Read The School Play Mystery Online
Authors: David A. Adler
The School Play Mystery (5 page)
“You have no proof I stole anything,” the boy said.
“Those sneakers you’re wearing are proof,” Officer Feldman told him. She showed him the box and said, “This is the box they came in.”
The boy looked at the box. Then he looked at his sneakers.
“OK! OK! I’ll give the money back,” the boy said. “I’m sorry. I’ll give it all back.”
There were two large zippered pockets on the front of the boy’s pants. He reached down and opened them. He took out lots of bills and coins. He gave them all to Officer Feldman. She gave them to Ms. Benson.
“Can I go now?” the boy asked.
“No, I’m sorry,” Officer Zuto said. “You did something terribly wrong. We’re taking you to the police station.”
“Wait,” Ms. Benson said. “First, I want him to see something.”
CHAPTER NINE
Everyone followed Ms. Benson to the front of the auditorium. A sign, THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS, was on the easel. Now Eric wore a stick-on beard. He stood on the small stepladder.
“That this nation,” Eric was saying, “under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
People in the audience stood and cheered. Eric got off the ladder and bowed to the audience. The other children on stage bowed, too. The play was done.
“Wait!” Ms. Benson called out. “There’s more.”
“There is?” Sara asked.
Ms. Benson hurried onto the stage. She spoke to the children. The curtain closed. People in the audience sat and waited.
“What is she doing?” Officer Zuto asked.
“I don’t know,” Cam answered. “Ms. Benson likes to surprise us.”
Everyone waited. Then the curtain opened.
The stage was set again for the first scene, “Honest Abe Lincoln.”
Eric walked slowly toward Susie. “Hello, Mrs. Olsen,” Eric said to her.
Susie put her hand to her mouth. She looked to the right of the stage. Cam heard Ms. Benson whisper, “No laughing onstage. Don’t laugh!”
Susie took her hand from her mouth and said, “Hello, Abe.”
When the scene was done, people in the audience stood again and cheered.
Ms. Benson thanked the police officers. Then she told the boy who had stolen the money, “I hope you watched that. You can learn a lesson from Honest Abe Lincoln.”
Officers Feldman and Zuto took the boy who had stolen the money into their police car. They drove off.
Cam went backstage. Her parents were there with Eric and his family.
Eric told Cam, “I knew you would click and find the thief.”
Cam said, “And I knew you would be a great President Lincoln.”
Eric smiled.
“You really were great,” Cam’s parents, Eric’s parents, and Donna and Diane said.
“Maybe I was good,” Eric said, “but I’m happy to be Eric Shelton again.” He reached into his pocket and took out his stick-on beard. “This itches.”
Then, with the beard, Eric teased his sisters. He tickled Donna and Diane’s noses.
“Hey,” Donna said, “that does itch.”
Diane giggled and said, “And it tickles.”
Donna and Diane laughed.
Diane took the stick-on beard and put it on. “I’m President Lincoln’s sister,” she said. “Don’t I look like him?”
“That’s funny,” Eric said and laughed. “That’s very funny,” he said. Then Eric leaned back, opened his mouth wide, and laughed. It was his great President Lincoln laugh.
When Cam, her parents, the Sheltons, and Ms. Benson heard Eric laugh, they laughed, too. Soon everyone in the auditorium was laughing. They all laughed along with Eric Shelton, the star of the play
Stories of President Lincoln.
Stories of President Lincoln.
A Cam Jansen Memory Game
Take another look at the picture on page 5. Study it. Blink your eyes and say,
“Click!”
Then turn back to this page and answer these questions—remember, don’t peek at the questions before you study the picture.
“Click!”
Then turn back to this page and answer these questions—remember, don’t peek at the questions before you study the picture.
1. How many people are in the picture?
2. Who’s wearing polka dots?
3. What is Sara reading?
4. Who is wearing glasses?
5. What book is Danny holding?
6. How many books are on the table?
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