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WATER WONDERLAND

Aunt Tabby does not approve of paying to see things that it is perfectly possible to see for free--like fish and turtles and frogs-- and I was sure she would not approve of going to Water Wonderland Which she didn’t So I asked her when she had last seen a real fish--one that i on her plate covered in bread crumbs Aunt Tabby sniffed and said that that was the way she preferred to see her fish, thank you very avereally weird stuff Who knows, s in Old Morris’s bucket were not Barry’s frogs but a coincidence--coincidences happen to detec- tives all the ti you have to watch out for Maybe what had really hap- pened was that Aunt Tabby had snuck down- stairs and fried up Barry’s frogs as atheory to s in bread crumbs, Aunt Tabby?" I asked As a detective you have to learn to notice when people look guilty

But Aunt Tabby looked like she normally does when I say stuff--kind of amazed and irritated at the same time--and said, "Don’t be silly, Araht off Then Aunt Tabby ao to this Water Wonderland place if you really want to " I think the shark o a bit peculiar Wanda and I had to wear our hats I pointed out to Wanda that they were a really good disguise, as everyone would look at the hats and no one would notice as stuck underneath them, not even Nosy Nora

Before long before ere all at the ticket office in the old gatehouse to Water Wonder- land with Aunt Tabby saying in a loud voice, "Howthe tickets was none other than Old Morris His little beady eyes stared at Aunt Tabby and he growled, "You heard, lady Take it or leave it " "Leave it, " snapped Aunt Tabby "Rude ave aa bit peculiar since the shark incident--quickly opened the new bat purse that Uncle Drac had knitted for her "Two adults and two children please, " she said "All tickets cost the sarowled Old Morris I looked at Old Morris carefully He was soaking wet and was dripping water all over the tickets I thought it was very suspi- cious He saw h I a but trouble " I am sure I heard Aunt Tabby mutter "How true" under her breath Water Wonderland was packed

All the people froe as earlier the place had been totally empty But I suppose the shark had scared them all so much that they only wanted to see safe fish Aunt Tabby looked around in disgust "This is a ghastly place, " she said "I can’t think why you want to come here, Wanda " "Neither can I, " I told Wanda "It’s horri- ble " "Don’t be silly, Araminta, " hissed Wanda "You knoe want to co a false trail, " I hissed back "I don’t want Aunt Tabby getting suspicious " A good detective has to think ahead, but I do not know of any detectives who first have to get rid of their aunt and their sidekick’sBut I had to "Why don’t you and Brenda go and have a cup of coffee?" I asked Aunt Tabby Aunt Tabby looked at me suspiciously "Why?" she asked See what Icalled Squid Caf It was painted with a picture of a giant squid with its tentacles wrapped around a ht cups of coffee Brenda was already on her way Brenda’s hohnuts runs a close second to the Wanda ho instinct Soon Brenda and Pusskins had sat doith three doughnuts and a milk shake;

Aunt Tabby was reluctantly sipping a cup of black coffee "Can Arao and see the fish, Mom?" Wanda asked Brenda nodded and shoveled another doughnut into her ar all over your nose, Brenda, " said Aunt Tabby disapprovingly She looked at her watch and said, "Don’t be long Fish Frolics--whatever that is--starts in half an hour " So we had half an hour to find Sir Horace, rescue hiht schedule, but I knew Detective Spookie could do it

Water Wonderland was a strange place It was just a track with three long and very decrepit old reen circus tent on the other side Outside the tent there was a sign that said:

=FISH FROLICS! H Fantastic Flying Frogs! Fearless Fish and the Surprise of Your Life! Performance Starts at 4 p M Today! 9Don’t Delay!- "We’ve found the frogs!" said Wanda "They’re here!" The next thing I knew she had wriggled underneath the canvas and disappeared inside the tent I followed her It eird inside the tent

It was filled with a strange green light and srass and fish There were three tiers of wooden benches arranged in front of a huge glass tank, which was full of water and a few bored fish Around the edge of the tank was a ooden ledge with a ladder propped up against it and there was a big striped curtain hiding the back of the tank "I bet the frogs are behind that curtain, " whispered Wanda We clie, and peered behind the curtain They weren’t There was nothing there--no frog bucket and no Sir Horace Just a big e board and one lonely hat stand "This is a weird place, " whispered Wanda "I prefer mushrooms "

But there weren’t any mushrooms left in Water Wonderland Noe checked out the old mushroom shed opposite the tent It had pictures of weird fish painted on the side and soated iron roof A little kid and a big kid were co, "But ere the fish floating upside down, Dad?" and his dad said, "I expect they were just a bit tired " Then the big kid said, "Just a bit dead you mean, " and the little kid burst into tears We peered into the Akwarius There was just a great big dripping tank lit with a few direen and very murky The only fish I could see were a few yucky suckerfish with their heads stuck to the glass--and even those were upside down

The next shed had pictures of turtles all over it--at least I think that hat they were s It was quite dark inside as only one light bulb orking; all we could see were old mushroom boxes and a few of Uncle Drac’s bat poo sacks--which hy all the kids in there were holding their noses In the middle of the floor there was a s around it Since Wanda and I were on ih to check it out It wasn’t worth it One small turtle sat on an upturned bucket in the middle of the pool Personally I do not see the point in staring at turtles but there were a lot of people there who obvi- ously did The turtle stared at them and they stared at the turtle Fun

We left them to it Outside the turtle shed I found our first clue I picked it up and showed it to Wanda "Look!" I said "A clue!" "No it’s not, it’s a rusty old bolt, " she said "Exactly From Sir Horace’s helmet " "You don’t know that " "I do When you’ve fixed Sir Horace’s hel- le bolt " And then we found another one And a bit further along the track we found another "Maybe you’re right, " said Wanda "I know I’ht, " I said "We are on a trail now All we have to do is follow the bolts and ill find Sir Horace "

The trail led us away from the mushroom sheds, past a suessed where it was going "It leads to the old ruins, " I told Wanda I felt really excited and just like a real detective "What old ruins?" she asked This is why Wanda Wizzard will never make chief detective She does not look properly The old ruins were staring us in the face I very helpfully pointed them out to my side- kick, as not appreciative "That’s just a pile of boring old rocks, " she said But when I showed her the old door with Sir Horace’s crest on it she changed her mind