Donald J. Sobol - Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander

My roach! Bugs cried. Hes dead! Bugs pointed an accusing finger at Sally and Encyclopedia. I left my champion insect in the care of those two cold-blooded creeps and they murdered him!

A startled murmur rippled through the crowd.

What are you talking about, Bugs? Sally demanded. That roach was fine five minutes ago!

See for yourself! Bugs replied, holding the box out to the crowd. He rubbed his eye as if wiping away a tear as he added, My poor roach. Hes deader than a doornail!

Encyclopedia walked over and looked inside the box. Sure enough, the big brown roach was just sitting there, motionless. Even when Encyclopedia reached in to touch his shiny brown back, the bug didnt move. Bugs was telling the truththe roach was dead.

#1 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE

#2 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE SECRET PITCH

#3 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN FINDS THE CLUES

#4 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN GETS HIS MAN

#5 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN SOLVES THEM ALL

#6 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN KEEPS THE PEACE

#7 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN SAVES THE DAY

#8 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN TRACKS THEM DOWN

#9 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN SHOWS THE WAY

#10 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN TAKES THE CASE

#11 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN LENDS A HAND

#12 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE DEAD EAGLES

#13 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR

#16 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS HANDPRINTS

#17 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE TREASURE HUNT

#18 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE DISGUSTING SNEAKERS

#19 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE TWO SPIES

#20 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF PABLOS NOSE

#21 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE SLEEPING DOG

#22 ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE SLIPPERY SALAMANDER

RL: 4.0, AGES 008012

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE SLIPPERY SALAMANDER

A Bantam Skylark Book / August 2000

All rights reserved.
Text copyright 1999 by Donald J. Sobol
Illustrations copyright 1999 by Warren Chang
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address: Bantam Books.

eISBN: 978-0-307-78352-3

Visit us on the Web! www.randomhouse.com/kids

Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at
www.randomhouse.com/teachers

Reprinted by arrangement with Delacorte Press

Published simultaneously in the United States and Canada

Bantam Skylark is an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc. SKYLARK BOOK and colophon and BANTAM BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. Bantam Books, 1540 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

v3.1

In Memory of Rebecca Blackwell
October 30, 1987April 25, 1989

T o a visitor, Idaville looked like an ordinary seaside town. It had churches, two car washes, and three movie theaters. It had bike paths, sparkling white beaches, a synagogue, and plenty of good fishing spots.

But there was something out of the ordinary about Idaville: For more than a year, no child or grown-up had gotten away with breaking a law.

From coast to coast, people wanted to know: How did Idaville do it?

The secret resided in a red brick house at 13 Rover Avenue. That was where Idavilles police chief lived with his wife and son.

Chief Brown was a smart, kind, and brave man. But he wasnt the one who kept crooks from getting away with their crimes. No, the brains behind it all was his ten-year-old son, Encyclopedia.

Encyclopedias real name was Leroy. But only his parents and teachers called him that. Everyone else called him Encyclopedia because his brain was filled with more facts than a reference book.

Sometimes the Brown family was tempted to tell the world about Encyclopedias amazing talent as a crime-solver. But so far they hadnt leaked a word. For one thing, the Browns didnt like to boast. For another, who would believe that Idavilles top detective was a fifth-grader?

One Monday night Chief Brown sat at the dinner table, staring at his plate of spaghetti. So far he hadnt slurped up a single strand. Encyclopedia and his mother knew the reason.

The chief wasnt eating because he had come up against a crime that he couldnt solve.

Encyclopedia waited for his dad to tell him about the case. Whenever Chief Brown was stumped, Encyclopedia cracked the case for him, usually by asking just one question.

At last Chief Brown looked up. There was a theft at the aquarium today, he said, rubbing his forehead.

Last summer an aquarium had opened near the beach. The most popular attractions were the giant shark tanks, the dolphin shows, and the Den of Darkness.

The Den of Darkness was a huge indoor exhibit of reptiles and amphibians. Encyclopedia especially liked visiting the frogs and salamanders in the amphibian section.

I hope the great white sharks werent stolen, Mrs. Brown said with a smile. That would certainly take a bite out of business!

Chief Brown shook his head. It wasnt the sharks.

Encyclopedia put down his fork and listened carefully as his father explained that Fred, a tiger salamander, had been stolen.

Fred was shipped to the aquarium only two days ago, Chief Brown said. He was being kept apart from the other animals until the officials were sure he was healthy. If he got a clean bill of health, he was to go on display next month.

Do you have any clues, dear? Mrs. Brown asked.

The chief frowned. Not many. All we know is that the salamander disappeared this morning, sometime between ten-thirty and eleven forty-five.

Why would someone steal a salamander? Mrs. Brown wondered.

Fred is the aquariums only tiger salamander, her husband explained. From what the director of the aquarium told me, someone could sell him for a lot of money.

Really? Mrs. Browns eyes widened. Do you think a visitor might have stolen him?

Its very unlikely, Chief Brown replied. Employees and volunteers are the only ones who have access to the back room in the Den of Darkness where Fred was being kept.

Chief Brown told Encyclopedia and Mrs. Brown that three people had been working at the exhibit that morning: Mrs. King, who volunteered at the aquarium every Monday; Sam Maine, the man in charge of cleaning and maintaining the exhibits; and Dr. ODonnell, an expert on reptiles and amphibians.

Did you question the three of them? Mrs. Brown asked.

The chief nodded. Dr. ODonnell spent the morning examining a new crocodile from Australia. Sam Maine told me he was busy cleaning out exhibits and feeding some of the lizards. Several people saw him working, Chief Brown added, so it looks like hes telling the truth.