News Bulletin

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BULLETIN! BULLETIN! BULLETIN! BULLETIN!

We interrupt this blog for an important NEWS FLASH:

Taylor Texas: born to Michael and Aurora Krogman, a daughter:

Dulcinea Jolene Wold Krogman.

September 24th, 2008


EVERYBODY HAPPY!

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.23

"My HOUSE!" sobbed Hermit Crab, "It's--IT'S GONE!!

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.22

I was taking a leisurely stroll one morning when my old friend Hermit Crab scuttled up the beach to meet me.

It was easy to see by the anxious look on his face that something bad had happened.

I hurried to set him at his ease--

"Dear old Hermit Crab," I said, "Why the long face--is something the matter?"

"You can say that!

Oh, Constable Crab--I am afraid I am going to have to ask you for your help.

I am really in a tight spot!

Please, my Old Friend--help me!"

"Of course, Hermit!" I replied, "What seems to be the matter?"

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Mystery of the Missing House BEGIN

"That is how I discovered the one responsible for the cookie foot on the beach.

The next story from my casebook is even more strange--I call it "The Mystery of the Missing House".

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.20

"But before I could get to the box--a hungry seagull plopped down next to the almost empty box and began to fill his beak with cookies and crumbs!

So--THAT'S how the cookie foot got dropped on the beach!

It was carried there and dropped by the same gull which I saw come back and "steal the evidence" of the mysterious cookie foot!

Mystery solved!!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.19

"My search for the origin of the mysterious cookie foot led me down to the beach--to one of the places where humans often came for picnics.

There I saw, half buried in the sand--a box--a box which might have contained animal cookies.

As I moved closer I became more certain.

Sure enough, it appeared to be an animal cookie box--almost, but not quite--empty of cookies.

I approached cautiously.

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.19

"Wait a moment!

I KNOW!

My great powers of deduction have revealed to me that the creature that dropped the animal cookie foot--MUST be--could ONLY be--A HUMAN CHILD!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.18

"BUT--Sea Turtles only come out of the sea once every year --and that is to lay eggs! Not to eat animal cookies!!"

"What kind of creature that comes to the beach eats animal cookies?"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.17

"No--It COULDN'T be a squid!" mumbled Constable Crab.

(Ask the child why not. Replies will vary.)

"Right again!" cried Crab.

"Because squids NEVER come out of the water!

How could a water creature drop a animal cookie foot on the sand?!

BUT--maybe it was a sea turtle--THEY come out of the water sometimes!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.16

"No, no seal!" said Constable Crab.

"No--I don't think it was a seal that left the cookie foot on the beach."

(Why do you think Constable Crab thinks a seal did NOT leave the cookie foot on the beach?

Wait for the child to offer several suggestions.)

"Right-O! What do seals eat?"

"Absolutely right! Seals eat FISH! NOT COOKIES--not even animal crackers!"

"Well, if it wasn't a seal--what other creatures are around at the beach?" thought Constable Crab.

"Maybe it was a squid??"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.15

"What kind of creature", thought Constable Crab, "would leave a foot-shaped cookie on the beach?"

Constable crab scratched his head with one of his large claws and thought.

"What kind of animal or bird would leave such a thing?"

He thought about the creatures he knew on the beach.

"Maybe a seal?" he thought.

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Animal Cracker Mystery p.16

"I was about to examine the cookie foot more carefully when a large seagull swooped down-- scooped the foot up in its beak-- and sailed off into the sky, leaving me with only a few cookie crumbs scattered in the sand.

The gull had taken the only evidence I had of some mysterious occurrence on the beach.

I was left without a single clue--but..."

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Animal Cracker Mystery p.15

"At first I couldn't believe my eyes!

A FOOT!

Right on the sand of the beach!

And NOT just a FOOT--Oh, My NO--a COOKIE FOOT!"

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Animal Cracker Mystery p.14

"I was strolling my favorite stretch of beach early one morning when I was stopped in my tracks by something on the sand--something which looked a LOT like a FOOT!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab p.13

"Ahhh--that was a good memory! It is NOT everyday that one gets a ride down to the beach on the head of a dinosaur!

But since you are still here--you might like to hear the story of another of my most interesting cases?

Very well!

I call this next case: "The Animal Cracker Mystery".

The Casebook of Constable Crab page 12

"Now, what can WE do for YOU?" asked Daddy Dinosaur.

"Nothing. It is my pleasure and also my duty as a constable to help whenever I can." replied Constable Crab.

"May we at least offer you a ride back to the beach--on my head?"

"Ah, well--THAT would be MOST acceptable--I have never ridden on a dinosaur before--and this may be my only chance to do it!"

"Then hop aboard!" smiled Daddy Dinosaur--and off they went!

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 11

WOW and HOLY SMOKE!!

The trees and bushes parted with a SMASH and two HUGE adult DINOSAURS thrust their gigantic heads into the gang of frightened vulture thugs!

"Mommy! Daddy!!" shouted Dinah. "You're just in time for the PARTY!!"

"JUST IN TIME IS RIGHT!" snorted Daddy Dinosaur. "But NOT for THEIR party!!! I suspected when I saw that evil vulture circling in the sky that you might be in danger and we came running to help !"

"AH-HA! Then you saw my distress signal--just as I planned!" said Constable Crab. "I suspected that you good parents would be out looking for your child--and a circling vulture would be the best danger warning I could send you!"

"Thank you! Oh, THANK YOU!" Mommy Dinosaur cried! You SAVED our child!!"

"All in a day's work." said Constable Crab modestly. "I am always glad to help."

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 10

Suddenly the ground began to shake with a steady thumping beat--like the approaching footsteps of some gigantic creatures.

Vulture's gang stared around in panic!

Dinah looked surprised...

Only constable crab remained cool and calm.

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 9

Constable Crab and Dinah followed the Friendly Vulture a few paces into the forest. Suddenly the vulture stopped.

A gang of INCREDIBLY UGLY creatures had quickly appeared around the vulture.

The once Friendly Vulture faced the crab and the young dinosaur.

"Heh! Heh!" said the vulture, "These charming beauties are my FRIENDS!"

"YOU are not only my guests for our little "pizza party"--you are also THE MAIN COURSE! Heh, heh, heh!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 8

The Friendly Vulture soon flapped back down and landed near Dinah and Constable Crab.

"How was THAT?" he asked.

"Just Fine. You are as great a flier as I expected." commented Constable Crab. "Now about the pizza party..."

"Yes, YES!" said the Friendly Vulture, "Now if you will just follow me down this little side path for a very short distance you will soon meet my friends and the party will begin!"

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The Casebook of Constable Crab page 7

"Well, I don't know..." said Constable Crab"...we're in kind of a hurry because it will be dark soon and we are not exactly sure of our path..."

"Oh, PLEASE!" said Dinah, "Just ONE little piece of Pizza!"

"Oh, I guess so..." said Constable Crab, "after all what harm can ONE little slice of PIZZA do? But, before we follow YOU, Friendly Vulture, would you please do just one aerobatic stunt for this young dinosaur and myself? We KNOW, you are famous for being a GREAT flier!"

"Of course, of course! What kind of a stunt would you like me to perform?"

"Oh, nothing very complicated,"... said Constable Crab, "could you just fly up very high and circle around four or five times?"

"Is THAT all? Oh REALLY, nothing to it, my dears!"

And the Friendly Vulture took off, flapped his wings a few times and was soon a tiny black speck in the sky, where he flew in great circles a dozen times.

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