Whose Pet Is Best? Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1: Chip, Chip, Hooray!

  Chapter 2: Chip’s Big Break

  Chapter 3: Terrible Trick

  Chapter 4: Sniffing for Clues

  Chapter 5: Things Get Hairy

  Chapter 6: Polly Wanna Crack a Case?

  Chapter 7: The Unusual Suspect

  Chapter 8: Hannah Comes Clean

  1

  Chip, Chip, Hooray!

  Hey, kids, do you have a poodle that can doodle?” the man on television asked. “Or a snake that can shake? Does anyone out there have an amazing pet?”

  “We do! We do!” Eight-year-old Nancy Drew and Katie Zaleski bounced up and down on the couch in Nancy’s den.

  “If you do, then come meet me, Mr. Lizard, at the Carl Sandburg Elementary School tomorrow at ten A.M.,” the man continued. “For the Amazing Pet Contest.”

  Bess Marvin and her cousin George Fayne, Nancy’s two best friends, jumped up from the couch and cheered. Nancy’s puppy, Chocolate Chip, was going to be in the contest. So was Katie’s parrot, Lester.

  The four girls were all in the same third-grade class.

  “And remember, kids,” Mr. Lizard said. “The winning pet and its owner will appear live on TV—right here on Mr. Lizard’s Funhouse.”

  Mr. Lizard’s Funhouse was Nancy’s favorite television show. She loved the games, songs, and silly jokes. But most of all, she loved the funny man with the wild red hair—Mr. Lizard.

  Katie clasped her hands. “I’d do anything to be on Mr. Lizard’s show. I’d wear my baby picture around my neck! I’d even eat brussels sprout sandwiches!”

  “Brussels sprout sandwiches?” George shook her bouncy dark curls. “Gross!”

  “That’s our show for today, kids,” Mr. Lizard said. “But before we say goodbye, it’s time for a little lizard dancing!”

  “I knew he’d do the lizard dance,” Katie squealed. “I knew it!”

  Nancy and her friends did the lizard dance, too. They waved their fingers behind their heads and flicked their tongues in and out.

  When the show was over, Nancy turned off the TV. “I can’t believe Mr. Lizard is going to be in our very own school yard tomorrow.”

  Katie fell back on the couch and hugged her knees. “I don’t think Lester and I will sleep a wink tonight.

  Bess turned to Katie. “What are you and your parrot going to do in the contest?”

  “Sing a song,” Katie said proudly.

  “I’ve heard Lester talk, but I’ve never heard him sing,” Bess said.

  “I have,” Nancy said. “One time I watched Lester when Katie’s little cousin Melvin visited her.”

  “Melvin is allergic to feathers,” Katie explained, “so Lester has to leave whenever he’s around.”

  George whistled. “Wow! A talking, singing parrot. That’s cool.”

  “Of course, Chip’s got a great trick, too,” Bess added quickly. “How’s it going, Nancy?”

  “Let’s find Chip, and I’ll show you,” Nancy said.

  “Chip—here, girl,” Nancy called as the four friends walked out of the den and into the living room.

  Hannah Gruen, the Drews’ housekeeper, was scrubbing muddy paw prints off the couch.

  “Uh-oh,” Nancy said. “Did Chip jump on the couch with her dirty paws again?”

  Hannah nodded. “Maybe you can teach Chip another trick—to keep off the furniture.”

  “I’m sorry, Hannah,” Nancy said. “Where’s Chip now?”

  “I put her in the yard,” Hannah said. “She can’t cause much trouble out there.”

  Nancy led her friends outside. Chip was tied to a tree with a long leash. She was lying in the shade. Someone else was in the yard, too—Brenda Carlton.

  “What are you doing here, Brenda?” Nancy asked.

  Brenda flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. “I’m writing a story about the Amazing Pet Contest for my newspaper.

  The Carlton News was Brenda’s own newspaper. Her father helped her type it on their home computer every week.

  “You have seen the latest issue, haven’t you?” Brenda asked the girls.

  “Yeah,” Katie whispered to Nancy. “At the bottom of Lester’s birdcage.”

  “I heard that, Katie,” Brenda said. She turned to Nancy. “By the way, Nancy, what trick did you teach your dog? What’s her name—Oatmeal Raisin? Cherry Vanilla?”

  “Her name is Chocolate Chip,” Nancy said as she unhooked the leash from Chip’s collar. “And we were just about to practice.”

  “Mind if I watch?” Brenda asked sweetly. It was a fake kind of sweet.

  Nancy shrugged her shoulders and picked up a soccer ball from the ground. She stood in front of the goal she had set up, looked at Chip, and called out, “Stay.” Then Nancy kicked the ball to her puppy.

  Chip nuzzled the ball. She flipped it in the air with her nose and bounced it on her head. When the ball was high, Chip rolled on her back and kicked the ball with her hind feet. It flew into the net.

  “Goal!” George cried.

  “Totally awesome,” Katie said.

  Nancy turned to Brenda. “Will we be reading about Chip in the Carlton News?”

  Brenda forced a yawn. “A stupid dog trick does not make a good story. But if Chip fails and makes a fool of her owner,” Brenda said, “now, that’s a good story.”

  Nancy glared at Brenda. “That will never happen.”

  Brenda flashed a mean smile. “Anything can happen.”

  “What type of tricks are the other pets doing?” Bess asked.

  “I heard Orson Wong is bringing a flea circus to the contest,” Katie said.

  “No way.” Nancy giggled.

  “Uh-oh. Speaking of insects.” George pointed over Nancy’s shoulder. “Look who’s coming.”

  Nancy turned and saw Jason Hutchings and David Berger enter her yard. They were famous for playing jokes on all the kids at school.

  “What’s so funny?” David asked.

  “We were talking about Mr. Lizard’s Amazing Pet Contest,” Nancy said.

  “David has a pet in the contest, too,” Jason said.

  “What kind of pet?” Nancy asked.

  “A rat,” David said.

  “EEEEeeeeeewwww!” the girls all screamed at once.

  “His name is Skeevy.” David made crawling movements with his fingers. “And he stands on his hind legs and begs for cheese.”

  Jason laughed and picked up Chip’s soccer ball.

  “Put that down,” Nancy said. “That’s part of Chip’s trick.”

  “So what? Chip’s not going to win anyway.” Jason held the soccer ball over his head. “Skeevy is.”

  Chip barked and jumped at the ball. It was too high for her to reach.

  “Hey, Jason, throw it here!” David yelled. He was jumping up and down next to Nancy’s house.

  “Okay, you asked for it.” Jason threw the ball to David—hard.

  Nancy held her breath as she watched the ball sail over David’s head and crash through the living room window.

  “You two are in big trouble!” Bess shouted to the boys.

  “We’re outta here,” David said as he and Jason ran from the yard.

  Then Chip bolted toward the house. When she got close, she yelped and leaped right through the broken window.

  “Chip!” Nancy cried. “No!”

  2

  Chip’s Big Break

  Nancy and her friends rushed into the house.

  “Wait for me!” Brenda called.

  When the girls reached the living room, they saw broken glass scattered on the floor by the window.

  “That broken window is bad enough,” Hannah scolded Nancy. “But look what your puppy did to your father’s favorite chair.�
��

  Nancy was afraid to look, but she did. The soccer ball was on the chair. So was Chocolate Chip—muddy paws and all.

  “Not again.” Nancy groaned. “Well, at least Chip’s not hurt.”

  Chip buried her face in her paws.

  “See, Nancy?” Brenda said. “Anything can happen.”

  After the girls left, Nancy helped Hannah scrub the chair.

  That evening Jason and David were sent over by their parents to apologize. Jason’s father had insisted on paying for a new window. Nancy practiced Chip’s trick in the yard. She was careful not to go near any of the windows.

  • • •

  The next morning Nancy woke up early. She dressed in her favorite jeans and a soccer shirt. It was Saturday—the day of the Amazing Pet Contest.

  After Hannah’s “good luck” breakfast, Mr. Drew drove Nancy and Chip to the school. They stopped to pick up Bess and George on the way.

  “Why can’t the school yard look like this every day?” Bess asked after Mr. Drew had dropped them off.

  A large crowd had gathered by a big wooden stage. Over the stage was a sign that read, Mr. Lizard’s Amazing Pet Contest. Balloons were tied to the chain-link fence. They fluttered back and forth in the breeze.

  Nancy didn’t see Katie in the crowd of kids and pets. But she did see someone else.

  “It’s him!” Nancy cried. She pointed to the stage. “It’s Mr. Lizard!”

  Mr. Lizard was wearing a shiny green tuxedo jacket. A woman in a blue suit was standing next to him.

  George sighed. “Pinch me. I must be dreaming.”

  “I want to get Mr. Lizard to sign my soccer ball,” Nancy said to Bess and George. “Could you guys stay here and watch Chip for me? I don’t want Mr. Lizard to see her before her trick.”

  Nancy handed Chip’s leash to George and rushed to the stage. But she stopped when she noticed that Mr. Lizard and the woman were arguing. Nancy quickly ducked behind a nearby tree.

  “I can’t understand why you don’t want a dog on the show,” Nancy heard the woman say.

  “Jane, you’re my producer,” Mr. Lizard said. “It’s bad enough I have to do a dog food commercial with some pooch.”

  Nancy peeked out from behind the tree. Mr. Lizard didn’t seem as nice in person as he did on TV. Even worse, it sounded as if he didn’t like dogs.

  “But there’s a dog in the contest who plays soccer,” Jane said.

  “I don’t care if it plays the accordion,” Mr. Lizard snapped. “No more dogs.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jane said. “But if a dog wins, a dog appears on the show.”

  “Yes!” Nancy whispered to herself. She knew that Mr. Lizard would change his mind once he saw Chip’s trick.

  Nancy decided to forget about the autograph and get back to her puppy. As she walked back she noticed that Bess and George were not paying attention to Chip. They were watching a clown make balloon animals.

  Then Nancy saw something worse. Brenda Carlton was kneeling next to Chip and feeding her a cookie!

  “Brenda Carlton, drop that cookie,” Nancy shouted, running toward them. “Sweets aren’t good for dogs!”

  Brenda stood up. A sneaky smile was on her face. “But her name is Chocolate Chip. And she really seems to like it.”

  “Sorry, Nancy,” George said. “We just looked away for a minute.”

  “That clown was making a whole elephant out of one balloon,” Bess added.

  Just then Nancy heard Mr. Lizard’s voice on the loudspeaker.

  “Attention, kids,” Mr. Lizard said. “The contest is about to begin. Will all contestants and their pets please line up in front of the stage?”

  Nancy grabbed Chip’s leash and made her way toward the stage. “See you guys after the show,” she said to Bess and George.

  Nancy saw Katie standing in line. She was dressed as a pirate. She wore an eye patch and a bright red bandanna.

  Lester sat perched on Katie’s shoulder. He was wearing a tiny bandanna, too.

  “Would you still do anything to win, Katie?” Nancy asked as she took her place behind her friend.

  Katie lifted her eye patch. “Aaaaarrrrgh you kidding?” she said. “I’d even walk the plank!”

  Lester bobbed his head. “Walk the plank. Walk the plank. Squaaaaaawk!”

  Nancy heard the crowd cheer. She looked up and saw Mr. Lizard wiggling around the stage, dancing the lizard dance.

  “Our first act, if you please,” Mr. Lizard said into the microphone. “Orson Wong and his incredible fleas!”

  A table with a tiny trapeze was set up on the stage.

  Orson Wong ran to the table. He was dressed as a circus ringmaster. In one hand he held a wand. In the other, he held a bag marked Fleas.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be amazed!” Orson shouted. He shook the bag of fleas over the trapeze. Then he waved his wand in the air.

  “Nancy, look,” Katie whispered. “The trapeze is moving!”

  Nancy watched the tiny trapeze swinging back and forth.

  “There really aren’t any fleas,” Nancy whispered. “Orson is moving the trapeze with a magnet. Watch his hand under the table.”

  Katie tilted her head. “Wow, Nancy. You really are the school’s best detective.”

  Nancy smiled. She liked solving mysteries.

  When Orson’s trick was over, Mr. Lizard called Katie and Lester up to the stage.

  “Lester and I would like to sing a song we made up,” Katie announced. “It’s called, ‘Me and My Pirate Parrot.’”

  Nancy listened as Katie and Lester sang in perfect harmony. When they were finished, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Nancy turned her head and saw Orson Wong.

  “Just how cool were my fleas?” Orson asked. He waved the bag in front of Nancy’s face.

  “Those aren’t real fleas, Orson,” Nancy said. “I saw your hand moving under the table.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Orson said. He yanked the bag open. “Tell that to your dog when she starts scratching like crazy.” Orson held the bag over Chip.

  “Don’t you dare, Orson Wong,” Nancy said. “I’m warning you.”

  But it was too late. Orson was already shaking the bag over Chocolate Chip’s head!

  3

  Terrible Trick

  Quit it, Orson!” Nancy shouted.

  “Why? I thought you said my fleas weren’t real.” Orson laughed and disappeared into the crowd.

  Nancy knelt down and brushed Chip’s shiny brown coat with her hand.

  “Of course those weren’t fleas,” Nancy whispered to her puppy. “Who ever heard of a real flea circus?”

  When Nancy stood up, David Berger was standing right in front of her.

  “Good luck, Nancy,” David said. “You’ll need it.” He was holding Skeevy in a metal cage.

  Jason Hutchings stood next to David. He had on a big purple backpack.

  “Thanks,” Nancy said. She tried not to look at the rat. “And may the best dog, I mean, pet win.”

  “You wish,” David said.

  Nancy wasn’t going to let the boys spoil her fun. She turned back toward the stage just as Katie and Lester were coming down.

  “That was Katie and Lester,” Mr. Lizard shouted to the cheering crowd. “Now it’s time for Nancy Drew and her mutt, Chocolate Chip.”

  Chip isn’t a mutt, Nancy thought. She’s a Labrador retriever.

  Nancy clutched the soccer ball under her arm. Then she led Chip up the steps to the stage.

  “Go for it, Nancy!” George called out from the crowd.

  Nancy raised her finger over Chip’s head. “Stay,” she ordered gently. Then she took a few steps back and placed the ball on the stage floor.

  Just as Nancy was about to kick the ball to Chip, someone in the audience screamed.

  “There’s a rat!”

  “Skeevy,” David Berger called from the crowd. “Get back here.”

  Nancy didn’t know what to do. Should she go on with her trick? Suddenly Nancy f
elt something furry brush against her ankle. She looked down to see Skeevy scrambling over her shoe.

  “Eeeeeeeek!” Nancy stomped her foot. “Get off me!”

  Chip barked and ran after Skeevy as the rat scurried across the stage.

  “Chip, come back,” Nancy shouted. She ran off the stage after Chip.

  “Get the rat!” a little girl cried.

  “He’s too fast!” a boy yelled.

  Nancy tried to catch Chip, but it was no use. Her puppy was lost in a crowd of kids and pets going wild!

  “Stay calm, everyone,” Jane shouted into the microphone. “And please, hold on to your pets!”

  It was already much too late for that. Laura Anderson’s cat was scrambling up the jungle gym. Kenny Bruder’s ferret was inching its way up the flagpole. A hamster was burrowing into the dirt in the playing field.

  Nancy saw Brenda scribbling on a pad.

  “Hi, Nancy. My story is going to be great!” Brenda said.

  Nancy turned away. The last thing she wanted to think about was the Carlton News. She had to find Chip.

  Nancy started to run but didn’t get far. She crashed right into George.

  “Where’s Bess?” Nancy said.

  George pointed to the jungle gym. Bess was sitting on the highest bar.

  “Bess, I thought you were afraid of heights,” Nancy called up to her.

  “That was yesterday,” Bess called back. “Today I’m afraid of rats.”

  “Can you see Chip from up there?” Nancy asked.

  “I can see everything from up here,” Bess answered. “Chip’s on the stage.”

  Nancy ran back. Katie was standing with Chip on the stage. Lester was on Katie’s arm. “Good girl,” Nancy said as she knelt down and petted her dog. Chip licked Nancy’s nose.

  “I found Chip running around by the swings,” Katie said. “I walked her back here so you could finish your trick.”

  “Thanks, Katie.” Nancy smiled. “You’re the best.”

  Lester let out a loud screech. “You’re the best! You’re the best! Arrrrk!”

  “Good luck, Nancy,” Katie said with a giggle and walked off the stage.

  Nancy was about to give Chip a big hug when she noticed a red cloth on the floor next to Chip’s soccer ball. It was Katie’s pirate bandanna.