Grimble is Daft When Mr. Grimble entered the classroom that Friday morning he stopped as if rooted to the spot. For there, on the blackboard in huge red letters were written the words: Grimble is Daft! Mr. Grimble thought for a moment. This could only have been the work of one of the four boys who had been kept in after school on the day before. They were Gerald Fink, Alex White, Michael Cash and Laurie Upton. Mr. Grimble turned the blackboard round so that its unfriendly remark could not be seen, and he settled down to have a look at some books. Half an hour later, when the first of the eleven years old arrived, Mr. Grimble did not look up. Then lesson began. The first three of them passed without anything-special happening. It was just like any other day. But when the bell rang for break, Mr. Grimble told the whole class to wait while he wrote four names on the board: Fink, White, Cash and Upton. Then he said: �I want these four to remain behind. Into the playground with the rest of you.� The four boys came to the blackboard with and assumed their most angelic expression. �One of you has written a most impertinent remark on the other side of the blackboard,� he thundered. �Which one of you did it?� The four boys huddled closer, afraid of what was to come. �Was it you, Gerald?� Fink shook his head energetically. �No, it�s not me, Sir,� he assured the teacher with a most sincere look in his wide eyes. �What do you have to say, Alex?� �I don�t know anything about it, Sir,� protested Alex, and his ears turned red. Michael Cash had a bright idea. �Perhaps someone broke in during the night,� he said. �And when he saw the lovely red chalk lying there �� �Is that the best you can think of, Cash?� asked the teacher with a most withering tone. �I only thought �� �And what about you, Laurence?� Upton scratched his nose and said rather unconvincingly: �I didn�t do it, Sir. I don�t even know what it says on the board.� Mr. Grimble shook his head. �You really don�t know what�s written there?� he said incredulously. �And I don�t suppose dear Gerald knows either?� �No, Sir. No idea.� �Michael � Alex � Can either of you tell me what it says on either side of the blackboard?� �No, Sir!� shouted the other two boys in chorus. Grimble reached forward and his fingers seized an ear. He drew his ear, together with the attached schoolboy, slowly towards him and said in his kindest and softest voice: �Very well. I�ll only punish the one who has been telling lies. Run along, you three. You may join your friends in the playground!� Which boy has been telling lies? Answer: It was Michael Cash who gave himself away when he showed that he knew the words on the blackboard were written in red chalk. Back To R U a Good Detective Back to Home Page |