Farm Fact Finder

On Monday morning, a new notice was pinned to the shed door. Most of it had been splashed with mud.

"Can you read it?" asked Little Thunder, squinting.

Suzy stepped closer. "Only parts. 'The dam paddock will be closed on...' and then a big brown splodge."

Spike frowned. "We were going to take the herd to the dam paddock today. We need to know which day it's closed."

"Then we need proof," said Suzy. "Not a guess."

They started at the farm diary on the kitchen bench. Spike read slowly. "Saturday: big rain. Water came over the dam wall." He tapped the line with his paw. "That sentence tells us why the paddock might be closed."

"Good clue, but it doesn't tell us the day," said Suzy.

Next they found a poem that Canberra the cow had written on the feed board. Little Thunder read it aloud. "The fence is down, the gate is wide, so Monday keep the herd inside."

"Monday!" cried Little Thunder. "That's today!"

"Maybe," said Suzy. "A poem is a good clue. But is it the exact proof?"

Finally they checked the farm report in the office. Halfway down the page, Suzy found it. "The dam paddock will be closed on Monday and Tuesday while the fence is repaired."

Spike grinned. "That's the sentence that proves it. Closed today and tomorrow."

They pointed to the line together, then guided the herd to the top paddock instead. Rome and Madrid trotted ahead, happy with the fresh grass.

That afternoon, Little Thunder made a new notice and pinned it high, where no mud could reach.

"Dam paddock closed Monday and Tuesday," he read proudly. "Proof included."