Read Pony Problems for Free Online Page B

smaller picture of Scott riding Buttons.
    Bess grinned. “Remember yesterday when Scott was jumping off the hay pretending he was a duck? It was annoying at the time, but now it seems pretty funny.”
    â€œQuack,” said George. “My brother can be such a spaz sometimes!”
    â€œMaa,” said Bess. “I’m a goat!” She held two fingers like horns on her head. “Maa.”
    â€œQuack, quack.” George responded, flapping her arms and running in circles around Bess and Nancy.
    â€œThat’s it!” Suddenly, Nancy’s eyes grew wide. “Thanks to the both of you, I think I just figured out this mystery.”
    â€œWhat did we do?” George stopped quacking.
    â€œHow did we help?” Bess stopped bleating.
    â€œWhat are you doing after school today?” Nancy asked Bess and George.

    They didn’t have any plans, except homework.
    â€œGood.” Nancy seemed very happy. “Do your homework right away. I’m going to ask Hannah if she’ll drive us over to the petting zoo.”
    â€œAren’t you going to fill us in?” Bess and George asked together.
    â€œLater,” Nancy said as the school bell rang. It was time to go back to class. “Meet me at my house at four o’clock. When we get to the petting zoo, I’ll tell you the answer to the mystery.”

When Nancy, Bess, and George arrived at the petting zoo, Stacy was already there. She was brushing Buttons’s mane.
    Amanda was there too. She was filling the water dishes in the bunny cages.
    Nancy went to get Mr. Johnson. She told him she had something important to share.
    â€œWhat is it?” Mr. Johnson asked. “Did you solve the mystery?”
    Nancy smiled and said, “I won’t tell until everyone is together.”
    They gathered inside the animal pen, under the shaded area.
    â€œI know how Buttons is getting out,” Nancybegan. “At first I thought maybe Stacy was letting him out, but then, Bess realized that Stacy couldn’t possibly get the key to the gate.”
    George added, “We asked Stacy anyway. She said she didn’t do it.”
    â€œRight!” Nancy punched the air. “But Stacy gave us a new clue.”
    â€œI did?” Stacy asked. “I didn’t know I gave you a clue.”
    â€œYou said something really important,” Nancy told her. “You said that Shetlands are like goats.” Stacy smiled. She was glad she’d been helpful, even if she didn’t quite understand.
    Nancy turned to Amanda. “We thought you might be letting Buttons out because if Buttons disappeared, you might get to move back to Hailey Town.”
    â€œI didn’t let him out,” Amanda said. “Really. I might not like it here, but I know how much my dad loves the farm. I’d never do anything to hurt him.”
    â€œNancy,” George looked surprised. “If Stacyisn’t letting Buttons out and Amanda isn’t doing it either, there’s only one suspect left.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Nancy said confidently. “Mr. Johnson is letting Buttons out.”
    Mr. Johnson gasped. “No, I’m not!”
    Nancy hurried to explain. “You aren’t doing it on purpose.” She looked over at Stacy. “Stacy, will you please tell Mr. Johnson the number one reason why Shetlands are like goats.”
    â€œEasy.” Stacy folded her arms across her chest. “Shetland ponies can climb!”
    â€œOh my gosh!” Bess exclaimed. “Buttons has been climbing over the fence.”
    â€œExactly,” Nancy said as she walked over to the bale of hay near the fence. “Yesterday Scott climbed on the hay pretending to be a goat.” Nancy stepped up on the bale. She swung one leg over the fence. “Stacy gave the final clue about Shetlands, and Bess and George reminded me about the first day we came to the petting zoo. There was a goat who had climbed