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He opened up the envelope and pulled out four pieces of cardstock, exactly the sae typed in the e, with a nu circle around it, indicating its place in the sequence--seven through ten Tick wondered about the significance of the order as he spread everything out on his desk in front of him, then read the first one, the seventh clue:

Go to the place you have chosen wearing nothing but your underwear Oh, cal you a bit of rubbish Don’t want you to think I’m without a sense of humor No, quite the contrary--you must dress warmly because you never knohere you’ll end up

Tick paused, thinking The first line had e was just kidding around That’s all Tick needed was to go running across town in his undies to hang out at a graveyard in theelse about the clue seeht to the little note that had been stapled to the front of the envelope This one see to dress war was a clue, so it had to have so the hang of it, he thought, shaking his head He hth clue:

Eventually you will fail I say this because the vast majority of those who receive these letters will do so, utterly For those extreme few of you who may succeed, I will conveniently explain away this clue as a s error For you, it was meant to say, "Eventually you will not fail"

Tick surprised hiuy had quite the sense of humor and sounded like he was as quirky as an elf in Santa’s workshop Tick couldn’t wait to ure out, no mysteries--not even any advice this ti to think he’d et froes

He moved on to the ninth clue:

Ordinary kids would’ve given up by now I knohat is haunting you, what is chasing you, what isyour life miserable Cheer up, friend, much worse lies ahead

This onetime It was the shortest clue yet, but packed with soes he’d seen The encourage he’d stood up and endured And finally, the al and " warthogs had been unleashed inside his brain, grunting and thrashing to find food He wanted to know the truth, to know everything, so badly it made his head hurt, and he felt frustrated to no end He’d just read the next three clues, and yet seeic words If his family hadn’t been downstairs, Tick would’ve screas

Almost reluctantly--almost--he read the final piece of paper fro two items with you, stowed carefully away in your pockets, while you say theyou what the items are I can only say this: theyyou are, but sh to fit in your pockets, since that is where they must be, on penalty of death (or at least a particularly nasty rash) I realize this riddle is very easy, butin my parlor, so I haven’t much time to think of a better one Good day

Messed on the Peruvian rug in his parlor? Tick was beginning to like Master George ht--this one was too easy Tick got up from his desk, excited to e-mail Sofia Then he would show all the new clues to his dad

It took hi her Winnie the Pooh coame, and another couple minutes to clean the sticky spots off the keyboard froers She’d broken the no-food-at-the-co Pooh and Piglet through the horrible dangers of the Hundred Acre Wood

He finally logged in to his e- that Sofia had sent hi over the mouse like a cloud when he saaited for him

An e-mail from someone nae is crazy"