Reginald P. Lizard and The Case of the Missing Gemstone

By Anthony Garot

A Book Series of Fun, Friendship, and Adventure!

Welcome to a world where improbable things are possible, the wind plays an active role (you know how the wind can get), and you might just learn a thing or two.

This book series was written at a middle school level. These kid-safe adventure fantasies host unusual friends, odd circumstances, and a great deal of humor.

The lead character is none other than Reginald P. Lizard, an intelligent lizard of few words. His best friend is the regal, proper, elegant "Lady Horse" with a positive demeanor. Ellington Owl is a lovable, cuddly, yet uncoordinated owl, who flies just fine, but doesn't land so well. Finally, Bootsy Bat and Thelonious Melon (Yes, a melon!) are an inseparable pair who crack jokes and play games on each other.

These five charming friends get into light, non-threatening, and fun adventures, and they meet the most interesting creatures. You will be entertained by songs, jokes, games, puzzles, manners, and interesting facts, too! The world of Reginald P. Lizard (and his friends) is waiting for you. Yes, yes, yes, YES!

As one reviewer writes of the fourth book:

"This book defies categories and nearly eludes description—clever, witty, and tongue-in-cheek, but at the same time gentle, sincere, and reassuring. Like so many of the best stories, different layers will appeal to multiple ages; you will find yourself giggling and pondering in equal measure. Also, there is an awful lot of coffee, an enviable coat of infinite cookies, a bathysphere, and poetry. What's not to love?"

Join our five friends on their fourth adventure!

Interest Level: Grades 3 - 7 & Adults!
Reading Level: Grades 4 - 8
ATOS Book Level: 5.2

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anthony Garot
• Release date: Oct 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463557693

Anthony Garot

Anthony has always been fond of the written word. He is a self-proclaimed “reader,” who enjoys a variety of genres including philosophy, psychology, motivation, inspiration, trading, leadership, and religion.His first book was a kids book! The characters are fun and simple for kids, but also have full, rich personalities to appeal to the "kid" inside every adult.His first departure from kids books was “A ForEx Trading Plan,” which combines years of market study into a trading plan for foreign exchange trading.In his spare free time, Anthony speculates currencies, shoots photos, reads, does push-ups, and drinks coffee.Anthony currently lives in Phoenix, AZ.

Book preview

Reginald P. Lizard

and

The Case of the Missing Gemstone

by Anthony J. Garot

Reginald P. Lizard

and

The Case of the Missing Gemstone

Copyright © 2019-2020 by Anthony J. Garot

Smashwords Edition

Release version 2.1

ISBN 9780463557693

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. If you got this book free through a promotion, and you enjoyed it, or it made a difference in your life, consider buying me a cup of coffee.

:-D

Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

www.garot.com

Send mail with questions or comments about this book to [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

The Story

A Melon Receives A Letter

Do Owls Dream?

The Trip Is Officially Announced

Gathering The Troops

The Sailboat Eager Horse

Sea Sick (again?)

At Sea In The Tropics

Arrival At St. Marie Island

A Seafront Dinner

You Know How The Wind Can Get

Into The Sea Cave

The Bottomless Pit

The Library

A Mole At The Crossroads

Three Doors Down

The Endless Sea

A Special Dog

Tunnels Galore, Part One

A Panoply of Dreams

Tunnels Galore, Part Two

The Wooden Chest

The Master No Longer Seeks, But Finds

Enjoying The Beach

Back At Home

The End

Footnotes

Cast (Dramatis personæ)

Rules Of Hospitality

Parting Remarks

About The Author

I dedicate this book to my sister.

She is my best friend in the world.

Acknowledgments

The author gratefully thanks Dave Pankratz for suggestions, typos, and edits. Although it took him six months to get back to me, it’s better late than never.

Hoo hoo!

Preface

Welcome to the fourth official book (BOOK 4) in the world of Reginald P. Lizard! You can download the first book, BOOK 1—Ellington Owl's Awesome Birthday, for free!

Last year, I rather enjoyed writing BOOK 3—A Day At The Beach. During the writing process, I had gathered many ideas for a subsequent book—this book. What you are reading is the culmination of that effort.

The idea for the character English Harry came from a CGI animated lizard on a detective TV series my sister enjoyed called ‘Death In Paradise.’ She wrote to me, He’s just like R.P.L.! It just made sense that English Harry should be Reginald P. Lizard’s half brother.

This book is over 2.5 times the size of BOOK 3, which makes it more like a novel. This impacted the proofreading and editing time—my target date was to finish the story by my sister’s birthday. I finished only 78% of the before this deadline. Fortunately, she was traveling and didn’t begin reading it right away.

I have added footnotes throughout the story to help you reference back to prior stories.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Anthony Garot, [e-mail]

https://www.facebook.com/Reginald.P.Lizard/

The Story

A Melon Receives A Letter

IN AN ORDINARY melon patch stood a white mailbox with the name ‘T. Melon’ stenciled upon it. This was the home of Thelonious Melon, who happened to be at home relaxing after a long day at the beach the previous day. Thelonious Melon drowsed in the warmth of the brilliant sun and the hum of the honeybees buzzing and pollinating. Little to no breeze blew across this rustic melon patch on this almost stifling day.

In a more wakeful moment, the melon noticed two figures through the heat haze approaching from the East. He recognized Jardin the Garden Snake, his regular mail carrier. Thelonious Melon perked up because Jardin the Garden Snake only visited when she had mail to stuff into his mailbox—and he enjoyed getting mail. Maybe I got a package! he said to some nearby melons, who didn’t respond—they never did, but Thelonious Melon never stopped trying. Thelonious Melon didn’t recognize the second figure behind the snake who lagged a full twenty yards behind her and moved in a methodical saunter.

Good morning Thelonious Melon. You’ve got mail! I’m afraid you will have to wait for it, though. My new assistant is carrying the mail bag today. He’s in training. His name is ‘Krishnamurtle Turtle.’ He’s as slow as molasses on a cold winter day, but he’s as nice a fellow as you would ever want to meet. He will be taking over my mail route while I am on vacation.

Oh, I like molasses! offered the melon with an infectious smile.

Of course you do. What’s not to like? Molasses is sweet and provides a significant amount of iron.

At that moment Thelonious Melon remembered his manners. I’ll make us some coffee. Do you know how your assistant—what was his name again—takes his coffee?

His name is Krishnamurtle Turtle. A little cream, I think, but don’t let it curdle. Rhyme. answered Jardin the Garden Snake. Thelonious Melon bowed in appreciation of the excellent rhyme—Krishnamurtle, Turtle, and curdle.

While the water heated, Thelonious Melon made small talk about the weather. It hit 90°F yesterday, which was nice because the forecast called for 91°F. That means I got a free degree! I’m not sure what I will do with it, but I will tuck it away with the other degrees I have been collecting. Maybe if I gather enough degrees, I can have a snow day next July!

Jardin the Garden Snake flicked her tongue but remained silent.

Krishnamurtle Turtle finally caught up just as the coffee was ready. Jardin the Garden Snake introduced her assistant to the melon, "Krishnamurtle Turtle, I want you to meet Thelonious Melon. He’s the final postal patron on our delivery route—he’s also my personal friend, so please don’t eat him." She winked at the melon whose eyes opened wide in surprise. There are some things you don’t kid about!

Krishnamurtle Turtle extended his neck from his shell to look at the melon with dark, glinting eyes. The turtle offered a warm smile and replied in a rich, slow, and melodious voice, Perhaps just a nibble?

Thelonious Melon closed his eyes to slits and considered the turtle carefully. He wasn’t sure what to make of this shelled creature.

Just kidding! laughed the turtle as he pulled his head partway back into his shell. His smile never faltered from being warm and kind.

Thelonious melon laughed aloud, Ha! You guys got me! Jardin The Garden Snake gave a perfect set up, then you spiked the ball! You had me worried there for a moment!

Jardin the Garden Snake hissed with laughter, We don’t go around eating our friends—let alone our postal patrons! Sssssss! Her tongue continued to dart in rhythmic laughter.

Thelonious Melon finished the coffee preparation. Well, that’s good to know, but it wouldn’t be the first time someone took a chomp at me. I look delicious—what can I say!

Krishnamurtle Turtle’s voice was melodious and mesmerizing. I see you have coffee ready for me. I do so love arriving when the coffee has just finished percolating. Perhaps that’s why I am so slow to arrive. He winked at the melon then took a postcard out of his canvas mail sack and lay it in front of him. I have here a postcard for one ‘T. Melon’ from one ‘Reginald P. Lizard.’ I didn’t read it, of course, because that would not be appropriate. Still, I couldn’t help but notice the brevity of the message.

The message on the postcard simply read:

‘Trip soon. Need passport.’

Thelonious Melon’s eyes widened. Well! If I need a passport, the trip must be to an exciting place! Since he sent this message by postcard, there must be no hurry—so we have plenty of time for our coffee. And there is nothing—absolutely nothing—half so much worth doing as drinking coffee with friends.

After they all sipped their first sips of coffee and murmured their approvals of the exotic roast, Thelonious Melon asked Jardin the Garden Snake, Say, do you know the friendly garden snake who carried two porcupines and a red fox wearing a gray cardigan coat?(1)

The snake considered his question then asked, Would that be the snake who carried these passengers to the restaurant with a neon sign that read, ‘Donuts and Tacos?’

Yes! That’s exactly the snake I mean! Do you happen to know her? She dropped by the other day, began her story, and never finished it. I have wondered how her story ends.

No, I don’t know her personally. We don’t slither in the same circles—so to speak. She comes from a different postal code, you see.

No matter, responded the melon. I’m sure she will drop by some time to tell the rest of the story.

Krishnamurtle Turtle’s black eyes glinted in the sunshine. With postal patrons like Thelonious Melon, he knew he was going to like this route.

* * *

Some time later, Jardin the Garden Snake announced, "Thank you for the coffee, Thelonious Melon. I must depart now. Although my route is done for the day—that is our route, she winked at the turtle, I wish to visit my sister who recently gave birth to a nest of baby snakes, which makes me an Aunt many times over. I want to help her with some of the extra work involved around the house. Baby snakes can be such a joy, but they’re also a lot of work. She turned to her assistant, You I will see tomorrow, same snake-time, same turtle-channel. Don’t forget that I go on vacation next week, and you are responsible for delivery of the mail route." At that, she slithered off to the West.

Bye! called out the melon, Give my best to your sister and her snakelets! He turned back to the turtle, Do you have time for another mug of coffee?

Yes, thank you. That would be lovely.

Thelonious Melon stirred a splash of cream into the turtle’s coffee. So where are you from originally, Krishnamurtle Turtle?

I come from a sandy shore by an expansive sea. Would you like to see it?

Oh! Do you have photos or something with you?

Photos are not necessary. Simply look deep into my eyes.

Thelonious Melon did as the turtle instructed—he looked deep into the turtle’s dark black eyes. In moments, the melon felt relaxed, tranquil, serene, and transported. Like the shutter of a camera, his view switched to that of a baby turtle struggling to get out of his eggshell. This feat proved to be difficult, but the hatchling turtle had prepared for this moment all his life—which, granted, wasn’t very long at all. Once free from the eggshell, the baby Krishnamurtle Turtle had to contend with sand—it poured in from everywhere! He climbed up and through the sand to reach the surface of a sandy beach. Suddenly at the surface, the turtle saw daylight, and he realized that he was not alone. Hundreds—no thousands!—of hatched turtles raced the formidable distance to the sea. A tug of the primal imperative to reach the sea grabbed him. He raced as fast as his tiny flippers would carry him. Finally, immersed in the water, the young Krishnamurtle Turtle, and all his brothers and sisters, swam and swam and swam . . . .

The image disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Thelonious Melon shook himself to clear his head. Wow! What a show! Was that you?

Yes, me and my brothers and sisters.

You moved faster back then, winked the melon. Then, with solemnness and respect, Thank you so much for sharing that memory with me.

Krishnamurtle Turtle finished the last dregs of his coffee with an indecorous slurping sound. I shall go now. Since you are the final postal patron on this route, it’s time for me to go home. Thank you for the coffee. I hope to see you again soon.

The turtle turned to go but looked back and said, One last thing, I will leave you with a question to ponder. ‘When you can do nothing, what can you do?’ Goodbye Thelonious Melon. I enjoyed meeting you. A full thirty minutes later, closer to forty-five, the turtle was beyond the melon patch.

Thelonious Melon repeated this odd statement from Krishnamurtle Turtle.

"When you can do nothing, what can you do?

When you can do nothing, what can you do?

"Well, the obvious answer is nothing, but I suspect there is a deeper meaning to this question. Hmm . . . . He closed his eyes and pondered until he fell back into a drowsy, trance-like state. He mused, My passport is still valid, so at least that is something I can ‘not do.’ Ha!"

Do Owls Dream?

ELLINGTON OWL SAT at his writing table and drafted a thank you note to Lena & Maynard Mackerel for the thoughtful gift they had sent to him—a Japanese tea set containing a squat kettle of soft brown iron, a bamboo dipper, and a whisk. His tongue stuck out