“What a miserable night!”  Copernicus said as the blanket was pulled off.  The bird was in the corner closest to Buddy.  Buddy was surprised that the first words out of his mouth was not about getting attended to right away.  “What was with the girl?”

            “She was upset about something.”

            “Really?  Are you sure?”  Buddy could tell that Copernicus was being sarcastic.  “The question is, what?”

            “She was still upset at breakfast,” Buddy said, but it was mainly to himself.  Something was on the back of his mind and wouldn’t come forward.  He felt it was the key to this problem.  Key to this… “Case!”

            “What are you yapping about?”

            “We have a case, don’t we?”

            “Why, I guess we do!” Copernicus said.  “Too bad it is so close to home.  And so tiring.  Well, first things first.  Let’s look at the facts and clues we have at hand.”

            “Right,” Buddy said as he thought back to the training Duke had given him.  “We have a upset little girl that didn’t sleep well last night.”

            “Yes, perhaps she is sick,” Copernicus said.  “Did you see if Mom put that strange thing in her ear?”

            “No, I didn’t.”

            “Then go lick her head to see if she is warm,” Copernicus said and Buddy obeyed immediately.  He received a strange look from both Mom and the little girl in the process.  They were both upstairs and the little girl was still crying.  She was not sick, however.  He reported his findings back to Copernicus.  “Cross that off then.  She didn’t seem hurt in any way?”