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ones that remained looked gray and dingy.

    Gwendolyn smiled proudly. “I’ve been saving the best for last,” she told the crowd. “Believe it or not, this very ordinary, humble-looking toothbrush belonged to George Washington when he was President.”
    Several people in the crowd gasped.
    “Now that’s what I call a real antique!” a man declared. “I’ll give you fifty dollars for that, little lady.”
    Gwendolyn beamed. “Do I hear one hundred dollars?” she asked.
    “One hundred dollars!” someone shouted.
    Sally elbowed Encyclopedia hard. “You’d better do something fast before Gwendolyn bankrupts this crowd!”
    Encyclopedia was already on the move. He calmly stepped forward and held up his hand. “If you were president, you’d be impeached for lying, Gwendolyn. I don’t know who used to own that toothbrush, but it wasn’t George Washington.”
    “Oh yeah?” Gwendolyn put her hands on her hips and loomed over Encyclopedia. “And what makes you a presidential scholar, Shorty?”
    Encyclopedia looked Gwendolyn directly in the eye as he spoke. “I cannot tell a lie: You forgotone important fact about the Father of our Country.”
    What was Gwendolyn’s mistake?
    (Turn to this page for the solution to The Case of the Presidential Auction.)

The Case of the Stolen Surfboard

    I daville’s heat wave still hadn’t broken by the Fourth of July.
    “It’s going to be another scorcher,” Chief Brown said when Encyclopedia came down for breakfast.
    “I’ll say,” Encyclopedia agreed. Looking out the window, he could see that the thermometer near the garage already read seventy-eight degrees.
    After breakfast, the phone rang. It was Encyclopedia’s pal Benny Breslin.
    “Guess what, Encyclopedia!” Benny said excitedly. “I got a new surfboard yesterday. Want to come to the beach with me and try it out?”
    It was an invitation that Encyclopedia couldn’t refuse. “You bet,” he told Benny.
    “Good,” Benny replied. “My cousins and I will be there in thirty minutes.”
    Encyclopedia wasn’t thrilled to hear that Benny’s two cousins were coming along. He had met Todd and Garth before. Neither of them was what you’d call a quick thinker.
    “Mom, is it okay if I go to the beach with Benny and his cousins?” Encyclopedia asked.
    “Of course, dear,” Mrs. Brown said. “Just make sure to be back by two o’clock—you have a dentist appointment this afternoon.”
    Encyclopedia quickly changed into his swim trunks and raced to meet Benny and his cousins.
    When the four boys reached the beach, only a few other swimmers and surfers were there. The boys locked up their bikes, then dropped their towels near some scraggly pine trees along the dunes. Since it was still early, the trees cast plenty of shade.
    “Nice surfboard,” Encyclopedia said, taking a closer look at Benny’s new board. It was bright yellow with a picture of a surfer riding the crest of a big wave.
    “Thanks,” Benny replied proudly. “I can’t wait to try it out. It has—”
    Before Benny could finish, Garth reached down and grabbed the board.
    “Catch you later, Benny,” Todd yelled as he raced toward the ocean after his brother.
    “Hey!” Benny yelled after his cousins. “I didn’t say you could try it first!”
    Neither Garth nor Todd looked back. Instead, when they reached the ocean, Garth tossed the board into the water, then swam out after it.
    “Get back here with my board, Garth!” Benny cried.
    Encyclopedia waved his arms, trying to get the boys’ attention. But it was no use.
    Finally a lifeguard Benny knew noticed the commotion.
    “Need some help, Benny?” he asked.
    Benny nodded. “My cousins took my new board before I had a chance to try it myself.”
    “Todd and Garth?” The lifeguard sighed. “Those two have been causing trouble at the beach all summer. I’ll get your board back for you.” He blew two loud blasts on his whistle.
    Garth and Todd hurried out of the water.
    “What’s