Betty Jo Schuler

Here's the solution ...

Mr. Albright works as a clown and blows up balloons with the tire pump. He uses a red ball for his clown nose, and this one won't stay on any more. He got gum in his wig and had to buy a new one. He puts on his makeup at home and pulls his cap low so people on the street won't see it. He carries the rest of his clown things in the satchel. The skis and mask don't have anything to do with his job.

Nina wishes she had a baseball cap to pull over her red face. "I should have thought twice before saying he was a criminal. When I saw the ski mask, I thought he was a holdup man. But when I found the broken skis, I knew I was being foolish. Things aren't always what they seem to be."

They solved a mystery but things aren't always what they seem. Maybe next time they'll find a real mystery.

Betty Jo Schuler's books Baby for Sale and Secret 'Till We're Grown are mysteries about some other kids who live on a cul-de-sac called Greenwillow Lane.

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