masked man was going through my desk.”

Mr. Harwood sat down in the easy chair. He reached back to his right and noiselessly opened a cabinet built below a bookcase. He took out a box and opened it. He put the gun he had been carrying into the box and replaced the box in the cabinet. Finally, he closed the cabinet door. He did all this without making a sound.

“The gun belonged to my grandfather, and I treasure it,” he said.

“You were seated like this when you awoke and saw the robber?” said Chief Brown. “Then what did you do?”

“Luckily, the robber had his back to me,” said Mr. Harwood. “I was able to open the cabinet and take out the gun without his hearing me. I told him to put up his hands. Instead, he hit me and fled through the window.”

“Did you chase him?” asked Chief Brown.

“Yes, out to the front lawn,” answered Mr. Harwood. “I fired four shots at him. I was a bit dazed from his blow, and I’m afraid I probably missed all four. An instant later you drove up. That’s all there is to tell.”

“I’d like to look around outside,” said Chief Brown.

When he was alone outside with Encyclopedia, Chief Brown said, “Well, what do you think, Leroy?”

“Mr. Harwood tried to kill Rex,” said Encyclopedia. “When we drove up unexpectedly and saw him holding the gun, he had to make up the story about a robber!”

HOW DID ENCYCLOPEDIA KNOW?

(Turn to page 94 for the solution to the Case of the Wounded Dog.)