The Case of the Terrible T. Rex Read Free Page A

samples of the water. Then they put some dead fish in sturdy plastic bags for analysis. Then they hiked upriver, searching for more clues.
    Soon they came to Badger Creek, which emptied into Plum River. Drake took another water sample, dating and labeling the specimen jar BADGER CREEK . He peered at the sample. “Looks normal,” he observed.
    At that moment, a breeze blew, and on the breeze was a nasty smell.
    “Do you smell that?” asked Nell.
    “It appears to be coming from somewhere over there.” Drake pointed up Badger Creek to a chain-link fence. A sign said: PRIVATE PROPERTY: KEEP OUT! The creek meandered under the fence and disappeared into the woods beyond. “Hmm,” said Drake. “Wonder what’s back there.” They walked to the fence and peered through their binoculars into the woods.
    “Don’t know,” said Nell. “Whatever it is, it sure is stinky. Well, Detective Doyle, stinky or not, we must hike up Plum River and continue our investigation. Shall we?”
    So they jumped from rock to rock across Badger Creek and continued to hike up Plum River. They hadn’t gone very far when Nell saw something amazing. Something remarkable. Something so unexpected, she stopped in her tracks.
    “What is it?” asked Drake, bumping into her back and hurting his nose with an oof! and an ow! “More dead fish?”
    Nell stuck her periscope underwater and peered through it. “Quite the opposite, Detective Doyle. See for yourself.”
    Drake peered through the periscope. “Great Scott, Naturalist Nell! The fish are swimming along, happy as can be! And I can’t see any dead fish! This is amazing. This is remarkable. This is so unexpected. What do you think it means?”
    “I’m not sure, but I have my suspicions.”
    “Likewise,” said Drake.
    Nell took another water sample, dating and labeling it PLUM RIVER, UPRIVER FROM BADGER CREEK. FISH ALIVE. “If our suspicions are correct, we’ve no time to lose. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lives are at stake.” She removed her gloves with a snap!
    “Right as rain, Naturalist Nell. To Nature Headquarters we go! Doyle and Fossey to the rescue!”

N ature Headquarters was the code name for Nell’s bedroom. Truth be told, it looked more like a jungle than a bedroom. Papier-mâché trees soared, covered with sparkly leaves and vines. Everywhere there were terrariums, aquariums, and cages filled with snakes, turtles, mice, ants, and, oh, too many other creatures for the average person to name and count (although Nell knew and loved them all).
    Drake and Nell hurried into Nature Headquarters. Drake’s glasses steamed in the moist air. For a second he was a bit blinded. “Yoo-hoo, Naturalist Nell,” he cried, relieved when he felt a hand on his arm steering him to the chair at the desk. Then, like all top-notch scientific teams who have a job to do, Drake and Nell got to work. First they discussed their observations. Then they formed a hypothesis. Nell said, “I believe what’s happening to the fish at Plum River is …”
    Drake listened, then nodded. “Agreed. Let’s get busy, shall we?”
    So they did.
    Nell pulled on her surgical gloves. Snap! She poured. She measured. She analyzed. She said, “Hmm” and “Aha!” And if that weren’t enough, she also drew graphs and charts.
    Meanwhile, Drake browsed the Internet. He read newspaper articles. He zoomed in on satellite images. He said, “Hmm” and “I wonder …” and “Gadzooks!”
    At 12:31, they ate lunch. (Once they explained that they were under a deadline and that hundreds, if not thousands, of fish lives were at stake, Professor Fossey was kind enough to fix PB&Js, with sliced peaches for dessert.)
    Finally, after they’d finished testing and zooming and eating, Drake and Nell had their answer. A terrible answer, but an answer nonetheless.
    Nell called Mary. “Ms. Pendleton? We’ll be there in fifteen minutes to explain everything. Meanwhile, pack up your picnic.”

    Mary gasped. “Pack up my …