Free Inspector Rumblepants and the Case of the Golden Haggis by Mike Blyth Page A

bit muddy,” she asked.
    A few moments later, Agent Amber, the Inspector, and Sergeant Widebottom were huddled some distance from the tree in which the gypsy was still swinging slowly in the breeze. Agent Amber’s notebook was full of details that the gypsy had spilled in his fear. They had discovered that the evil Count Tomat Le Ketchoop had joined forces with Bonnie Prince Currie to gain Currie the crown of Scotland and overthrow Queen Victoria of England. The dastardly plan of the Count and the Prince was to use the revered symbol of the Golden Haggis to unite the Scottish clans and convince them to attack England. The gypsy had also told Agent Amber that the evil Prince eventually intended to send the Scottish and English armies to invade Europe—and then take over the rest of the world.
    Her captive also told her where he had hidden his own money, the fact that he had not worked hard enough in school, and that he had once borrowed someone’s bicycle without their permission when he was eleven years old. He was also able to tell her where to get some great deals on shoes.
    Inspector Rumblepants gravely summarized what they had learned so far and what they must do next. “It is great that we now know who has the Golden Haggis and what their plans are,” he said solemnly. “Sergeant,” he ordered, “you let the gypsy down and take him and his friends to the nearest police station. Then meet us at the University of Loch Ness. We can visit with Professor Aberdeen, catch up with Inspector Thistle McDonald, and decide where the Count and the Prince might be hiding out.”
    He smiled at Agent Amber. “Perhaps you can speak to the Scottish secret agents, if they are working today. Please ask them if they can find out where Bonnie Prince Currie may be hiding and how we can stop his reprehensible plot to take over the world.”
    They all agreed to the Rumblepants’s plan. Sergeant Widebottom carefully got the relieved gypsy leader down from the tree. Agent Amber had spotted a small village several miles from the edge of the lake, and so Sergeant Widebottom led the trembling gypsy and his friends down the muddy track toward the village, tied together in a line using his own invention: extendable handcuffs.

    When the Sergeant arrived at the village an hour later, some of the local policemen arrived on donkeys to arrest the gypsies. The local police looked first at the large, frightened men who were cowering by the police station. Next they looked at Sergeant Widebottom. The success of the capture didn’t make logical sense to them.
    â€œYe did this yerself, did ye?” asked one diminutive, ginger-haired policeman in amazement.
    Sergeant Widebottom admitted honestly, “No, it was a young lady who made the arrest, actually. I just brought them here.”
    â€œA girlie?” exclaimed another local officer in disbelief. “But don’t you realize that you have arrested Tough Tim and Brutal Bob?” he stammered in astonishment, looking at Tim and Bob. The two scarred and tattooed tough guys were now trembling.
    â€œYup, I also see Kick-Em-in-the-Teeth Keith,” said another police officer with surprise.
    â€œAnd there’s Knuckles Nathan!” said another, shaking his head in wonder.
    â€œWell, as I said,” repeated Sergeant Widebottom, “I can’t take the credit. It was a young girl who arrested them. She’s highly skilled with her weapons, which include a hairbrush and her shoes.”
    â€œA devil in a dress!” advised one of the defeated, nasty-looking gypsies. “So please lock us up so we can be safe from her.”

    Agent Amber had brought a horse and carriage to the lake. Inspector Rumblepants loaded his luggage on, as well as the Sergeant’s. The old policeman and the young secret agent then clambered on top and started toward the University of Loch Ness, fifteen miles away in the village of