Chapter One I'm here about the job," said Fred Sassafras. "What job?" asked Piper Corduroy. She was a small girl seated behind a big desk with a voice that sounded like a creaky ship. The Broom Room office was small but tall. It used to be a janitor's closet. Fred squeezed in as best he could. "This job," said Fred, holding up a poster he'd found in the bathroom. "That's not a job.

That's a funny-looking horse." Piper was right. Fred flipped the poster over. "I meant this one," said Fred, pointing to where it said: "Oh, right. THAT job," said Piper. "May I have an interview?" asked Fred. "No." "No?" "Yes.

" "YES!" "No. 'Yes' was an answer to your 'no.' I can't possibly hire you for the job. You're not a good fit." "How can you say that? You just met me." "You're not a good fit for the room. My office is small but tall. You're tall but .

tall. There's no room in the Broom Room for someone your size. Especially with a head that big." "My head is big?" "Gigantic." "Oh. Okay. Well, I guess if there's no room for me, I'll head out." "Please do.

" That moment, the school prankster, Belly Buttons, crashed through the door--knocking Fred headfirst into a small chair. He fit perfectly. "How odd," said Piper. She said this when something surprised her, and Piper was not often surprised. "THERE'S BEEN A MURDER!" hollered Belly. "A murder?" said Fred. "Sorry. I meant muffin.

THERE'S BEEN A MUFFIN!" Belly said, pulling a muffin from his coat pocket. "Someone is secretly stuffing them into my pockets! Someone is pranking ME, and I'M the school's number one PRANKSTER! Oh, the IRONY! I need your help solving this muffin mystery!" "How odd," said Piper for the second time that morning. After a moment of deep thinking, she turned to Fred and said, "You're hired.".