Encyclopedia Brown and Dead Eagles Read Online Free

slipped to the bottom step. Butch recovered quickly. He pinned the Tiger’s arm and carried him back upstairs.
    “I don’t mind the stairs,” Butch announced. “They keep the legs in shape.”
    “Butch, you’re beautiful!” hollered Tim Shaw. “You can do it all!”
    Everyone in the crowd cheered except Encyclopedia. He was trying to learn how the battle had started.
    He finally spied Haystacks Mulligan, Butch’s little brother, in the back of the crowd. “What’s going on?” the detective inquired.
    “Bugs tried to cheat Butch out of a calendar,” said Haystacks.
    He explained that Mr. Downing, the math teacher, had moved to Michigan yesterday. Before he left, he had given twenty-five old wall calendars to Butch.
    “Each calendar has a big picture of a Civil War battle on it,” said Haystacks. “They’re really neat!”
    “How does Bugs figure in?” asked Encyclopedia.
    “Bugs says he had asked for the calendars last week, but Mr. Downing forgot. So, according to Bugs, Mr. Downing gave him a note yesterday morning before he left Idaville. The note instructs Butch to give half the calendars to Bugs.”
    Haystacks drew a slip of paper from his pocket and passed it to Encyclopedia. It read:
    Dear Butch:
    I forgot that I promised the calendars to Bugs Meany. Therefore, so that you may each have the same number, please divide the 25 calendars by ½.
    ]ohn Downing
    Haystacks said, “An hour ago Bugs showed up with the note. Butch took him to the basement and divided the twenty-five calendars. He kept twelve and gave Bugs twelve. That left one calendar.”
    “Cutting it in half wouldn’t have been right,” said Encyclopedia.
    “They decided to toss a coin for it,” said Haystacks. “Butch called heads. Bugs flipped a nickel and slapped it onto his wrist.”
    “Bugs said it landed tails,” guessed Encyclopedia. “And Butch never got a chance to see for himself.”
    “You’re right as rain,” said Haystacks. “Butch became disgusted. He threw Bugs and his twelve calendars out the basement door.”
    Haystacks paused to watch a Tiger sail off Butch’s foot.
    Then he continued. “Bugs screamed that nobody gets away with cheating him. He told his Tigers to gang up on Butch and teach him a lesson.”
    “Somebody’s getting a lesson, all right,” said Encyclopedia.
    A Tiger had jumped down behind Butch, where he suddenly realized he had no help. Butch went for him, grabbed his ankles and dragged him upstairs, bumpety-bump.
    “When the head bangs on the steps, the brain thinks twice,” Butch said.
    He flung the Tiger beneath a tree, and Dave Fine whooped. “That makes twenty-one!” Dave was keeping count of the knockdowns.
    “Butch is drawing close,” said Nick Har mon. Nick’s hobby was world records. “Last year a saloonkeeper in England threw out eight drunks twenty-two times.”
    “Butch can’t break that record,” insisted Ken Wilson, who would argue with an echo. “The Englishman handled the real goods. These are kids. They’re pretty skinny.”
    “Yes, but they’re mean,” said Marcia Smith. “And remember the steps. Butch is working uphill.”
    Bugs and Rocky Graham, the only two Tigers able to walk, wobbled toward Butch.
    The crowd stilled. Everyone sensed a record in the making. It was like following a no-hitter into the ninth inning.
    Butch broke the record as Sally reached Encyclopedia’s side. “Whatever made Butch so angry?” she gasped.
    “If you think he’s angry now,” said Encyclopedia, “wait till he learns how Bugs tricked him!”
    WHAT DID ENCYCLOPEDIA MEAN?
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    (Turn to page 92 for the solution to The Case of the Old Calendars.)

The Case of Lightfoot Louie
    The state worm-racing championship was only two days off when Thad Dixon entered the Brown Detective Agency. He was walking.
    Encyclopedia was very surprised to see an upright Thad. When the worm-racing season began, Thad usually went about on