23-THE MYSTERY OF THE CHICKEN FEATHER

THE MYSTERY OF THE CHICKEN FEATHER I found Benjamin and told him what had happened, He listened patiently. Then he gave me a hug, "I believe you, Uncle!" he said. Did I mention Benjamin is my favorite nephew? We went back to Duchess Curlypaw Cannycat's room. Benjamin began to check out the room like a regular mouse detective. He found a feather on the floor by the fireplace. He stared at it through a magnifying glass. "Very interesting," he

murmured. "This looks like it was a white chicken feather. But someone has painted it GRAY." I told Benjamin about the strange mechanical noise I had heard when the owl flew off. Tick-tack! Tick-tack! Tick-tack! He pointed out the cobwebs over the fireplace. "So many cobwebs, yet not one single spider," he observed. We both agreed it was very odd. With that, Benjamin pulled out his pad. Then he began scribbling more notes. At this rate, he was going to need another pad!