THE MYSTERY OF SALRY SWAMP

By John R. Mabry | 3rd Grade | Age 9

Chapter One
Well, it all started when the three Jones children went down to the swamp to catch frogs. When they got there they heard a groaning sound and it sounded like it was coming from the lake. So Joe, Jim and Billy Jones put a stick in the water. It was nearly night when they took the stick out of the water. They saw on the stick some yellow gleaming seaweed. From it they heard a screaming sound. And with a moments notice, a ghost-like figure got out of the seaweed and flew away. While some hunters came and heard their story. It sure was unbelievable. But their story was on the front page. It read: THREE BOYS FIND A GHOST AT SALRY SWAMP. (The Jones boys come home).

Chapter Two

"Hi, Mom." Said all of the boys excitedly.

"I saw that thing in the paper, do you have homework?"

"No!" Said all of the boys at the same time. "We thought you would let us go to the stream."

"Well, I guess you can, but be careful."

"Okay." Said Billy. "Okay." Said Joe. "Okay." Said Jim.

(They had got there.)

Dark clouds came over and mysteriously vanished. All three boys did not understand. The three hunters came back. "Black clouds came up and vanished." Said Jim.

"We saw it, too." Said one of the hunters.

"By the way," said Bill, "What are your names?"

"This is Mr. Habok, and I am Mr. Leans."

Chapter Three

"Mr. Leans, do you think we should put this in the paper, too?"

"Well, maybe we should." (And so they did.)

It read: THE THREE JONES, BOYS ALSO FIND MYSTERTOUS DARK CLOUDS THAT VANISH AND APPEAR

The Jones boys were walking to school when a dark looking man came up to them and said, "Are you Billy, Joe, and Tim Jones?"

"Why, yes. Can we do something for you?"

"All you can do is follow me! HA! HA! HA!" And he vanished.

They were in deep shock, all three of them. That was another one for the paper. It read: THE JONES BOYS READY TO UNRAVEL MYSTERY.

Chapter Four
"Well," said Jim.

The phone rang. It was Mr. Hambock. "I want you boys to fly over here to Los Angeles in two weeks. I'll send you the money."

"Well, can't we talk over the phone?"

"I'm afraid not. By-." (And hung up.)

Mrs. Jones packed their suit cases and gave them the money and drove them to the airport. "Now get on American Airlines."

(They got on the plane.)

They had a nice over night rest on the plane. They woke up when they landed.

Chapter Five
They got off the plane and Mr. Hamock met them. "Come to my hotel." (He had a private investigator).

"Hi, boys! Glad to meet you. We have to get down to business." Said the investigator. "Oh, by the way, my name is Mr. Haipe. Why don't you bring me to that swamp? Well?"

The boys looked at each other. "Okay!" Said Joe.

Jim put in his diary: "April 22: We are going back home. It is a long ride. We are going by car."

"April 23: We arrived home."

Chapter Six
Well, we did arrive home on April 23. We all went down to the swamp and spent the night. But when the watch hand turned twelve the yellow moss of the swamp pulled Mr. Habock into the water and turned him into a green moss life form of the sea. When they woke up the next morning they found that Mr. Habock was gone. Suddenly they heard his voice. The moss figure came out of the water. They turned around. When it fell, it fell on dry land. Slowly the moss vanished and it came out like Mr. Habcock.

Chapter Seven
"Well, that's one piece to the puzzle. Now we have to find twenty more pieces to it. It's about time for breakfast. Let's go home for breakfast. Hey, how about Mr. Haipe coming, too?"

"Okay." Said them all. (They went home.)

"Mom, what's for breakfast?"

"Cinnamon toast and tea."

Recipe: Cinnamon Toast= Take bread, put butter on it, put, suger on it and cinnamon.

"And you have it." Said Mrs. Jones.

"I should tell my wife to fix it more often."

(Meanwhile down at the swamp)

Mr. Habock was lowered into a lab underground. Mr. Habock came back to life just as though he was reincarnated.