The Mystery of Mr. Nice Read Online Free PDF Page B

her eyebrows. "Where do you learn all this stuff, Chet?"
    "A detective never reveals his sources," I said. "Hello, what's this?"
    I pulled out a sheet of paper. On it, neatly typed, was a familiar list:
Pocket picking

Robbery

Grand theft auto

Spelling

Advanced lying

Assault and battery
    It was the same list I'd found in Principal Zero's trash. But it had a tidy new heading on it:
Sixth Grade Class Schedule.
    "The plot thickens," said Natalie.
    "If it gets any thicker, they'll have to add water."
    A sound by the door made us look up.
    She was tough and leathery, lean and gray. Her wings ended in claws. Her pug nose looked like it smelled something bad.
    And that something was us.
    "What are you doing in my desk?" she snarled.
    It was Ms. Darkwing. The old bat.
    My tail twitched. "Uh, looking for background information," I said. "We're from the school newspaper."
    Ms. Darkwing frowned. She scuttled up to the desk faster than I thought an old bat could move.
Riiip!
She snatched the paper from my hands.
    "Give me that," she said. "What have you seen?"
    "Not much," I said. "We just got here."

    "Yeah," said Natalie. "We thought you'd make a great story for the newspaper."
    Ms. Darkwing rapped Natalie on the beak with a twisted claw.
    "You've got a regular nose for news, eh?" she sneered at us. "Well, you won't get any from me, you snoopy kids."
    We backed up a couple steps. She followed.
    "Aw, please tell us about yourself," I said. "All your fans want to know how you keep your claws so sharp and your desk so neat."
    "Let 'em guess," she said. "And as for you, I think I'll tell the principal about you."
    "Mr. Zero?" said Natalie. "Do you know him well?"
    "Well enough," she said. "And we're going to go see him right now."
    Ms. Darkwing stretched her claws toward us. I backed up and bumped into Natalie. My pocket thumped heavily against my leg.

    "You think Principal Zero will take your word over ours?" I said, reaching into my pocket. "Don't be such a sap!"
    I tossed the weapon at her face. Ms. Darkwing swatted it away and stumbled back, off balance.
    "Run, Natalie!"
    We shot through the doorway like a spitwad through a straw. Natalie flapped and I dashed. We didn't stop until we'd reached the shelter of the gym.
    "That was close," said Natalie.
    "Too close ... for comfort," I said, panting. "But at least ... we know who's ... in on this plot."
    "We know a lot more than that, Chet. Didn't you see that list?"
    "Yeah, it was a lot ... easier to read this time. Mr. Zero's handwriting ... is the worst."
    Natalie sighed. "Don't you get it? That list tells us what they're up to."
    "Oh yeah?" I said. "And what's that?"
    "Think about what we've learned," said Natalie. Her tail feathers bobbed as she paced. "Number one, someone kidnapped Principal Zero and substituted a phony."
    I picked it up. "Number two, the principal is looking for students who don't think crime is wrong."

    "Number three, we saw plans for a vocational school and class schedules."
    I frowned. Math has never been my best subject. "And numbers one plus two plus three equal?..." I said.
    "Come on, Chet! That bogus Principal Zero and his gang are turning Emerson Hicky into a school for crooks!"

12. Hail, Hail, the Gangster's Here
    The bell rang, ending recess. It rattled my brain, but not as much as Natalie's idea had.

    "Emerson Hicky, a school for crooks?" I said. "But how can that be?"
    "Look at it, Chet. Everything fits. The boxes of brass knuckles..."
    "The criminals who started working here...," I said.
    "The classes in stealing and lying..."
    My eyes widened. "Soccer blue!" I said. "You're right."
    "'Soccer blue'?" said Natalie.
    "It's French—but never mind that. What do we do about these crooks?"
    Natalie hopped from foot to foot. "Chet, there's only one thing to do. We've got to tell a teacher."

    "What?!"
    "We need help," she said. "We can't stop them alone."
    "Oh, great." I grabbed my hat and bopped it against my leg as I paced beside the gym.
    "It's