Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man Read Free

however, was no match for Benny’s nose. After half a minute, Encyclopedia squirmed to the far side of the tent and groaned quietly.
    One by one the boys fell asleep from sheer weariness. By two o’clock in the morning, Encyclopedia’s ears felt black and blue. He pocketed his flashlight and went out for a walk in the cool night air.
    As he reached the dirt road, a car suddenly appeared. It moved slowly. Encyclopedia stopped and observed the car from behind a tree. The road curved, but the car continued straight on.
    The driver jumped out as the car crashed through the railing. He watched the car roll toward the ocean. Then he smoothed a place in the dirt and lay down.
    “Help!” he hollered. “Help! My back! Somebody help me!”
    Several campers rushed from the woods and crowded around him. Encyclopedia walked to the point where the car had gone off the road and flashed his light down the rocky slope.
    The car had stopped halfway down between the road and the ocean. It rested on its top, a complete wreck. About the only things undamaged were the four worn-out tires. They still spun in the air.
    All at once the rocks beneath the car gave way. The car slid into the water and disappeared below the surface.
    “The driver’s name is Matthew Starr,” said Chief Brown at dinner that evening. “He claims he fell asleep at the wheel and woke up just in time to escape going off the road with the car.”
    “I told you what really happened!” protested Encyclopedia.
    “You were the only witness,” said Chief Brown. Mr. Starr’s lawyer will say it was dark and that you were not fully awake.”
    “Somebody ought to shove his lawyer into a pup tent with Benny Breslin,” muttered Encyclopedia.
    “The car was brand new and cost six thousand dollars,” said Chief Brown. “Mr. Starr wants the insurance company to pay him for it. But more important, he says he hurt his back in the accident and can’t work any more.”
    “A doctor can prove he’s faking the injury,” said Encyclopedia.
    “I’m afraid not,” said Chief Brown. “Bad backs are a kind of injury that can’t be disproved. Mr. Starr has a big policy with the insurance company. It will pay him money each month for the rest of his life if he can’t work.”
    “The insurance company wants you to prove he wrecked his car on purpose. Then the insurance company won’t have to pay him anything. Is that right?” asked Encyclopedia.
    “Yes,” replied Chief Brown. “But we can’t get heavy machinery onto the dirt road to pull the car out of the ocean. Even if we could, I don’t know what we would find to prove Mr. Starr wrecked his car on purpose.”
    “I know,” said Encyclopedia.
    WHAT HAD ENCYCLOPEDIA SEEN?

The Case of the Whistling Ghost

    Fabius Manning crawled slowly into the Brown Detective Agency.
    Encyclopedia was in no way startled to see Fabius so close to the ground. During the summer, Fabius usually went about on his hands and knees.
    Fabius studied bugs of all kinds. Nobody in Idaville knew more about the hidden desires of bee or beetle than Fabius.
    Encyclopedia watched Fabius peering through a magnifying glass till the excitement grew unbearable.
    “What is it?” Encyclopedia asked. “A Coleoptera?”
    “Wrong,” whispered Fabius, sneaking forward an inch.
    “A Dendroleon obsoletus?”
    “Wrong again,” whispered Fabius. “A common stinkbug—ooops! You scared him off!”
    “Sorry about that,” said Encyclopedia.
    Fabius arose sadly. But upon looking around and discovering where he was, he cheered up at once.
    “Encyclopedia! Boy, I’m glad that bug led me here.” He put twenty-five cents on the gasoline can. “I’ve been meaning to hire you.”
    “No case is too small,” said Encyclopedia, hoping Fabius didn’t take him at his word. Fabius might want a horsefly brought to justice. “What’s the problem?”
    “Somebody stole my camera,” said Fabius. “I think the thief was a ghost.”
    Encyclopedia swallowed hard.