Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 "Sorry I gave you a paper cut," Josh told Dink at morning recess. The cool March wind made Dink's eyes water. Gray clouds blew across the sky and a few mounds of snow still hadn't melted.

"No problem," Dink said. A soccer ball rolled against his feet, and Dink kicked it toward a bunch of kids. "Does it still hurt?" Ruth Rose asked. Her hat and scarf matched the rest of her yellow outfit. "Nope," Dink said. Then he remembered what had happened in Miss Shotsky's office. "But guess what? Mr. Bones has disappeared!" "The skeleton?" Josh said. Dink nodded. "I noticed it was missing when I got my Band-Aid," he said. "Miss Shotsky didn't even know it was gone." "I wonder if someone stole it," Ruth Rose said. She unwrapped the chocolate Dink had given her. "Why would anyone steal a skeleton?" Josh said, eyeing the candy in Ruth Rose's hand. "Share?" he asked. Ruth Rose broke the candy in half and passed a chunk to Josh. Dink shrugged. "The last time Miss Shotsky saw it was around seven-thirty this morning," he

said. Just then they heard a whistle blow. Everyone lined up and entered the building. Mrs. Eagle was waiting inside the door. "We're going to the gym for a few minutes," she told her class. "Mr. Dillon has an announcement to make." Led by their teachers, the third, fourth, and fifth graders trooped into the gym. The kindergarteners and first and second graders were already sitting in rows on the floor. Mr. Dillon was standing under the basketball hoop. When the bigger kids were also seated, Mr. Dillon smiled. "Good morning, kids!" he said. "I have some sad news to report," he went on. "Earlier today, the school skeleton disappeared out of the nurse's office." Everyone started to talk. A fifth-grade boy with a deep voice said, "Who'd steal a skeleton? A zombie?" His buddies laughed, and his teacher gave him a look.

"If anyone has any information about the missing skeleton," Mr. Dillon went on, "please raise your hand." No one raised a hand. "Well, it seems we have a genuine mystery on our hands," Mr. Dillon said. He smiled at the hundred kids who sat watching him. "And I need your help solving it. So I've decided to offer a reward. The classroom that finds Mr. Bones will get free tickets to the new aquarium in Hartford." "Ooh!" a lot of kids cried. Ruth Rose turned to Dink and Josh. "I've been asking my parents to take me," she said. "Me too," Dink said. "They've got a baby beluga whale!" "Now you're excused," Mr. Dillon said. "Have a nice day, and best of luck solving the case of the missing skeleton!" The kids stood up, gathered around their teachers, and left the gym. All around him Dink heard kids talking about the missing school skeleton. He heard one little boy whisper, "Maybe it came alive and walked away!" "Maybe if we figured out why anyone would want a skeleton," Dink said, "we could figure out

who took it." Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose thought about this as they followed Mrs. Eagle back to their classroom. They passed Mr. Neater, cleaning a window. He smiled and waved. "Maybe he took it," Josh whispered. "That key ring probably has keys to all the rooms in the school." "Josh, why would Mr. Neater want a skeleton?" Ruth Rose asked. "She's right," Dink said. "You might as well accuse Miss Aria, the music teacher, or Mr. Love, the art teacher."

"Well, someone took it," Josh said. Ruth Rose was shaking her head. "But why does it have to be an adult?" she asked. "Maybe the fifth graders stole Mr. Bones. Remember when