Mailbox Mania Read Free Page B

“Carly!” she called. “There’s a present for all of us in the mail!”
    That brought her running.
    Soon, the four of them were tearing the paper off. Abby opened the lid.Shawn, Jimmy, and Carly leaned closer.
    Abby held up the gift. “It’s a puzzle piece.”
    â€œWith words on it,” Carly said.
    Jimmy’s face wrinkled up. “That not present.”
    Abby stared at the puzzle piece. “I can’t see all the words. Something’s missing.”
    Shawn and Carly each took a turn looking at the puzzle piece. “Who sent us this?” Carly asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” Abby said. “It’s a mystery.”
    Shawn laughed. “A mystery in the mailbox!”
    Just then, the doorbell rang.
    Carly ran to get it.
    It was Stacy. “Look what I got in the mail.” She held up a puzzle piece.
    Abby studied it. “You got one, too?”
    The doorbell rang again.
    It was Eric and Jason this time.
    â€œSomeone put puzzle pieces in our mailboxes,” Eric said.
    Jason danced around when he saw Abby’s piece. And Stacy’s. “Hey! Maybe they fit together!”
    The kids knelt down on the floor. Stacy and Eric moved their pieces around. They didn’t fit Jason’s piece. So they switched.
    â€œWait. . .” Abby laughed as Stacy’s piece snapped into hers. “This is double dabble good!”
    Carly giggled. “Let’s see if Dunkum and Dee Dee got puzzles, too.”
    â€œGood idea,” the kids said. They picked up their puzzle pieces and dashed out the front door.

ELEVEN
    The Cul-de-sac Kids met Dunkum coming up the street. He was waving his present in the air.
    Right there on the sidewalk, they tried to put the puzzle together.
    â€œLook at that!” Abby said. “We’re missing one piece.”
    Shawn tried to read the words. “It say something about us—the Cul-de-sac Kids!”
    The kids leaned over the puzzle. Their heads almost touched.
    â€œYou’re right,” Abby said. She smiled at Carly. “Why don’t you go find Dee Dee?”
    Carly leaped up. “Okay!” She ran down the street to Dee Dee’s house.
    Zippo! Dee Dee flew out of her house. She checked her mailbox.
    Abby and the others watched.
    Dee Dee smiled when she spotted the present.
    Carly was standing close by. She whispered in Dee Dee’s ear and pointed to the other Cul-de-sac Kids.
    Dee Dee let out a “Ya-hoo!” She scurried down Blossom Hill Lane. Toward them.
    Abby and the rest of the kids circled around her.
    Dee Dee looked at the unfinished puzzle and set her piece down. Right in the middle.
    It fit!
    â€œ Now we can read it,” said Abby.

    The kids read out loud. “The Cul-de-sac Kids stick together.”
    They looked at one another. Really looked.
    Abby smiled and gave Carly a hug. Then Jimmy came over and hugged Abby.
    Soon everyone was hugging.
    Except Jason. He was dancing! “We stick . . . stick . . . stick together,” he sang the words.
    â€œ Now we do!” Abby said.
    The kids cheered.
    â€œWho gave us these puzzle presents?” Dunkum asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” Dee Dee said.
    â€œMe neither,” Carly said. The two girls giggled.
    Abby called a meeting right there on the spot. “The meeting will now come to order,” she said. “Any old business?”
    The kids grinned. “Forget the old stuff,” they shouted.
    Eric raised his hand. “We have a mystery to solve.”
    Stacy nodded. “We sure do!”
    Abby called for a vote.
    Nine hands flew up.
    It was agreed—the Cul-de-sac Kids would play detectives.
    â€œWhat about Mailbox Mania?” Dee Dee asked. “Aren’t we having a contest?”
    â€œThat’s tomorrow,” Carly told her. “ Today we have something else to do!”
    Abby gathered up the puzzle pieces and stuck them in her pocket. She fell in step with Stacy and Eric.