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NECKLAC2 5' Detective and the case of the stolen necklace

There was a knock at the door. Seven-year-old Michaela, the
world's greatest detective answered it.

The old lady cried, "Somebody stole my necklace AGAIN. Please
get it back for me."

The old lady led Michaela to her house and showed her the
bedroom where the necklace was stolen from.

Michaela was angry. "You promised me that you would lock your
necklace in a vault!" She said.

"I'm sorry," Said the old lady, "but my necklace is so
beautiful! I just couldn't bear to lock it out of sight. Please.
you can get it back for me, can't you?"

"I'll try. Where were you when the necklace was stolen?" asked
Michaela.

The old lady pointed and replied, "I was asleep right here in
bed."

"Did you see the robber?" asked Michaela.

"No," replied the old lady, "I never even woke up."

"So, you didn't hear anything?" asked Michaela.

"Nothing." replied the old lady.

Michaela inspected every inch of the bedroom.

"Aha!" Michaela exclaimed finally.

"What is it?" Asked the lady.

"Did you leave this window open?" asked Michaela.

"Yes," replied the old lady, "it was warm last night."

"Aha!" Michaela exclaimed as she stooped next to the black
velvet necklace display.

"What is it?" Asked the lady.

"It's a black feather with a red tip." replied Michaela. "I
think I know how your necklace was stolen."

"How?" asked the old lady.

"The robber trained a red-tailed hawk to fly through the open
window, pick up your necklace with it's beak and fly back out
the window." Replied Michaela.

Michaela called all the pet shops in the area and asked each one
if they have a red-tailed hawk. Only one said yes.

Michaela asked, "Is your pet store owned by the same man who
owns the art museum?"

"Yes." replied the pet store manager.

Michaela waited until after dark and went to the art museum. But
she found that the owner had changed the locks. The numbered
push-buttons had been replace with ten colored buttons and a
small computer screen. On the screen were the words:

"RED PLUS YELLOW".

Michaela knew that if she pushed the wrong button, the floor
under her feet would collapse and she would slide down a slide
and end up in the river next to the museum. So, she reread the
screen:

"RED PLUS YELLOW".

Michaela thought carefully, then pushed the orange button.

The screen turned green for a second, then showed these words:

"RED PLUS BLUE".

Michaela pushed the purple button.

The screen turned green for a second, then showed these words:

"BLUE PLUS YELLOW".

Michaela pushed the green button. Then there was a click, a
clank, a buzz and a hum and the door opened by itself.

Michaela walked down the stairs to the vault. But between her
and the vault was a narrow row of floor tiles. Each tile had a
door hinge on the side.

Michaela knew that if she stepped on the wrong tile, the tile
under her feet would collapse and she would slide down a slide
and end up in the river next to the museum. So, she examined
each tile carefully.

The first tile said:

BEAR LARGER THAN LION

Michaela stepped on this tile.

The next tile said:

ELEPHANT TALLER THAN GIRAFFE

Michaela stepped over this tile.

The next tile said:

WHALE SMALLER THAN HIPPOPOTAMUS

Michaela stepped over this tile.

The next tile said:

ALLIGATOR LONGER THAN LIZARD

Michaela stepped on this tile. She was now in front of the
vault, but she noticed that the vault lock was changed too. The
colored buttons were still there, but there were no pictures on
the screen.

The computer screen showed one word:

SKY

Michaela thought carefully, then pushed the blue button.

The screen turned green for a second, then showed the word:

CLOUD

Michaela pushed the white button.

The screen turned green for a second, then showed the word:

GRASS

Michaela pushed the GREEN button.

The screen turned green for a second, then showed the word:

GOLDFISH

Michaela thought carefully, and said to herself, "Wait a minute.
This is a trick. Goldfish aren't gold. If I push the gold
button, I'll end up in the river."

She pushed the orange button.

The screen turned green for a second, then there was a click, a
clank, a buzz and a hum and the door opened by itself. And there
was the old lady's necklace.

Michaela returned the stolen necklace to the old lady and
warned, "Lock it in a vault."

"I promise!" said the old lady.

©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
This story is free. Pay no fees or royalties.
Do not sell this story or rewrite it.
You may reproduce and distribute this story freely,
but all copies must contain this copyright statement.
http://www.bobsnook.org/kid  email: bob@bobsnook.org

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