Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day Read Free

dime and dialed the number he had given me,” went on Carl. “Then I spoke to Alfred. I’d know his grunts anywhere!”
    “Do you remember the telephone number?” said Encyclopedia.
    “I wrote it down for you,” said Carl. He handed Encyclopedia a slip of paper.
    Encyclopedia read: ZA 6-7575.
    “My dad traced the number,” said Carl. “It is a public telephone booth out on Highway 37.”
    “We don’t have much time,” said Lucy. “We can’t look for motorists who may have passed a pig talking on the telephone this morning.”
    “You must question the Hurricanes today,” said Carl. “You’ll be able to pick the guilty one -or ones. I know it!”
    “I’ll question the Hurricanes, but I don’t think I’ll learn anything,” warned Encyclopedia.
    Encyclopedia left Sally in charge of the detective agency. He got on his bike and followed Carl and Lucy. They rode six miles out of town and into the farm lands.
    “The Hurricanes train their dogs at the Smith place,” said Lucy. “It’s just down this road.”
    Soon Encyclopedia heard dogs barking. Rounding a corner, he saw the Hurricanes-Flip, Art, Merle, and Harry. Each had a German shepherd at his side.
    The Hurricanes watched silently as Encyclopedia got off his bike.
    “Did one of you lose a cap?” asked Encyclopedia.
    The Hurricanes remained silent, watchful.
    “Two pigs were stolen last night,” said Encyclopedia. “A cap with the word Hurricane on it was found near the pen of one of the pigs.”
    “You’ve got some nerve coming here,” said Flip. “We’re not pignappers!”
    “I’m not accusing you,” replied Encyclopedia hastily. He eyed the four large dogs. “I’m only asking. Which one of you lost his cap?”
    “Go drink some spot remover and disappear,” snarled Art.
    “Show them the cap, Encyclopedia,” said Lucy. “It will fit one of them.”
    “Don’t bother. We all wear the same size,” snapped Harry. “Listen, I wouldn’t know if I lost my cap. I haven’t worn it for a week.”
    “Mine is in the front closet,” said Flip. “I wore it two days ago when it rained. I saw it in the closet this morning.”
    “I loaned my cap to my brother,” said Art. “He went to Glenn City Tuesday. Why don’t you ask him?”
    “I don’t know where my cap is,” said Merle. “But if you say I stole two pigs, I’ll give you this!”
    He shook his fist at Encyclopedia.
    “If Merle hits you, you’ll walk around like a pig on ice for two weeks,” Harry promised. “Now beat it.”
    “I’m leaving,” mumbled Encyclopedia. “Case closed.”
    “Encyclopedia!” cried Lucy in astonishment. “You can’t quit!”
    “You asked me to question the Hurricanes, and I did,” said Encyclopedia.
    “But you don’t know who kidnapped Gwendoline and Alfred yet,” protested Lucy.
    “Wrong,” said the boy detective. “The kidnapper gave himself away.”
     
    WHO WAS THE KIDNAPPER?
     
     
     
     
     
    (Turn to page 89 for solution to The Case of the Kidnapped Pigs.)

The Case of the Bound Camper
    Encyclopedia and his pals were going camping overnight in the State Park.
    Encyclopedia looked forward to the outing —till Charlie Stewart brought bad news.
    “Benny Breslin is joining us,” said Charlie.
    “Oh,” said Encyclopedia.
    “It gets worse,” said Charlie. “Benny wants to share a tent with you.”
    “Oh, no!” said Encyclopedia.
    Benny was a good friend—standing up. As soon as he lay down, he went to sleep and became a threat to the nation’s forests. His snoring shook branches loose for half a mile around.
    “I better bring my dad’s crash helmet,” said Encyclopedia.
    “You better bring a baseball bat,” said Charlie. “You might have to fight off a moose again.”
    Encyclopedia remembered the last camping trip. Benny’s snoring had carried like a mating call. A bull moose had poked its head into the tent. Encyclopedia had chased it with a fishing pole.
    “I don’t have the heart to use a baseball bat,”