2. The Missing Ring

2 The Missing Ring "This way to the lift," Detective Bates told the Lambchops. They followed him down a hallway and into an elevator. "I think the 'lift' must be the elevator," Stanley whispered to Arthur as they were whisked to the twentieth floor. "Come, hove a seat in my office," Detective Bates said, inviting them in. "Would you like a

spot of tea?" he asked Mr. and Mrs. Lambchop, pointing to a tea set on his desk. What in the world did he mean? Stanley wondered. The tea cups had no spots on them at all! He could not think too much about this question, though, because Detective Bates started explaining why he had called them here. Detective Bates cleared his throat. "As you may know," he began, "the queen of England is no longer young. When she dies, a new king—her son—will take part in the traditional coronation ceremony. That is when he will take charge of the throne and the crown. Only the queen knows that something will be missing from that ceremony." He lowered his voice and added, "Well, the queen... and someone else." Stanley and Arthur looked at each other, confused. "What do you mean?" Stanley asked. The detective continued. "Throughout history, the crown jewels have been an important part of the coronation ceremony. One by one, they are given to the new king or queen. Each one of them stands for one part of the ruler's power. For some

time, however, the queen has kept a secret. The set of crown jewels is not complete." "One of them was stolen?" Arthur asked. "Not exactly," said Detective Bates. "Usually the crown jewels are locked away, but the royal family may also use them for special occasions. It was after one family wedding that the Windsor Ring vanished. The queen has never laid eyes on it again." "The Windsor Ring?" Stanley repeated. "The Windsor Ring," Detective Bates repeated sadly. "It has been treasured by the royal family for centuries. It features an unusual group of gems. A blue sapphire, a white diamond, and a red ruby—now the colors of our British flog."

When the detective glanced at a small flagpole in the corner of the office, Stanley figured out what he was saying. He heard "flog," but Detective Bates was talking about a flag! "The queen's cousin, Lady Laura, was the one who borrowed the ring. She claims she returned it to the vault after the wedding. Since then, she has been spotted many times wearing a colorful ring. But no one has been able to determine if it is really the missing one." Detective Bates got to his point. "The queen does not want to embarrass her cousin. But this mystery has gone on long enough! Time is running out, and the queen wants the ring back before the next king is crowned. Stonley, how would you like to go on a spy mission?" "No fair!" Arthur answered before Stanley could say a word. "I want to go, too!" Detective Bates put a hand up to stop him. "Your family will stay together at all times," he promised Arthur. "But only Stonley will be working to solve the mystery." He explained the plan. Or, as he called it, "the plon."

Lady Laura, who lived far outside of London, was making a visit to the city. She would be attending a formal ball at Buckingham Palace— where the queen lived—with many other members of the royal family. "If Lady Laura has the ring," Detective Bates said, "this will be the perfect time to wear it. The queen is in poor health, so she will not be attending the ball. No one else knows about the missing ring. Lady Laura will think the coast is clear." "So... where do I come in?" Stanley asked. "You, Stonley, will be attending the ball," said Detective Bates. "Guests like Lady Laura will think you're there— with your family—as a famous guest." He paused and added, "I understand you are well known around the world. On account of your being... er... flot." Stanley looked modestly at the floor. "A lot of people know who I am," he had to agree. "You will be the perfect spy!" the detective exclaimed. "No one will guess you are undercover. But as you mingle with the guests, you can keep an eye on Lady Laura. You can get a

close look at her jewelry. And if she is wearing an unusual ring, you can use a special tool—which I will give you—to determine if it is truly the Windsor Ring." Detective Bates looked at Stanley, waiting for his reply. Stanley was excited about the mission, but he couldn't help thinking about the detective's accent. He didn't mean to be rude. He just couldn't stop himself before these words came out of his mouth: "I'd be really glod to do it!" Detective Bates did not seem to notice, though. He just thumped Stanley on the back and said, "Bright chop! I will see you at the ball." A "chop," Stanley soon learned, was a chap. That was what English people said instead of "guy." Wherever the Lambchops went in London, someone was calling Stanley a chap. "There's a fine chap," said a taxi driver, giving Flat Stanley a strange look. "The queue starts here, young chap," said a ticket seller at Westminster Abbey. Any English chap, Stanley discovered, knew that a queue was a line.