Encyclopedia Brown and the case of the midnight visitor by 1924- Donald J. Sobol, Lillian Brandi

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROIVN
    and The Case of the Midnight Visitor

    Tlie Case off the Mkfail^t Hsitor

    Now there are some people in the United States who had never heard of Idaville. But they were not policemen.
    Every policeman from Maine to California knew about Idaville. Anyone who broke the law there was caught. Not a crook escaped.
    How could that be? What was the secret?
    No one ever guessed.
    Idaville looked like many other seaside towns its size. It had lovely beaches, three movie theaters, and four banks. It had churches, a synagogue, and two delicatessens.

    And on Rover Avenue it had a certain red brick house.
    In the house lived Idaville's secret weapon against crime—ten-year-old Encyclopedia Brown.
    Encyclopedia's father was chief of police. Because no one got away with breaking the law, the people of Idaville thought he was the bravest and smartest police chief in the world.
    True, Chief Brown was brave. And he was smart enough to know what to do with a case Ixe could not solve.
    He took it home to dinner.
    Over soup, he told his son the facts. Encyclopedia usually figured out the answer before dessert.
    Chief Brown hated keeping the help he got from his only child a secret. He wanted Encyclopedia's sneakers hung in the Crime Fighters' Hall of Fame.
    But what good would it do to suggest it?
    Who would take him seriously? Who would believe that the mastermind behind Idaville's spotless police record was a fifth grader?
    So Chief Brown said nothing.

    Encyclopedia never mentioned the help he gave his father. He didn't want to seem different from other boys.
    There was nothing he could do about his nickname, however.
    Only his parents and teachers called him by his real name, Leroy. Everyone else called him Encyclopedia.
    An encyclopedia is a book or set of books filled with facts from A to Z. So was Encyclopedia's head. He had read so many books his pals swore his ears were turning into bookends.
    Monday evening Chief Brown sipped his soup slowly. Encyclopedia and his mother knew what that meant. He had his mind on a case.
    Finally, Mrs. Brown said, "Why don*t you tell Leroy about it, dear?"
    Chief Brown sighed. "I don't know ... this is an awfully tough case," he said. "It has me beaten."
    "Leroy has never failed you. Tell him," urged Mrs. Brown.
    "Very well," said Chief Brown. "C. T. Butler was kidnapped from his home last night."

    Mrs. Brown gasped. Encyclopedia let out a low whistle.
    C. T. Butler was a millionaire. He owned a string of pizza parlors in three states and a big house by the ocean.
    "Today at noon, Mrs. Butler received a phone call," said Chief Brown. "A man's voice said that her husband was unharmed, but he was being held for half a million dollars' ransom. The caller told Mrs. Butler to remain home tomorrow, at which time she would be told by phone where to leave the money."
    '*You hope to capture the kidnappers before they are paid the ransom, Dad?" said Encyclopedia.
    ''We must," replied Chief Brown grimly. "Kidnappers want money. Once they get it, there is no telling what they might do to their victim."
    ''Poor Mr. Butler!" exclaimed Mrs. Brown. "Well, at least you have until tomorrow to find him."
    "That's too little time," said Chief Brown.
    "Somebody must have heard or seen something,'' said Encyclopedia.

    '*Mrs. Butler was of some help," said Chief Brown. "From what she told me, it's possible to fit together a few pieces."
    He took a spoonful of soup. Then he related all that the police had been able to learn about the kidnapping.
    ''Last night, Mr. and Mrs. Butler were in bed watching a late movie on television. A little after midnight, the front doorbell rang.
    ''Mr. Butler went downstairs to see who it was. Mrs. Butler turned off the television and listened. She heard him talking to someone—she thinks a man. She couldn't make out the words, but the tone was friendly.
    "Then she heard the sounds of the door closing and footsteps going into the den. Mr. Butler and his visitor lowered