Tom Phillips - The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves 1: Egypts Fire

The time when an orphan almost caught a master criminal.

I N A CRAWL SPACE above the bathroom on the fourth floor of the New York Museum of Natural History lived an orphan named John Randel Boarhog. He had been living in the museum for about six months. At eleven-and-a-half, John had decided that he would be better off on his own. He was done with orphanages, foster homes, and grown-ups. He was tired of other people deciding what was best for him. John knew what was best for himselfliving with his mother. Unfortunately, that was now impossible.

If youve ever tried to live in the ceiling of a museum, you know how difficult it can be. Living in the ceiling of any building is tricky, but museums are perhaps the most challenging, even for expert ceiling dwellers. John had discovered that if he followed the same routine every day, he could reduce the chance hed be caught, so hed learned the schedules of every janitor, scientist, and security guard involved in the running of the institution.

On the day in question, John rushed up the museum steps. He was late. The sun was already setting, and its golden rays bounced off the skyscrapers, casting a maze of shadows around him.

He arrived at the top of the stairs and stopped to catch his breath, pausing to rest beneath the giant stone words TRUTH , KNOWLEDGE , VISION , which were engraved high above the entrance of the building.

Watch your head! a voice called from above him. John looked up to see a man on a scaffolding. John had been so busy being late, he hadnt realized they were changing the banners on the outside of the museum. Look out below! the man yelled as he let the banner fall.

Johns breath left his body as it unfurled. The crimson seemed to glow in the golden light. EGYPTS FIRE AND THE SECRETS OF AN EGYPTIAN TOMB ! it proclaimed in bold white letters.

Wow, John said.

Are you coming in or what? a security guard called to the boy.

Sup, Al. John smiled at the stocky guard.

Good evening, John, Al replied, winking and tipping his hat. Im afraid the museum is about to close, though.

I know, but I have to give Ms. Wingfield her book back.

How was school today?

Good, John lied.

What did you learn? Al had asked an innocent question, but John didnt have an answer. The truth was, John hadnt been at school that day. He hadnt been to school in a very long time.

Looks like theyre finally about to open the new exhibit, John said, quickly changing the subject.

Yeah, and in the nick of time if you ask me. The security guard laughed. Rumor is they mixed up the exhibit pieces with props for that new show on Broadway.

Oh no. Thats terrible.

Not as terrible as the play. Its called Asp Me Why I Love Her, and its about a museum curator falling in love with a mummy. Al shook his head. I guess the big dance sequence was pretty interesting, and Ms. Wingfield enjoyed the productions dedication to historical accuracy.

It sounds awesome. John liked musicals. Hed thought about living in a theater, but as everyone knows the only worthwhile place to live in a theater is in the basement, and theyre usually occupied by phantoms.

The old guard blushed. You were right about the flowers. She loved the purple roses.

John smiled. I thought she would.

How did you know?

She has purple roses on her phone case, John said with a shrug. See ya later, Al-ligator.

After a while, John-a-dile. Al saluted as the boy slipped through the doorway.

They say you never know how much youll miss something until its gone. John had found this to be true. Once hed moved into the museum, he couldnt return to school for fear of being caught and sent back to the orphanage, another foster homeor, even worse, to juvenile detention. He missed his classes more than hed ever expected to, so hed had to find ways to learn on his own. And thats where Ms. Wingfield came in.

John entered the gift shop, where a silver-haired woman was locking up for the night. He reached into his bag and pulled out a book entitled Egypt: Not Just Another Pyramid Scheme. Ms. Wingfield, the manager of the gift shop, had developed a habit of lending him books about the exhibits in the museum. She loved to learn, too.

Hello, Mr. Boarhog. From her voice, you could tell that Ms. Wingfield used to be either a librarian or a drill sergeant.

Hi, Ms. Wingfield. Thanks for letting me borrow this.

Did you like it? she asked taking the book.

John grinned. I did.

Which parts?

UmI liked reading about how the Egyptians mummified their dead, how they built the pyramids, and most of all, how they created one of the first written languages.

Speaking of languagesshe pulled out another large booktry this one on for size.