Encyclopedia Brown Finds the Clues Read Free Page A

end,” said Encyclopedia.
    “You know Miguel Sebastian?” began Charlie. “He’s eleven and lives on Hardiee Street. His father tosses the Spanish omelets at the cafeteria.”
    “Makes my Adam’s apple jump just to think about them,” said Encyclopedia, nodding.
    “Half an hour ago I was going into Miguel’s back yard with my tooth collection,” went on Charlie. “He’s putting on a show today.”
    “You tried to slip in free?”
    “No, I thought if I got there before anyone else, I could give Miguel a gopher’s tooth instead of the ten cents admission charge.”
    “What did Miguel say?”
    “Something in Spanish, and zoom! His big, black dog caught me by the seat. Miguel was very polite. While he asked me if he could do anything, he took the cookie jar with the teeth. So it wouldn’t break, he said.”
    “You were fighting all the time?”
    “I was screaming bloody murder and running in place,” said Charlie. “You should see that dog.”
    “Hmm,” said Encyclopedia. “This case calls for extra equipment.”
    He filled a paper cup with chocolate drops left over from his mother’s card party. Charlie borrowed a pair of pants, and the two boys went to see Miguel’s show.
    Charlie paid the admissions, and they found seats on the grass just in time. Miguel was about to start.
    He was supposed to be a bullfighter, and his big, black dog was the bull. For horns, Miguel had tied two knives to the dog’s head. To prove their sharpness, he sliced a banana on each knife.
    The girls in the audience squealed in fright. Encyclopedia saw Sally in the front row. “She ought to be minding the detective agency,” he thought darkly.
    Miguel shook a red blanket. Like a real bullfighter with a cape, he began to play the big dog. The dog had been trained to charge like a bull. It rushed the red blanket, teeth bared and knives flashing. Miguel spun aside.
    “He spins better than a dime-store top,” thought Encyclopedia. “But he’s crazy! Those knives could hurt.”
    After ten or twelve passes, Miguel threw away the blanket he had been using. He took from his pocket a small piece of red cloth.

    Miguel began to play the big dog.
    Charlie muttered something that wasn’t very nice. Encyclopedia could hardly blame him.
    The small piece of cloth was the seat of Charlie’s red pants!
    Miguel used the piece of pants as a cape. Because it was smaller than the blanket, the knives passed dangerously close to the boy each time the “bull” charged.
    After every charge Miguel stamped his foot, smiled at Sally, and shouted oles above the happy screams of the girls.
    At last Miguel finished the act with a bow and ran into the garage. The show was over.
    When most of the audience had left, Encyclopedia and Charlie started toward Miguel. The hero of the afternoon stood talking with Sally. The big, black dog sat between them.
    Encyclopedia and Charlie slowed till they were traveling by inches. When Miguel glanced the other way, Encyclopedia tossed the dog a chocolate drop.
    He fed the dog three more chocolate drops before he accused the boy bullfighter.
    “You stole Charlie’s flowered cookie jar with his entire tooth collection!”
    “I did no such thing,” said Miguel, calmly looking down his nose at the younger boys.
    The dog growled. Encyclopedia eyed the big teeth and dropped more candies to help their friendship along.
    “This afternoon you gave your dog an order in Spanish. It was to attack Charlie,” said Encyclopedia.
    “While that monster was hanging onto the seat of my pants, you took my tooth collection,” said Charlie.
    “I gave no such order!” said Miguel. “My dog did attack Charlie, all right. It is trained as a bull to go after anything red, like Charlie’s pants. I pulled the dog off before Charlie was hurt. I wasn’t even thanked!”
    “You’re lying!” said Encyclopedia.
    “How dare you say Miguel did such a low thing,” said Sally. “You ought to be ashamed. Miguel is no thief. He’s