When they got outside, Chelsea said, “According to the flyer, the events are next to parking lot 54, by the Biomedical Engineering Building.”
“That’s about a fifteen minutes walk from here,” Simon said. “Or a five minute run!”
Mr. C waved them on. “You kids run ahead. Pascal and I will catch up in the bookmoblie. I know we’re running out of time to find Dr. Newton.”
So off they ran! By the time they got there, everyone was panting.
College students gathered around a dozen booths in front of the building. The first one the Trackers came to had duck-shaped stuffed animals piled next to a water bucket. The small sign read, Catch a Duck, Win a Duck. It didn’t take long to spot the large sign stuck in the grass that read, “PUMPKIN PIE-EATING CONTEST. BRING YOUR APPETITE AND A FORK!”
“Pumpkin,” Cooper grumbled.
“I thought any pie was a good pie?” Maya teased.
Cooper wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, except pumpkin!”
Rows of small brown pies covered a long table, each pie finished off with a swirl of cream on top. College kids with their hands behind their backs waited while the last few made their way to the table.
“C’mon everyone,” Chelsea said. “I want to watch too, but we need to find the clue, if it’s here.” They looked all around the table, Maya even crawled underneath! They got some raised eyebrows and a few, hey watch its, but saw nothing written in purple chalk.
“What are we missing?” Maya asked in frustration. “Let’s back up our steps and try again. That’s worked for us before.
So they headed back to Bevier Rd and then approached the booth from the other direction. And there it was, plain as day, on the back of the sign announcing the contest!
“It’s always the last place you look,” Cooper joked.
Chelsey rolled her eyes. “Of course it is, otherwise you’d keep looking.”
“Exactly!” Cooper said. “Now while you guys are figuring out this clue, I’m gonna go fishing for ducks!”
