Big Top Flop, Page 4

  • • •

  Bess didn’t want to mess up Mr. Drew’s car with her blue hands, so the Clue Crew walked back to Nancy’s house. The girls all had the same rules: They could walk anywhere as long as it was fewer than five blocks away and they were together.

  “We can work on our case while we eat lunch,” Nancy said. “If we’re lucky, Hannah will have lots of her yummy tuna salad.”

  “And real soap,” Bess said, frowning down at her hands.

  When the girls reached the Drew house, Bess went straight to the bathroom to wash her hands. Then they waited in Nancy’s room while Hannah prepared lunch.

  “I think I’ll check my e-mails,” George said as she sat at Nancy’s computer and went online.

  “Shouldn’t we be working on the case?” Bess asked.

  “We are working on the case,” George said, staring at the computer screen. “I just got an e-mail from Miles!”

  “Miles?” Nancy asked. She and Bess peered over George’s shoulders as she read Miles’s e-mail out loud: “ ‘You may have won that dumb whistling contest, Fayne, but look what I’m getting to do. Jealous much?’ ”

  Miles had attached a video. George clicked on it. The video showed Miles on a TV set!

  “Super-Sour Suckers mean extreeeeme puckers!” Miles said into a camera. He popped a candy into his mouth. Soon his lips began to pucker—then his whole face!

  “That’s the same face Miles made at the whistle-blowing contest!” Bess said.

  “Look!” Nancy said. She pointed to the date in the corner of the video. “That’s the day George’s whistle went missing.”

  “But how do we know he’s filming the commercial in Chicago?” Bess asked.

  “The cameraman is wearing a Cubs jersey,” George pointed out. “That’s a Chicago baseball team.”

  “So Miles wasn’t around to switch whistles,” Nancy decided, “instead he’s a TV star.”

  “And I’m still a junior ringmaster with a busted whistle.” George sighed. She pulled her broken whistle out and stuck it in her mouth.

  “It’s no use, George,” Nancy said. “You’re never going to get a sound out of that thing.”

  Woof! Woof! Woof!

  Nancy’s puppy, Chocolate Chip, suddenly came running in. George dropped the whistle as Chip jumped up on her, wagging her tail and still barking.

  “You would think Chip heard my whistle!” George chuckled.

  Nancy was about to call her dog, but then something suddenly clicked.

  “You guys!” Nancy said. “Maybe Chip did!”

  “Did what?” Bess asked.

  Nancy smiled and said, “Maybe Chip did hear the whistle!”

  Clue Crew-and YOU!

  Can you solve the mystery of the circus whistle-switcher? Try thinking like the Clue Crew, or turn the page to find out!

  1. The Clue Crew ruled out all their suspects. Can you think of others? Write them down on a piece of paper!

  2. Nancy thinks that Chocolate Chip might have heard George’s whistle. How would that be possible? Write down some reasons on a sheet of paper.

  3. The Clue Crew discovered glitter and a red rubber clown nose in George’s trailer. What other clues would you have looked for? Write your possible clues on a sheet of paper!

  BARK IN THE PARK

  “I don’t get it, Nancy,” Bess said. “How could Chip hear the whistle when we didn’t?”

  “It might be a whistle that only dogs can hear,” Nancy explained. “Dogs can hear things that humans can’t.”

  “I’ve heard of dog whistles before!” George said. “Do you think this whistle is one?”

  “Remember how Oodles of Poodles barked today at the circus?” Bess asked. “When you tried to blow your whistle, George?”

  George nodded and said, “We didn’t hear it, but the poodles did.”

  Nancy gave her puppy a big hug to say thanks. She had given them the best clue ever!

  “I don’t think the good whistle was switched with a broken whistle,” Nancy said. “I think it was switched with a dog whistle!”

  “But what if only Chip can hear it?” Bess asked. “We should test the whistle out on other dogs.”

  “Yes, and I know just the place to do it,” Nancy said. “The dog run!”

  Nancy, Bess, and George ate tuna sandwiches and then hurried to the dog run inside River Heights Park. From there they could see the circus tent.

  “We’ve come to the right place,” George said as they filed through the gate. “Look at all those dogs!”

  Nancy saw dogs of all sizes, scampering about with their owners. Would they stop playing if they heard the whistle? There was only one way to find out. . . .

  “Okay, George,” Nancy said. “Ready? Set? Blow!”

  George stuck the whistle in her mouth and blew. Nancy didn’t hear a thing, but that didn’t matter. Could the dogs?

  “Look!” Bess said, pointing to the dogs. One dropped his Frisbee as his ears perked up. Another was running toward George. Soon more dogs were charging toward George!

  Woof, woof! Arf, arf!

  “Testing complete!” George chuckled when she was surrounded by dogs. “My whistle was switched with a dog whistle!”

  “There’s only one dog act in the circus—Oodles of Poodles,” Nancy said. “Maybe the whistle was Alberto’s!”

  “How do we know Alberto was in my trailer?” George asked. “The clown nose we found has nothing to do with dogs!”

  Nancy watched as owners came to retrieve their dogs. One poodle reminded her of Alberto’s dog, Celeste. That reminded her of something else. . . .

  “Alberto’s poodle wore a big collar just like a clown’s,” Nancy said. “Maybe part of her costume was a rubber clown nose!”

  “Ewwww!” Bess exclaimed. “That means you tried on a dog’s rubber nose, Nancy!”

  Nancy didn’t care. She just cared about putting the puzzle pieces together.

  “I think the clown in George’s trailer was funny and furry,” Nancy declared. “I think the clown was a dog!”

  The Clue Crew left the dog park and raced straight to the circus grounds. The show would start in a half-hour.

  “How are we going to find Alberto?” Nancy asked.

  “Here’s how!” George said. She pulled out the whistle and blew. Soon—

  Woof, woof, woof!

  In a flash the Oodles of Poodles came running with Alberto right behind. The dogs were dressed up as clowns again. The only dog without a red rubber nose was Celeste!

  “How did you get my dogs to run over?” Alberto asked.

  “Easy!” George said, holding up the whistle. “Look familiar?”

  Alberto’s eyes popped open when he saw the whistle. He shook his head hard and stammered, “I—I—I don’t remember!”

  “Does this help your memory?” Nancy asked as she pulled the red rubber nose from her pocket.

  When Alberto saw the nose, he gulped. He then took a deep breath and said, “That’s my dog whistle. I left it in George’s trailer.”

  Nancy’s heart did a triple flip. Alberto had just confessed!

  “The door was wide open,” Alberto went on. “Celeste ran inside and under the table.”

  “But I closed the door when we left,” George said.

  “Maybe Fifi and Felix left the door open,” Nancy figured, “when they left the trailer.”

  “I crawled under the table to get Celeste,” Alberto continued, “but first I put my dog whistle on the table.”

  Alberto shrugged and said, “I grabbed Celeste, then my whistle before I left. I guess I grabbed the ringmaster whistle by mistake.”

  “And I got the dog whistle you left behind,” George said glumly. “Thanks a lot, poodle boy.”

  “It was an accident!” Alberto said. “By the time I knew I had the wrong whistle, you were already in the tent.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us, Alberto?” Nancy asked.

  “I felt too bad,” Alberto admitted. “Because o
f me George’s junior ringmaster moment was ruined.”

  Alberto reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny silver whistle. It was so shiny that Nancy knew it was George’s ringmaster whistle!

  “Sorry,” Alberto said as he handed the whistle to George.

  Suddenly a frantic Peggy Bingle walked by.

  “This is terrible!” Peggy was telling herself. “Simply terrible!”

  “What’s terrible, Ms. Bingle?” Nancy asked.

  Peggy stopped and said, “The Fabuloso twins sprinkled itching powder in Ringmaster Rex’s suit. He’s refusing to do the show today!”

  “Oh no!” Alberto said. “Who will blow the whistle to start the circus?”

  George flashed a grin, and then she stuck the shiny silver ringmaster whistle in her mouth. She puffed her cheeks and—

  TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

  “Oh my!” Peggy said, clapping both hands over her ears. Nancy and Bess smiled as they covered their ears too.

  “Does that answer your question, Ms. Bingle?” George asked with a grin.

  More circus people came out of their trailers to see what the noise was all about. Ringmaster Rex ran over too, itching and scratching all the way.

  “Well, now,” Rex told George, “I see you found your missing whistle.”

  “It’s the real deal, Ringmaster Rex,” Nancy said. “Now maybe you can give George another chance at being junior ringmaster.”

  “I can do better than that,” Rex said with a grin. “George can be the only ringmaster in the show today!”

  “Serious?” George gasped.

  “Serious!” Rex replied. “Or . . . at least until I get a new suit.”

  “I have an idea too,” Alberto said as he turned to Nancy and Bess. “How would you two like to be in the Oodles of Poodles act today?”

  “Us?” Bess gasped.

  “What would we do?” Nancy asked excitedly.

  “You can hold the hoop while the dogs jump through,” Alberto explained.

  “Fun!” Bess cried happily.

  “Oodles of fun!” Nancy exclaimed.

  “Your ringmaster suit is still in your trailer, George,” Peggy said. “I’ll knock on your door when it’s show time.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Bingle!” George said. “I know the drill!”

  The circus people left to get ready for the show, and Nancy, Bess, and George high-fived. The Clue Crew had solved another case, but that wasn’t all. . . .

  “We’re all going to be in the circus!” Nancy cheered. “How superamazingly cool is that?”

  “I wonder what we’re going to wear,” Bess said excitedly.

  “From now on I’m wearing my whistle around my neck!” George said. “After all, a good ringmaster never goes anywhere without her whistle.”

  “And a good detective,” Nancy said with a smile, “never goes anywhere without her Clue Book!”

  Test your detective skills with even more Clue Book mysteries:

  Nancy Drew Clue Book #5:

  Movie Madness

  “How lucky are we to be living in Hollywood, you guys?” eight-year-old Bess Marvin asked excitedly.

  Nancy Drew and George Fayne stopped walking to stare at Bess. Did she just say . . . Hollywood?

  “Bess, we don’t live in Hollywood,” Nancy insisted. “We live in River Heights.”

  “Huge difference!” George pointed out.

  “I know!” Bess agreed with a toss of her long blond hair. “But a movie is about to be filmed right here. That makes River Heights practically Hollywood, right?”

  “I guess!” Nancy said with a smile.

  All three best friends had reason to smile: Summer vacation had just begun. Even better, a scene in the next Glam Girl action-adventure movie would be filmed right in their own neighborhood at Turtle Shell Playground!

  “I still can’t believe they’re using kids from the neighborhood as movie extras!” Nancy said as they headed for the playground.

  “Being in a movie will be cool,” George admitted. “I just don’t get why Glam Girl is so special.”

  “Are you serious, George?” Bess gasped. “Glam Girl is the only fashion-forward superhero who gets her powers from clothes!”

  “A pair of sunglasses gives Glam Girl X-ray vision!” Nancy explained. “A hat lets her read minds, and gloves give her power to point and freeze any villain in his or her tracks!”

  “Don’t forget Glam Girl’s electric-blue hair!” Bess said excitedly. “How awesome is that?”

  “Sure, if you’re a Smurf!” George snorted.

  “Here’s something awesome,” Nancy added. “Shasta Sienna, the actress who plays Glam Girl, says she does all her own stunts—like jumping out of planes and off of speeding trains!”

  “Stunts are cool,” Bess said, “but I’m more interested in the clothes Glam Girl will wear in this movie.”

  George twisted one of her dark curls happily. “I’m interested in the special effects. Practically all movie special effects are computerized!”

  “Computers, clothes—are you sure you’re cousins?” Nancy asked Bess and George. “You’re as different as—”

  “River Heights and Hollywood!” George finished.

  Bess was a serious fashionista with a room full of clothes and accessories. The only fashion accessory George dreamed of was a smartwatch!

  “Speaking of movies,” George said. “Look at who’s up the block.”

  Nancy glanced ahead to see their classmate Sidney Schacter standing on his toes and taping a flier to a tree. Sidney was a major movie fanboy. He had even started his own movie-loving club called “Popcorn Peeps.”

  “Hi, Sidney,” Nancy said as they walked over. “Are you going to be an extra in the Glam Girl movie today?”

  “Nope,” Sidney said. “I’d rather work on this!”

  Sidney pointed proudly to the flier and said, “The Popcorn Peeps’ first awesome movie museum in the basement of my house!”

  CAROLYN KEENE is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew series of books.

  PETER FRANCIS lives and works in the United Kingdom. When he’s not helping the Clue Crew solve mysteries, he can be found sketching frantically in his studio, investigating hidden landscapes, or growing his own vegetables.

  ALADDIN

  Simon & Schuster, New York

  Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Carolyn-Keene

  authors.simonandschuster.com/Peter-Francis

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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  First Aladdin hardcover edition March 2016

  Text copyright © 2016 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Illustrations copyright © 2016 by Peter Francis

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  Library of Congress Control Number 2015937916

  ISBN 978-1-4814-4000-4 (hc)

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