Encyclopedia Brown
from Encyclopedia Broum, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol
Leroy Brown’s head is full of facts, which is why he is called
Encyclopedia. Because he often helps his father, the Chief of Police in
Idaville, solve cases, he set up his own detective agency. Here is your
chance to match wits with Encyclopedia. In the two cases that follow,
all the clues are there for you to find. Can you solve the mystery?
The Case of Merko’s Grandson
Bugs Meany and his Tigers liked to spend rainy afternoons in their
clubhouse. Usually, they, sat around thinking up ways of getting even
with Encyclopedia Brown.
But today they had met for another purpose—to cheer the boy detective
on.
Encyclopedia and Sally Kimball were about to meet in a battle of brains.
The Tigers hated Sally even more than they hated Encyclopedia—and with
good reason.
When Sally had moved into the
neighborhood two months ago, the Tigers jumped to show off for her. She
was very pretty and she was very good at sports.
In fact, she got up a team of fifth-grade girls and challenged the
Tigers to a game of softball. The boys thought it was a big joke, till
Sally started striking them out. She was the whole team. In the last
inning she hit the home run that won for the girls, 1-0.
But the real blow fell on the Tigers the next day.
Bugs was bullying a small boy when Sally happened to ride by on her
bicycle.
“Let him go!” she ordered, hopping to the ground.
Bugs snarled. The snarl changed to a gasp as Sally broke his grip on the
boy.
Before the other Tigers knew what to do, Sally had knocked their leader
down with a quick left to the jaw.
Bugs bounced up, surprised and angry. He pushed Sally. She hit him
again, with a right to the jaw. Bugs said oooh, and went down again.
For the next thirty seconds Bugs bounced up and down like a beach ball.
By the fourth bounce, he was getting up a lot more slowly than he was
going down.
“I’m going to make you sorry,” he said.
But his voice was weak, and he wore the sick smile of a boy who had
taken one ride too many on a roller coaster.
“So?” said Sally. She moved her feet and took careful aim.
“This,” she said, aiming another blow, “should take the frosting off
you.”
Bugs landed on his back, flat as a fifteen-cent sandwich. Not until
Sally had ridden away did he dare get up.
Sally was not content to rest on her victories at softball and fighting.
She aimed higher.
She set out to prove she was not only
stronger than any boy up to twelve years of age in Idaville, but
smarter, too!
That meant out-thinking the thinking machine, Encyclopedia Brown.
The great battle of brains took place in the Tigers’ clubhouse. The two
champions, seated on orange crates, faced each other. The Tigers crowded
behind Encyclopedia. The girls’ softball team crowded behind Sally. That
left just enough room in the tool shed to think.
Everyone stopped talking when Peter Clinton, the referee, announced the
rules.
“Sally has five minutes to tell a mystery. She must give all the clues.
Then Encyclopedia will have five minutes to solve the mystery. Ready,
you two?”
“Ready,” said the girl champion.
“Ready,” said Encyclopedia, closing his eyes.
“Go!” called Peter, eyes on his watch.
Sally began to tell the story:
“The Great Merko was the best trapeze artist the world had ever seen.
People in every big city were thrilled by the wonderful performer
swinging fifty feet above the ground!
“In the year 1922, Merko died at the very height of fame. In Merko’s
desk was found a letter. It was a will, written by the circus star. The
will directed that the star’s money be put in a bank for forty years.
“After forty years, the money was to be taken out and given to Merko’s
oldest grandson. If no grandson was alive, all the money was to go to
Merko’s nearest relative, man or woman.
“Forty years passed. A search was begun. At last a man was found in
Kansas City who said he was Merko’s grandson. His name was Fred Gibson.
He went to court to claim his inheritance.
“While the judge was listening to him, a
tall woman in the back of the courtroom jumped up. She was very
excited.
“The woman said she was the trapeze artist’s grandniece. She kept
shouting that the Great Merko was not Fred Gibson’s grandfather.
Therefore, the money was rightfully hers.
“The judge questioned the woman. He had to agree with what she said. She
was Merko’s grandniece, and the Great Merko was not Fred Gibson’s
grandfather.
“Now,” concluded Sally. “Who got Merko’s money—the tall woman or Fred
Gibson?”
Sally wore a smile of triumph as she looked at Encyclopedia.
The tool shed was still. The boys looked
at their shoes. Had Sally beaten them again? Had Encyclopedia met his
master?
Encyclopedia had five short minutes to solve the brain-twister.
Slowly the minutes ticked away. One … two … three … four….
Encyclopedia stirred on his orange crate. He opened his eyes. He smiled
at Sally.
“You told it very cleverly,” he said. “I nearly said the wrong person.
But the answer is really quite simple.”
Encyclopedia rose to leave. “The Great Merko’s money went to Fred
Gibson.”
WHY DID ENCYCLOPEDIA SAY THAT?
(Turn to page 185 for the solution to The Case of Merko’s Grandson.)
The Case of the Bank Robber
“Three dollars and fifty cents!” exclaimed Encyclopedia, as he finished
counting the money in the treasury of the Brown Detective Agency.
“Business is booming.”
“You should put that money in a bank,” said Sally Kimball, whom
Encyclopedia had made his bodyguard and junior partner.
“Money isn’t safe in a shoe box.”
“Maybe you’re right,” said Encyclopedia. “Sometimes even shoes aren’t
safe in a shoe box. It would look awful if a detective agency was
robbed!”
The partners talked it over. They decided
to take the money downtown to a bank and start a savings account.
It was too far to ride on their bicycles, so they took the bus. They got
off near the Corning National Bank on Beech Street. As they stepped out
of the bus, they heard the sound of shooting.
At first Encyclopedia thought the bus had backfired. A moment later he
saw a man in the doorway of the bank.
The man wore a hat. A handkerchief covered the lower part of his face.
In one hand he held a yellow paper bag. With the other he waved a gun.
Somebody shouted, “Holdup! Holdup!” Then, all at once, everybody was
running, trying to get out of the robber’s way.
The man with the gun turned and fled. In his haste he did not seem to
look where he was going. He ran into a beggar wearing dark glasses and
carrying a white cane and tin cup.
The beggar’s cane and cup flew into the
street. The robber and the beggar fell to the sidewalk. They rolled
about together for a few seconds before the robber broke away and got to
his feet.
He raced down the street just as a police car drew up before the bank.
Chief Brown and one of his officers leaped out of the car and ran after
the robber.
“We caught him,” said Chief Brown at dinner that night. “He led us a
merry chase, but we got him. The trouble is we can’t charge him with the
robbery.”
“But why not?” Mrs. Brown demanded. “Yes, Dad, why not?” Encyclopedia
asked. “Wasn’t the money he stole in that yellow paper bag he was
carrying?”
Chief Brown laid down his fork. “Do you know what we found in that
yellow bag of his? Money? No. A loaf of white bread! He resisted police
officers, but I don’t know how long we can keep him in jail.”
“Are you sure you caught the right man, Dad?” Encyclopedia said.
“We’ll have a hard time proving it,” said Chief Brown. “No one can
identify him. And nobody saw the robber’s face. He wore a handkerchief
over his nose and mouth and his hat was pulled down over his forehead
and eyes. This man we picked up is wearing a brown suit, and the teller
at the bank says the robber wore a suit the same color. And, of course,
there is the yellow bag. But where’s the money?”
“Does the man you picked up have any distinguishing features?”
Encyclopedia wanted to know.
“Well, he has a pug nose and a scar running down one cheek. But
remember, no one saw the robber’s face,” said Chief Brown. “I can hold
him in jail overnight for resisting a police officer. That’s about all.”
“I never saw a beggar in Idaville before today,” said Encyclopedia
thoughtfully.
“Oh, the blind man,” said Chief Brown. “He seems like a nice old fellow.
He calls himself ‘Blind Tom.’ I hated to tell him it’s against the law
to beg here.”
“The poor man,” said Mrs. Brown.
“Won’t the Salvation Army help him?”
“Yes,” replied Chief Brown. “But he said he likes being on his own. He
promised to leave town tomorrow.”
“Where is he staying?” asked Encyclopedia.
“At the old Martin Inn,” answered Chief Brown. “One of those buildings
in the row down by the railroad tracks. Why do you ask? Have you got an
idea about this case, Leroy?”
“No,” mumbled Encyclopedia.
Mrs. Brown looked hurt. She had come to expect her son to solve a case
before dessert.
After dinner, Encyclopedia walked over to Sally’s house. “I have to work
this evening,” he said. “I may need you. Want to come?”
“Oh, boy, do I!” Sally sang out.
The sky was growing dark as the two detectives rode their bicycles down
a dingy block west of the railroad station.
“Who lives here?” asked Sally as Encyclopedia stopped in front of a
run-down hotel.
“Blind Tom, the beggar. He’ll be leaving town tomorrow. That’s why we
have to see him this evening.”
“Do you think he can help us?” asked Sally.
“I think so. A blind man sees with his hands,” replied Encyclopedia.
“Remember how the beggar rolled with the robber on the sidewalk? If he
felt the robber’s face through the handkerchief, he might know him
again.”
“I get it,” said Sally. “If he could feel the man’s face again, he might
know whether the man your father caught is really the robber!”
“Right,” answered Encyclopedia.
“Gosh,” said Sally, “I hope he hasn’t left town yet!”
Inside the hotel, the desk clerk gave the two young detectives some
help. Blind Tom lived alone. His room was Number 214.
Sally and Encyclopedia climbed the dark, creaky stairs to the second
floor. They knocked on the door numbered 214. Nobody answered.
“Look, the door’s not shut,” whispered Sally. “Shall I—”
Encyclopedia nodded.
Sally pushed the door till it swung open so that they could look into
the room.
The room was small and shabby. Against the far wall stood an iron bed. A
small reading lamp cast its light upon a copy of the Idaville Daily
News that lay open on the pillow.
Suddenly the tapping of a cane sounded in the hall. Tap … tap …
tap. …
Blind Tom came up behind Sally.
“Is someone here?” he asked. “I haven’t had a visitor in a long time. I
wasn’t expecting anyone tonight, but it’s nice to have you.” He lifted
his cane. “Won’t you come in?”
“No, thanks!” said Encyclopedia. He pushed Sally down the hall and
hurried her down the stairs.
She didn’t have a chance to catch her breath until they were outside the
hotel.
“Why the big rush?” Sally asked. “I thought you were going to ask Blind
Tom if he could recognize the man who robbed the bank this afternoon.”
“I don’t have to ask him,” replied Encyclopedia. “Blind Tom knows the
robber, because Blind Tom helped in the robbery!”
HOW DID ENCYCLOPEDIA KNOW THIS?
(See the opposite page for the solution to The Case of the Bank
Robber.)
Solution to The Case of Merko’s Grandson Both the tall woman and
Fred Gibson spoke the truth. Although the Great Merko was not his
grandfather, Fred Gibson was the Great Merko’s grandson.
The Great Merko, as Encyclopedia realized, was a woman. She was Fred
Gibson’s grandmother!
Solution to The Case of the Bank Robber Blind Tom was not
expecting any visitors, he said. He also said that he had not had any
visitors “in a long time.” Yet the light in his room was on, and a
newspaper lay on the pillow.
A blind man does not need a light, and he cannot read a newspaper. So
Blind Tom was not blind at all.
Encyclopedia knew then why the beggar had not stepped out of the way of
the bank robber. The two men had rolled on the sidewalk together with a
purpose—to exchange yellow paper bags!
Blind Tom had slipped the robber the bag holding the loaf of bread, in
order to fool the police if they caught him. The robber had slipped
Blind Tom the bag holding the money.
Encyclopedia used a telephone in the store on the corner to call his
father. Chief Brown hurried to the hotel. He found the money, still in
the yellow paper bag, hidden under the mattress of Blind Tom’s bed.
Blind Tom and the man the police were holding in jail confessed they had
robbed the bank.
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Were you able to solve the mysteries? Would you like more of the same?
If so, there are eight more cases in Encyclopedia Brown, Boy
Detective, the book from which these stories came. And there are more
than a dozen other Encyclopedia Brown books that will give you a chance
to test your detective skills.
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