Encyclopedia Brown and the case of the midnight visitor Read Online Free PDF Page A

don't see Stinky anywhere," remarked Encyclopedia.
    "He's over there." Pete pointed to a circle of bushes at the edge of the park. "Stinky said he has to be alone to buzz in mosquitoes. At three o'clock he'll be judged."
    For the next forty minutes the two detectives and Pete moved with the judges from stunt to stunt.
    Lindylou Duckworth surprised everyone except Sally. Lindylou wrist-wrestled all comers while balancing on a banana peel. She won every time.
    The judges gave her nine points.
    "She lost a point because she's bigger than the boys she beat," explained Pete. "Still, she's in first place."
    "She hasn't won yet," said Encyclopedia. "It's three o'clock and time for Stinky Redmond."
    As they walked toward the bushes, Sally said, "Stinky is completely hidden. Who knows what he's been up to!"

    Around and under the picnic table and benches was nothing but dirt and dead mosquitoes.

    "The Odd-Ball Olympics are run on the honor code/' Encyclopedia reminded her. "No cheating."
    "Who told Stinky?" said Sally. "Even if he were voted Boy of the Hour, I'd watch him every minute."
    The judges and onlookers entered the ring of bushes through an opening on the far side. Stinky was lying on a picnic table chewing gum.
    "Boy, did I buzz 'em here," he cried. "I whomped so many in the first twenty minutes that I lay down and took a nap. See for yourselves."
    Everyone looked. Around and under the picnic table and benches was nothing but dirt and dead mosquitoes.
    "Count 'em," said Stinky.
    A slight breeze stirred the mosquitoes and chased a bubblegum wrapper toward Encyclopedia. It came to rest six feet from the table, beside an ant hill.
    Encyclopedia preferred to watch the ants rather than count mosquitoes. A few of the ants were crawling out of the hole in the center of the hill.
    "I've been thinking of selling my ser-

    vices to the Department of Health in Washington," said Stinky. "I just might be the greatest gift to mankind since floating soap."
    "The big liar!" whispered Sally. "Lindy-lou Duckworth deserves to win."
    "I think so, too," said Encyclopedia.
    '*Then tell the judges that Stinky cheated," urged Sally. "You can prove he did, can't you?"
    "Of course," said Encyclopedia.
    WHAT WAS THE PROOF?
    (Turn to page 110 for the solution to The Case of the Fifty Mosquitoes.)
    J

    The Case of Blue-Point Blaekle

    Caswell Philpott laid a towel on the floor of the Brown Detective Agency and sat down on it.
    'The Lotus Position," he announced proudly, crossing his legs so that the soles of his feet touched his thighs. 'In yoga, that's what sitting like this is called.'
    "How cute," said Sally.
    "Yoga is the science of relaxing the body and clearing the mind," said Caswell. "Every position has a name except the headstand. The headstand is the headstand. I'm still learning it, but it's my favorite position."

    He got up and folded the towel across his arm.
    ''Something usually happens when I try a headstand," he said. ''Yesterday I spotted a dime under my head. Today I overheard two men talking about robbing somebody."
    He explained. While fishing in Mill Pond, he had got the urge to practice a headstand. As he was balancing himself, two men passed on the footpath. They were talking.
    "One man said that they'd have to steal Blue-Point Blackie's overnight bag when he arrived by bus this afternoon," said Caswell.
    "Who is Blue-Point Blackie, and when is his bus due in?" asked Encyclopedia.
    Caswell shrugged. "I didn't hear."
    "Well, what did the two men look like?" said Sally.
    "They looked upside down," said Caswell. "I was standing on my head."
    "Do you think we should telephone your father?" Sally said to Encyclopedia.
    The detectives decided against calling

    in the police. They hadn't enough facts. Blue-Point Blackie might not be coming to Idaville.
    "If you don't call the police, you should do something yourselves," said Caswell. "Blue-Point Blackie sounds like a gangster's name. I'll bet he has stolen money packed in his overnight