The Statue Walks at Night Read Free

room?”
    Brian frowned. “C'mon, Sean,” he said. “Don’t tell me you’re still spooked about that dumb Anubis story.”
    â€œHeck no,” Sean said. “I mean, not really. ”
    On display in the Egyptian room was a mummy with its finger bones poking through the rotted wrappings. The display gave Sean the creeps. But even worse, watching over that mummy was a large bronze statue of the ancient Egyptian protector of mummies, the jackal-faced Anubis.
    Sam Miyako had convinced Sean that everyone knew that the statue of Anubis arose and walked at night!
    Sean had had nightmares about the statue ever since. Each time he dreamed that the statue came to life and walked slowly toward him. Sean always woke up yelling.
    â€œAll sorts of strange things happen in museums at night,” Sam had told Sean.
    â€œIt’s just a silly legend,” Sean’s father had explained. “The statue is made out of bronze. And bronze is an alloy of copper and tin—metals. Metals don’t walk.” He then had gone on to describe for Sean in tedious detail the unique chemical properties of bronze, none of which Sean could understand.
    His mother had tried a less scientific but no less logical approach with Sean.
    â€œThe story doesn’t make sense when you think about it,” Mrs. Quinn had said. “No one’s ever in the museum at night, which means that even if the statue tap-danced, no one would see it.”
    Sean had to admit that his mother was right. The story didn't make sense. Now, however, even thinking about Anubis made Sean shiver. He thought of the darkened museum, and Anubis with its gleaming eyes, and him alone in the museum!
    Sean groaned. He had been excited by this new case. But now he was wondering if it would really be such fun after all.

CHAPTER THREE

    T HE NEXT DAY IN class at Redoaks Elementary School, Sean couldn’t keep his mind on what he was reading or on what his teacher, Mrs. Jackson, was saying. He was too excited thinking about the museum and trying to imagine where the thief might have hidden the da Vinci sketches. For some reason, sitting in class, Sean wasn’t as scared by the Anubis story. He was even looking forward to going to the museum.
    In history class that afternoon, Sean noticed that something black and lumpy was crawling slowly across his desk. He held his breath. It was a large, hairy tarantula!
    â€œAaaah!” screamed Sean.
    Across the aisle Debbie Jean Parker giggled. Some of the other kids seated near Sean began to laugh, too.
    â€œWhat’s going on back there?” Mrs. Jackson asked.
    â€œSorry, Mrs. Jackson,” Debbie Jean answered primly. “The tarantula I brought for my science report got loose. I guess it scared Sean.” She grinned at Sean as she calmly reached over to his desk, picked up the tarantula, and placed it back inside a mesh-screened carrier.
    Sean felt his face grow hot. “I wasn’t scared of that dumb old tarantula,” he insisted.
    â€œYou sure sounded scared,” Debbie Jean snickered.
    â€œNever mind,” Mrs. Jackson said. “The tarantula took Sean by surprise, and he reacted the way any of us would have.” Mrs. Jackson made a face. “Including me.”
    Sean liked Mrs. Jackson. Her smile made her black eyes sparkle, and she always knew the right things to say.
    â€œSuppose we close our history books and let Debbie Jean give her science report now,” Mrs. Jackson said. “We’ve got just enough time before class is dismissed.”
    In spite of being mad at Debbie Jean, Sean was fascinated by her report. At one point during her presentation he even stopped wishing that the tarantula would eat her notes and then munch on Debbie Jean for dessert. What she said about tarantulas was entertaining and interesting. And Sean knew that, as usual, she’d probably get an A.
    Debbie Jean was smart. She could also tell good jokes