The Mudhole Mystery Read Online Free

lunch.” Mr. Tressler turned toward the house.
    Dunkum called to him, “Thanks for everything!”
    Mr. Tressler nodded without turning around.
    â€œHappy Mysteries Are Marvelous Day!” shouted Dunkum.
    That got a smile and a wave from Mr. Tressler. “The same to you,” he said.
    The kids put everything back inside the time capsule. Carefully, of course.
    Dunkum looked at the square black chest. “How old is this thing anyway?”
    Jason didn’t know.
    But Eric had an idea. “Look at the Sunday school lesson. There might be a date on it.”
    â€œGood thinking,” Dunkum said. He found the old lesson sheet. On the bottom of the page was a date.
    Abby peeked over Dunkum’s shoulder. “Wow,” she said. “This thing is twenty years old!”
    Twenty years? thought Dunkum. What a long time .
    â€œHow old would the kids be now?” asked Carly.
    â€œFigure it out,” Eric said. “Pretend they were ten when they buried this.”
    â€œEasy,” said Dee Dee. “Add ten years and twenty years. That’s thirty!”
    Dunkum’s eyes lit up. “Hey, these kids are grown-ups now!”
    â€œThey . . . they are?” Jason sputtered.
    â€œYep,” said Abby. “And they’ve probably forgotten all about the time capsule.”
    â€œMaybe not,” said Dunkum.
    â€œHey, could we track down these kids . . . er, grown-ups?” Jason asked.
    Eric shook his head. “Not in a million years.”
    Dunkum smiled. “Anything is possible.”
    â€œWith God,” Abby added.
    Dunkum liked Abby’s way of thinking the best.

TEN
    â€œWhat’re we gonna do with the time capsule?” Eric asked.
    Carly shrugged. “Aw, leave it here.”
    â€œRight here, where we found it,” Dee Dee said.
    We? thought Dunkum. I found it first!
    â€œWe’ll take it to my house,” Dunkum insisted.
    Jason frowned. “No fair!”
    â€œWhy not?” Dunkum said. “I found it, didn’t I?”
    â€œBut all of us helped pull it out,” Jasonsaid. He stood tall and stuck out his chest.
    â€œJason’s right,” Eric said. “Let’s put the time capsule in Abby’s backyard. She’s the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids.”
    Dunkum didn’t want a fight. “OK. That makes sense,” he said.
    So Dunkum and Eric carried the time capsule down the street. Dee Dee carried Mister Whiskers. He was still hissing at Croaker, behind him.
    Jason carried his frog a safe distance from the cat. The rest of the kids followed behind, like a parade. They arrived in the Hunters’ backyard.
    â€œWhere should we put it?” Dunkum asked Abby.
    â€œThere,” she pointed. “Under the tree.”
    Dunkum and Eric set the time capsule down near the swings. Beside the big tree.
    â€œHow’s that?” Dunkum asked.

    Abby’s eyes shone. “Double dabble good.”
    The kids stood around. No one wanted to go home.
    Dunkum walked toward the gate. “I’ll be back after lunch,” he called.
    â€œMe too!” yelled Jason.
    Carly asked Dee Dee to come back, too.
    â€œSure will,” Dee Dee said.
    That left Eric. He had to go to the dentist.
    â€œI might come over later,” he said. “If I feel good enough.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” asked Abby. “Got a cavity?”
    â€œFeels like it.” Eric waved good-bye.
    Dunkum said good-bye again. He was having a hard time leaving. He missed the time capsule already. His time capsule.
    Everyone left, except the Hunter kids. They lived here. For a moment, Dunkum wished he lived here, too. Then he could see his time capsule any old time.
    â€œOK, well, see you,” Dunkum said.
    â€œAlligator,” Shawn said, grinning.
    Abby told her brother how it went. “It’s ‘See you later, alligator. After a while, crocodile.’ Get it?”
    Shawn nodded. He laughed his