It was the last night before the first day of the new school year and the twins were packing their bags. They were excited to start school again, and excited to see Miss Clavel.
During the summer, they spent all their time with Kathy, who made them do chores and run errands. One day, Madeline accidentally broke a dinner plate. Kathy got very angry and hit her so hard that it left a bruise that was still visible. Madeline worried about what her friends would say if they saw it. On another occasion, Riley forgot to weed the garden, causing Kathy to hit her as well.
That night Madeline asked. "Riley, are you awake?"
Riley nodded. "Yes."
"I can't wait to see Genevieve and Marie again." Madeline said.
Riley nodded. "Yes, and it will be awesome to see Pepito and Steven again."
This made Madeline giggle.
Suddenly the door slammed open. Kathy stormed into the room and yelled "GO TO SLEEP, BRATS!"
The twins winced. Kathy made her point clear by slapping the twins. That made the third time in one summer. After Kathy left the room, Madeline and Riley fell asleep.
The next day, Madeline and Riley woke up happy and ready to go back to school. After getting dressed, they went into the kitchen for breakfast. Kathy handed them plates of toast with butter. While they were eating, Madeline asked. "When are we going back to the old house, Aunt Kathy?"
"I'll take you back after you finish your chores." Kathy replied. She made a list of chores for Madeline and Riley to do. The girls groaned but said nothing.
After breakfast, they started on their chores. By the time they were done, their faces were beet red.
"Whew! I'm glad we're finally done!" Riley said. Madeline nodded in agreement.
They walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water. Riley got two cups and filled them, handing one to her sister. Just as they were about to take a drink, Kathy walked in. She looked mad.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Madeline and Riley gasped in surprise, causing the glasses to fall out of their hands and shatter.
Kathy's face turned even redder.
"Look what you brats did!" Kathy yelled.
"S-sorry, Aunt Kathy." The girls stammered.
Kathy huffed. "Now start cleaning up this mess!"
The twins nodded.
"I'll get the broom." Riley said.
But Kathy stopped her. "Oh no! You're going to pick up all of those glass pieces by hand!"
The twins looked at their aunt in shock.
"NOW GET ON IT". Kathy screamed.
The twins sighed and by the time they were finished, their hands were full of cuts; some that were bleeding.
"We can go now." Kathy said.
The twins hurried to get their bags. As they were leaving, they saw Emily and Helen reading in their yard.
"Hi Emily! Hi, Miss Helen!" They called to their neighbors.
Emily and Helen waved back.
Kathy appeared behind the two twins and yelled, "Let's go Brats"! She grabbed their ears and pulled them away from the neighbors. But Helen noticed and took out a small note pad from her bag. She began to write, most likely about what she had seen.
Kathy drove the twins to the school. Madeline and Riley were about to walk to the front door, but Kathy stopped them. She got out of the car and came around to the passenger side, tugging on the girls' ears as she pulled them to the front door.
Kathy knocked on the door. The cook, Mrs. Murphy, answered . At the sight of Kathy, she sighed in annoyance. She didn't like Kathy at all.
"Hello, Kathy."
"Hello." Kathy replied, pulling the twins into the house.
Mrs. Murphy glanced at the girls. Her eyes widened when she noticed that they were clearly upset and trying to hold back tears. Trying to not let her anger show, Mrs. Murphy smiled at the twins and said "Welcome back girls! Why don't you put your stuff in the bedroom and then we can have a chat about what you did over the summer."
"Yes ma'am." The girls replied. They were grateful that Kathy let go of them, and quickly grabbed their bags. As they were about to walk upstairs, Kathy put her foot out, causing them to fall hard on the floor. Wincing in pain, Madeline and Riley picked up their bags and walked upstairs.
Mrs. Murphy gasped, and quickly returned to the kitchen.
Kathy started to leave, but she stopped and discreetly removed a small black camera and hid it in a small hole in the wall. She smiled evilly to herself and thought;
Now I'll be able to watch those twins from anywhere.
When Kathy was gone, Madeline and Riley came back downstairs and into the kitchen. Mrs. Murphy smiled when she saw them. She poured two cups of lemonade and instructed the girls to sit and relax.
When they were seated at the table, Mrs. Murphy noticed the scratches on the girls' hands and became concerned.
"What happened to your hands, girls?"
Madeline and Riley looked at each other worriedly. In low voices, they told Mrs. Murphy what had happened to them over the summer.
Mrs. Murphy was shocked by the abuse. When the girls had finished telling their story, they were both crying. She hugged them warmly and smiled. "It's all right. You're safe here." When the girls were calmer, Mrs. Murphy got the first aid kit and began to bandage Madeline and Riley's hands.
"Where are Miss Clavel and the other girls?" Riley asked.
"They went for a long walk." Mrs. Murphy replied.
Madeline looked at Riley. "If we hadn't had to stay at Kathy's picking up the glass from the floor, we could have gone on that walk with them."
The door opened and laughter floated into the room.
"Well, it looks like they're back." Mrs. Murphy said.
The twins thanked the cook for fixing them up and they hurried to go see their friends. Miss Clavel's face lit up when she saw Madeline and Riley.
Madeline, Riley it's so good to see you again." Miss Clavel gave the twins a tight hug.
The twins then got hugs from their other friends. After the greetings, everyone sat down to dinner.
When dinner was over, Madeline and Riley went upstairs to get ready for bed. They'd just finished brushing their teeth when Miss Clavel asked them what had happened to their hands.
Madeline and Riley told their story to Miss Clavel.
Miss Clavel looked the girls over, gasping in disbelief when she noticed the bruises. "I'm sorry you both had to deal with that over the summer. Since you weren't able to come with us on the walk today, I think we'll go to the zoo tomorrow. How does that sound?"
"Yea!" Madeline and Riley exclaimed, hugging their teacher.
Miss Clavel guided Madeline and Riley into the bedroom where the other girls were waiting. They climbed into bed and fell asleep shortly after saying goodnight to Miss Clavel, excited for the next day.
Riley, Madeline, and the 40 Thieves
Narrator: In an old house in Paris, covered in vines, thirteen little girls lived in two straight lines. They left the house at half past nine, in two straight lines, in rain or shine.
Mrs. Clavel counted her young charges; "Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix, onze:"
The older one was Riley, the smallest, Madeline.
At The Seine
Madeline and her sister were watching the boats on the river. "Wouldn't it be nice to sail a boat?" Madeline asked.
Riley turned around and saw Miss Clavel, who was tapping her foot angrily. "Um, Madeline, perhaps we'd better wait until we are back at the old house to talk about that."
"Okay, Riley! "Madeline replied.
Narrator: On a windy day in early fall, Miss Clavel said:
"Let's not go outside at all!" Miss Clave told the girls."
The girls had other ideas. "We cannot stay inside, si vous plait, Miss Clavel!" They cried.
Miss Clavel sighed. She really didn't want to keep the girls inside. "Oh, very well, little girls, but be sure to dress warmly." She conceded.
The 13 girls cheered, nodded, and hurried to get their coats.
Narrator: They had planned to go to the zoo, so they wrapped up in scarves red, green and blue, and headed down the avenue. The wind was blowing everywhere- it blew them to the polar bear! And to the tiger turning blue, Madeline could only say
Madeline "Achoo!" and started to shiver.
"Tut, my Darling, we must go home! "Miss Clavel said. "It's getting windier and I don't need anyone getting sick.".
Narrator; The girls lined up and were all set to go when Chloe suddenly exclaimed;
"Where is my chapeau?" "I had it on when we got here."
"We must find it!" Riley said.
"Where could it be?" asked Danielle.
Narrator: They searched high, and they searched low, but where the hat had gone, they did not know!
"We must count it as lost. I am sorry Chloe," Miss Clavel finally said, "Now allons-y!"
Narrator: But Chloe's missing cap was only the start. Soon, more and more things began to depart.
When they returned to the house, Danielle exclaimed:
"My shoes! Where have they gone?"
"How could shoes just go missing like that?" the others asked.
Later, as the girls played outside with Steven and Pepito, Riley asked; "Madeline you didn't borrow my brand-new mittens, did you?"
"No I would've told you if I did." Madeline said.
" Riley said Well they seem to have gone missing. Have you seen them, Steve?"
"Your very handsome red and blue ones?" Steven asked. By this point, it was obvious that he'd come to care very much for Riley.
"Yes." Riley replied.
Steve looked sympathetic. "Sorry Riley, I haven't seen them,"
The next morning, as the girls dressed, Chloe gasped.
"My sock- it is gone! Who took it?"
Narrator: Just as Miss Clavel feared, so many things had disappeared.
"Really, little girls –you are getting so absent minded!" Miss Clavel scolded. She reached for her coat. But it was not there!
"My coat!" she exclaimed. "It was here yesterday! Where could it be?"
The girls couldn't help laughing from the doorway.
Miss Clavel sighed. "Don't laugh, mes petites. How could this occur?"
No one knew what was happening.
Narrator ; But the answer to that was left unsaid, and so, they sat down and broke their bread.
The girls chorused "We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other!"
Narrator : They brushed their teeth and went to bed.
Bonne nuit, little girls. I hope you sleep well," said Miss Clavel.
"Bonne nuit, dear Miss Clavel!" the girls replied.
Narrator ; Then Miss Clavel turned out the light. But tonight, there was no pillow fight, for the little girls had a terrible fright!
As the clock struck 9:30pm, they heard a loud creaking sound nearby.
Danielle asked "What is that?"
There was a collective gasp when the sound came again.
"What is that?" whispered Chloe.
The sound came closer. "Oh no!" the girls cried, as they dove under their beds.
"Perhaps it is only Madeline and Riley, up to their silly tricks!" Danielle suggested.
"Excuse moi, Danielle, but how that can be when Madeline and I are right here next to you?" Riley contradicted.
The loud creaking came again! The girls squeaked in alarm, The door to the bedroom opened and the girls squeaked in fear.
Madeline sighed with relief. "It is only Miss Clavel!"
Sure enough, their teacher was in the room.
"Little girls, I heard a strange, strange noise!" Miss Clavel exclaimed.
And all the girls began talking at once. "We were so scared!"
When the creaking returned again and again, the girls hurried to their teacher and held on.
"Shh! Here it is again, mes petites!" Miss Clavel said.
Madeline and Riley listened for a moment and heard where the sound was coming from.
"It is coming from the attic!" said Madeline.
"We'll go and see!" Riley said boldly, "Does anyone want to come with me?"
Narrator : The 11 little girls all hid in fright, afraid to find the awful sound that made the creaky noise that night.
"No not me!" they all quavered.
"I will not go up there!" said Chloe firmly.
Miss Clavel said "That's all right, girls Madeline, Riley and I will go."
Narrator: Miss Clavel, Riley and Madeline refused to be scared, and they hurried off to find the noise upstairs. The attic was a scary place. They tiptoed in with solemn grace. When they entered, they cried "Eek!" because something in the attic went creak!
"Do you hear it? Regardez, something is there!" Miss Clavel whispered. Riley went with Miss Clavel to see, while Madeline stood by the doorway.
Suddenly Miss Clavel laughed. "Oh ho, ho, ho, it is just the window screen!"
Narrator: Then Madeline's eyes grew wide with fright, as she looked around the attic. Something or someone had been there that night!
Madeline exclaimed, "Miss Clavel! Riley! Quick! Look here, our old winter clothing has all disappeared!" The twins and their teacher gasped as they looked at the pile of clothes, which was now much smaller.
Suddenly a shadow appeared, followed by a sound
They all gasped. "Madeline, shh look, look- voile there he is!" Riley said.
Narrator : Miss Clavel held Riley and Madeline very tight and watched as the robber slipped away into the night. Miss Clavel called Detective Monroe. The detective came quickly and searched the house high and low as Riley, Madeline and Danielle watched from the top of the stairs. But in the end, he left without as much as a clue. That night, no one in the house slept well; the girls, the dog or Miss Clavel. The next morning they awakened, still shaking and very tired. The 13 girls found it hard to concentrate on their classes. Riley nor Madeline could stand it no longer.
"Mes amies do not stand there quaking. We must catch the thief!" Riley cried impatiently.
"Oui I agree with Riley!" Madeline said standing next to her sister.
"But Riley, what can we do?" Danielle asked.
"Oui! We are only small girls!" Nicole wailed.
"He is a very big thief!" said Chloe.
"How do you know if the thief is a boy?" Riley huffed at her friend.
"We will catch Monsieur Thief!" Madeline said stoutly.
"But how?" Chloe asked.
Riley jumped up onto her bed. "We know exactly what to do. We will follow every clue!"
"He stole my hat! He stole my glove!" Nicole said.
Chloe sighed. "He stole my coat- the one I love!"
"Look out my friends." Madeline warned. "He'll be back for more! Its shadow is coming through the door! Call the captain, call the chief! we will catch that awful thief! We will follow every clue until we capture you-know-who!"
"He stole my scarf! He stole my shoe!" Danielle said.
"He stole my earmuffs!" Lulu cried. "They were new!"
"Madeline's right" Riley said. "Look out my friends! He'll be back for more! A shadow is coming through the door! Call the captain, call the chief! We will catch that awful thief! We will follow every clue until we capture you-know-who!"
The girls exclaimed "It will steal our garden and our house!"
Madeline shook her head in disbelief.
"He'll steal some cheese from Gus the mouse!" Riley said.
"Look out, my friends! He'll come back for more!" Madeline warned. "His shade is coming through the door!"
The girls exclaimed "Call the captain! Call the chief! We will follow every clue until we capture you-know who!"
"But Riley, what will you two do first?" asked Danielle, for she knew that every good detective must have a good plan.
"Hmm," said Riley. She thought for a moment., "Voila! I have it! Steven and Pepito liked our new mittens"
Madeline nodded as she had the same thought as her sister. "I wonder if..."
Riley and Madeline gasped at the thought, ran down the stairs and out the door, and ran over to the house next door. Mystified, the rest of the girls followed them.
"Madeline! Riley! Wait for us!" The other 11 girls called out.
Narrator: Because Steve and Pepito liked Riley and Madeline's mittens, both boys were now under suspicion.
"This is just the sort of bad joke Steve and Pepito might play on us!" Madeline griped as she knocked on the boys' door.
The Ambassadress opened the door and looked surprised at the girls' upset faces. "Hannah! Little girls! Is everything all right?" The girls nodded.
"Oui we are fine. said Madeline, "May we speak with Steve and Pepito, sil vous plait?"
"Of course!" said the Ambassadress warmly, stepping aside.
Riley said, "You six come with me, to Steven's room."
Madeline and the other five girls went to Pepito's room.
Narrator: But Riley, Madeline, and the other girls were in for a surprise when they saw the strange hats Steven and Pepito had devised. On the boys' heads were ridiculous little paper hats in place of their usual bad hats.
"I do not believe my eyes! What is that thing on your head!?" Madeline asked, trying hard not to giggle..
"I am missing the bad hat. Someone has taken it!" Pepito explained glumly, taking off the paper hat and crumbling it up and he threw it into the garbage. "Steven lost his too!"
"Oh no!" the girls chorused.
"Someone had taken the bad hats? This thief has no taste at all!" Madeline exclaimed.
Meanwhile in Steven's room down the hall, Riley asked, "Steven, are you sure you and Pepito have looked everywhere?"
"It's not just the bad hats. We have lost coats, mittens, scarves and boots!" said Steven.
Everyone gasped. "Have you been losing things too?" Steven asked.
Riley nodded., "Excuse moi, Steven, I hate to admit it, but Madeline and I suspected you and Pepito… never mind. I better go and tell Maddie the bad news!"
The girls said goodbye and hurried out of the boy's house. Outside Riley told her sister what Steven had said.
"I know. Pepito told me the same thing." Madeline said.
The twins then decided right then and there that they would catch the thief.
Narrator: There wasn't any time to waste to catch the thief with bad taste.
"You care to join us, Steven?" Riley asked.
"Claro! Of course I do! I will see if Pepito wants to come too!" Steven asked eagerly.
"I see that Steven wants to help." Madeline told her twin. "Oh, and Pepito is helping us too," she added.
Riley took her sister's hand and said let's go and ask around the neighborhood. and see if other things are missing too." she said.
"Let's go!" Madeline cheered.
"Tell Miss Clavel that we will be back by dinnertime." Madeline told the other 11 girls.
Narrator: And so their investigation started with a neighborhood interrogation.
Riley asked a woman in her garden. "Have you lost anything at all? Anything that is large or small?"
"My glove and my shawl," replied the woman.
Madeline nodded and wrote it down on her notepad.
Steven asked a man fixing a roof, "Bonjour Monsieur! Have you lost anything in the last few days?"
" Oui! My belt, my vest, and my best beret!" said the man.
Narrator: Things were missing from every block, from the horses' shoes to the milkman's socks! Madeline and Riley thought and thought about the thief. They had been wrong in their beliefs.
Madeline suddenly gasped.
"Madeline, what is wrong?" asked Pepito
"Oui, what is it, Maddie?" Riley inquired.
"Oh, Pepito- I have made a terrible mistake! Now I know what really happened!" cried Madeline as she began running back home.
"Come on, you two! We have to keep up!" Riley called to the boys as she followed Madeline.
Narrator ; Madeline rushed inside the old house and rang Danton 6-3.
"Detective Monroe, come quickly! Oui, oui!" she exclaimed.
"Madeline, what's wrong?" the detective asked from the other end of the phone.
Narrator : Madeline explained her miscalculation and need for a new explanation.
"So many burglaries can't be the work of one thief!" she told the detective when he arrived to the house.
"Oui, but many thieves, Detective Monroe! 10, 20, maybe even 40!" said Riley.
"Bien sûr that explains it!" said Detective Monroe, "This is where the thief- or thieves- have struck. Hmmm I have a map as I have been trying to find those thieves as well."
Narrator : He showed them a map filled with red dots. There were marks on buildings and marks on docks. It looked like the map had chicken pox! Detective Monroe was so very pleased, he made Riley, Steven, Madeline Pepito his deputies. And so, together they went around, following clues until the thieves were found.
"Um, Maddie, don't you think we should've told Miss Clavel about this?" Riley asked.
"It'll be all right, Riley. As long as we're back before dinner time." Madeline replied.
The small group of five searched high and low. They searched and searched even as the sun started to set.
"Hmm..." Riley murmured as shadows flew by them on the street.
"After them!" Madeline exclaimed, and they ran.
Narrator: They talked to people all over the city, from the Eiffel Tower to the streets less pretty. They came so close, but the thieves got away! They began to lose all hope that day. They went up and down and all around, but still the mystery did confound!
" How can these thieves get around so quickly?" grumbled Riley. "It's not like they have bikes or anything."
"Good thinking, Riley!" said Madeline rolling her eyes at her sister's statement.
Narrator: They had exhausted the sights; they walked around all day until it was dark, and then they reached a little park.
"Let's sit down and think," said Steven wearily. The group of five slumped down on the ground. They thought and talked, but nothing made sense.
"This is dreadful. We have run out of clues!" Riley exclaimed.
Narrator: With no clues left, what could they do? Their search for the robbers was, alas, all through! But when things had reached their very worst, Madeline was the one who saw it first. The small redheaded girl was shocked at what she saw.
"Riley, Steven, Pepito, Detective Monroe- look!" she gasped.
"I cannot believe my eyes! It is the bad hats!" Pepito exclaimed.
"It is true! There are no others!" replied Steven.
"Oh, Detective Monroe, this is splendid!" Riley exclaimed happily.
"Oh, ho, ho, oui, oui!" said Detective Monroe giddily, "Perhaps we will catch one of these thieves!"
With that, the group of five all ran to the bench and gasped at the sight of two people. The two people (Who were only a little boy and girl named Jack and Lily,) Looked at the group with wide eyes.
"Who are you two, and why do you dare to wear Steven and Pepito's bad hats?" demanded Riley.
"Who are Pepito and Steven?" asked Lily, the thief.
"No clue, sis," said Jack..
"I am Steven, and this is my younger brother, Pepito, you bad bandito!" snapped Steven.
"Your life as a thief is now finito!" said Pepito. As he was about to grab the hat off Jack's head. Steven and Riley held him back.
"Look we are not thieves!" Jack argued.
"Then why are you two wearing Steven and Pepito's hats?" Detective Monroe asked sternly.
"Are these the two boys' bad hats? We will gladly give them back!" Lily said, throwing Pepito's hat on his head.
"Jack?"
"No way! I am keeping this bad hat! It suits me just fine!" Jack retorted.
Riley and Madeline looked at the boys whose faces went red with anger.
"My hat or a fat lip and two black eyes! Now what will be, pal?" challenged Steven.
Jack looked scared. "Okay, okay! Here is your hat!" he said, throwing it at Steven.
"Steven, you know better!" Riley scolded.
Steven blushed. "I know but I've had this hat since I was little and it is my favorite."
"Who are you two, and where do you live?" asked Detective Monroe.
"Our home is this park, this bench, this limb," said Jack.
"Wherever we happen to be right now," added Lily.
"Where did you both get the bad hats?" asked Madeline.
"On the hats tree, of course, and we will find another! Come on Lily, let's go!" said Jack, and with that, both kids ran away so quickly that the group didn't even notice.
The group looked at each other confused. "The Hat Tree?" Madeline questioned.
"I think they're crazy," Pepito said, shaking his head.
Riley turned around about to ask the two children about this hat tree the two children had run off.
"Wait, come back!" shouted Riley.
"We must follow them!" said Detective Monroe.
Narrator: The girl and boy were small, but they were faster than a fiddle. It was late and getting dark as they followed Jack and Lily deep into the park. They were just about to end their spree when they came upon a great big tree. The group stood with their mouths wide open. When they were finally able to speak again.
"Regardez, Pepito!" gasped Madeline.
"Regardez, Steven!" said Riley.
Narrator: On one branch were coats and mittens, and the little red head suddenly spotted a familiar sight dangling from the branch, right at the very end.
Madeline exclaimed "Riley, look! There are our new red and blue mittens!" Madeline took them off the tree.
"And Chloe's hat and sock, and Miss Clavel's coat, Danielle's shoes and Lulu's earmuffs, and Nicole's glove. Oh! And hats, scarves, and tights, and there are capes, gloves, and sweaters!" gasped Riley. As she gathered her friends' clothes, she smiled. "They will be so happy to have this stuff back!"
After gathering all of the missing clothes. The small group looked at the other clothing on the tree.
Narrator ; Some were old and some much better.
"Now this is a good hat!," said Lily, grabbing a nice, new hat from the tree and putting it on her head.
"Agreed, Sis." Jack said admiringly.
"But who could have brought all this clothing together?" Detective Monroe asked curiously.
"I do not know," said Madeline sadly.
"But if we wait, we will find out!" Riley suggested excitedly.
Both Steven and Pepito groaned "Do we have to? We are hungry and tired." A stern look from the twins made the boys stop complaining.
Narrator: Soon, the fivesome was quite alone, and the autumn wind began to blow. The trees let out a groan, and they felt a fear they had never known. It was also getting very dark.
"I want to go home!" Pepito cried.
"Me too!" wailed Steven.
"There's nothing to be frightened about, boys, it's just a bit of lightning," answered Detective Monroe, jumping as lightning struck.
"Of course, we cannot leave, Pepito!" Madeline reminded her friend.
"Not until we've caught the forty thieves!" Riley said grimly.
Narrator ; The night grew long, and frightening; there was wind, hail, and so much lightning. But none of that could compare to what flew through the air.
As the group waited, Madeline suddenly heard a sound.
"Riley, Pepito, Steven, Detective Monroe, look!" Madeline cried, pointing.
"We must run for it, while we still can!" Pepito said, and he and Steven began to run.
But Madeline and Riley grabbed them. "Let us go, por favor! Listen!" they insisted.
Narrator ; Steven and Pepito listened, and they both let out a cry.
"Why, it is a bird!" exclaimed Pepito.
"The sly magpie!" added Steven.
Narrator ; They watched in awe as magpies dropped articles of clothing onto the branches of the trees: hats, shirts, and socks.
"My word, my word! The Forty Thieves were only birds!" cried Madeline and Riley.
A magpie landed on each girl's left hand, and another two landed on the boys' hats, all chattering loudly and fluttering their wings.
"You birds only wanted to help the needy!" Riley gasped in realization.
"You are really heroes!" Madeline exclaimed.
Narrator: They danced for the birds for nearly an hour before heading home in a pretty snow shower. Madeline and Riley looked at each other. "Uh, I think we should be getting home." Madeline told her friends.
The small group walked back to the old house. "Do you think Miss Clavel will be mad at us for being out so late?" Madeline asked.
"I hope not," Riley said with a gulp.
Suddenly the door to the old house opened, and Pepito and Steven's parents came out, as did Miss Clavel and the other girls.
Whilst the boys reunited with their relieved parents, Miss Clavel hurried out towards the twins. "Madeline, Riley, I was so worried I thought something bad had happened to you two! Let us come inside where it is warm!" she exclaimed. She picked up both girls and hugged them tightly. Madeline and Riley were relieved that their teacher was not mad at them.
They happily ate their supper and once they'd brushed their teeth, they gave their friends the missing clothing before going to bed.
Narrator : the next day , the four young investigators gathered everyone to explain the answer to the mystery.
"Dear Miss Clavel, there was no need for worry!" Madeline said. She and Riley dashed up some steps to speak to the people. "We have a message from the Forty Thieves!"
"We all have clothes in our closets we do not wear," said Riley, "Let us give them to people who need them!"
Jack and Lily who had been hiding in the way back of the group. Looked at each other and smiled and then they ran off.
Narrator: So all over the neighborhood, in houses and in stores, people gathered up old clothes- their gifts for the poor. The 13 girls were shocked as the pile of clothes grew bigger and bigger. That evening Madeline whistled, and the magpies swooped down. The birds picked up the clothing, and flew away.
Then, the birds came back and took Madeline and Riley out for a special flight to thank them from helping. They climbed and soared to new heights, and Madeline and Riley saw wonderful sights! At last, when it grew dark, Madeline and Riley were taken home and placed on the garden wall of the old house. Madeline giggled and did a handstand.
"Oh, Riley, Madeline, be careful!" Miss Clavel said, scooping the twins off the wall into a warm hug.
"Goodbye, dear magpies!" The girls chorused, waving to the birds who chattered back.
Narrator: The girls went home, and broke their bread…
"We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other!" the girls said as always.
Narrator: "And brushed their teeth, and went to bed."
"Sweet dreams! Sleep tight! I do not expect any more thieves tonight!" said Miss Clavel happily, and she closed the door.
"Now we can have a pillow fight!" Riley exclaimed, and the girls began laughing and throwing their pillows at each other.
Narrator: They ran back and forth upon the floor. And that's all there is. There isn't any more.