WORD PUZZLE #12 from GABRIEL'S JOURNEY
MAR/APR 2008 Chapter Two: News From Across the Road
Read the story passage at the bottom to find the ten clues to the puzzle below. Good luck!
Simon’s curiosity got the best of him, so he scampered over to Orville and stood on his hind legs, staring up at the
blackbird’s long narrow beak. “Survey the damage, did you say? What damage, Orville? What are you talking about?”
The bird flapped his wings again, causing the others to jump. “Don’t any of you know what happened last night?
Of course you can’t fly, so I shouldn’t be surprised at your usual ignorance of matters far and away from here.”
“Oh, don’t keep us wondering!” Simon persisted. “Tell us what you know.” The other mice echoed Simon’s plea,
so Orville quickly gave in, disappointed that the mice weren’t up for guessing games.
“Very well. I’ll tell you,” Orville said. “That abandoned barn across the road--that slouching old wreck of a
dilapidated barn--burned to a cinder last night. Struck down flat by a bolt of lightning!”
Gabriel’s interest was also piqued. “Are you telling the truth, Orville?”
“Of course! Why, I flew over the remains myself a short while ago. Nothing left but a pitiful pile of charred and
smoking timbers. Awful stench.”
The abandoned barn had been built over fifty years ago in a smaller field across the road not far from the river. A
few of the more adventurous mice, on occasion, had viewed the structure when daring to wander near the road.
None, however, had summoned up the courage to cross the road and examine the building up close. In fact, none of
the mice in the field had ever crossed the road for any reason. Their side of the field provided more than enough
food and space to keep them content for countless generations.
© 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik All rights reserved. www.TomPresto.com
MAR/APR 2008 Chapter Two: News From Across the Road
Read the story passage at the bottom to find the ten clues to the puzzle below. Good luck!
Simon’s curiosity got the best of him, so he scampered over to Orville and stood on his hind legs, staring up at the
blackbird’s long narrow beak. “Survey the damage, did you say? What damage, Orville? What are you talking about?”
The bird flapped his wings again, causing the others to jump. “Don’t any of you know what happened last night?
Of course you can’t fly, so I shouldn’t be surprised at your usual ignorance of matters far and away from here.”
“Oh, don’t keep us wondering!” Simon persisted. “Tell us what you know.” The other mice echoed Simon’s plea,
so Orville quickly gave in, disappointed that the mice weren’t up for guessing games.
“Very well. I’ll tell you,” Orville said. “That abandoned barn across the road--that slouching old wreck of a
dilapidated barn--burned to a cinder last night. Struck down flat by a bolt of lightning!”
Gabriel’s interest was also piqued. “Are you telling the truth, Orville?”
“Of course! Why, I flew over the remains myself a short while ago. Nothing left but a pitiful pile of charred and
smoking timbers. Awful stench.”
The abandoned barn had been built over fifty years ago in a smaller field across the road not far from the river. A
few of the more adventurous mice, on occasion, had viewed the structure when daring to wander near the road.
None, however, had summoned up the courage to cross the road and examine the building up close. In fact, none of
the mice in the field had ever crossed the road for any reason. Their side of the field provided more than enough
food and space to keep them content for countless generations.
© 2008 Thomas J. Prestopnik All rights reserved. www.TomPresto.com
