Encyclopedia Brown, Super Sleuth by Donald J. Sobol

Author:Donald J. Sobol
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

(Turn to SOLUTIONS Section for the solution to “The Case of the

Stolen Watch.”)

The Case of the Gym Bag

Saturday morning, Encyclopedia and his father went to the high school to watch a track meet. Baldy Jones and Fleet Fletcher were running for Idaville. Baldy shaved his head because he thought it made him run faster. Every morning before a big meet he could be found in the barbershop with a head full of shaving cream.

Today’s track meet was between Idaville and Glenn City. However, the real contest was between Fleet and Baldy. The runners were both seniors at Idaville High School. They were on the same team, but they were fierce competitors. They ran in the same races and almost always came in first and second.

Saturday was no different. Encyclopedia and Chief Brown were both on the edge of their seats. Baldy won the 100-meter dash. Fleet edged him out in the 200. Fleet took the hurdles. Baldy ran a faster 400-meter race. In between events, the two runners sneered insults at each other.

The Glenn City team took third place finishes in every single race.

Encyclopedia was hoarse from cheering for Fleet and Baldy by the time the meet was over. He and Chief Brown were weaving through the crowd on their way to the parking lot when they heard shouting from inside the locker room.

Inside, Baldy and Fleet were standing, nose to nose, snarling at each other.

“Hand it over,” Fleet yelled, “or you’ll wish you never got out of bed this morning.”

“I will not! It’s mine,” Baldy yelled.

“That’s my gym bag. Now give it back,” Fleet demanded. “Or I’ll—”

“You’ll what? You try anything and I’ll twist your legs so far around your head, you can eat with your feet,” Baldy said with a snarl.

“Hah!” Fleet spat. “First a thief and now a bully.”

“I am not a thief,” Baldy said. “Just because I let you win a couple of races doesn’t mean I’ll let you have my gym bag, too.”

A small crowd had gathered around the two boys. Encyclopedia and Chief Brown pushed their way to the front.

“Chief Brown, arrest him!” Fleet said. “He’s stolen my stamp collection.”

“I’ll stamp you!” Baldy threatened, raising the bag over his head. “It’ll be a very rare stamp—one that sends you straight into outer space.”

“You just try,” Fleet yelled, raising his fists. “You’ll be sending me postcards from Jupiter and Mars.”

Chief Brown stepped between them. “Boys, calm down,” he said. “Save your competition for the track.”

Fleet and Baldy stopped yelling, but they continued to glare at each other.

Chief Brown waited for a moment. “Now, tell me what happened—”

Fleet and Baldy both started to talk at once.

“One at a time, please,” Chief Brown said, holding up his hands. “Fleet, you go first.”

“Why does he get to go first?” Baldy whined.

“Because he’s not holding a gym bag over my head,” Chief Brown said calmly.

Baldy sheepishly lowered the bag and handed it to the police chief.

“I showered and changed after the meet,” Fleet said, pushing his bangs off his forehead.

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