{"id":117,"date":"2025-10-28T21:02:32","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T12:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archive4kids.ever.jp\/1st_Study\/?p=117"},"modified":"2026-02-09T11:51:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T02:51:07","slug":"y4_story2_03-the-mystery-of-the-missing-lunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive4kids.ever.jp\/1st_Study\/?p=117","title":{"rendered":"Y4_Story2_03: The Mystery of the Missing Lunch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 3: Footprints in the Dirt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Liam peered over the fence. The ground on the other side was soft, red Australian dirt<\/strong>. He spotted what he was looking for right away: a faint line of tiny, three-toed footprints<\/strong> leading away from the fence. They were too small for a cat, and they looked very different from a bird\u2019s track.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“They look like little hands,” Liam murmured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He climbed carefully over the fence and started to follow the tracks. He knew he had to be quick, or he\u2019d be late for school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The footprints wound through the tall, spiky kangaroo grass<\/strong> and around a huge, twisting eucalyptus<\/strong> tree, also known as a gum tree. This part of the bush was very quiet, except for the buzzing of flies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, the trail of footprints stopped at a large, shadowy pile of dead bark<\/strong> and fallen leaves. Liam looked around nervously. He felt like he was close, but the tracks were gone. He carefully kicked at the pile of bark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THUNK!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Underneath the bark, the ground was hollow. Liam knelt down and moved a big piece of gum bark<\/strong> out of the way. He saw a small, dark hole\u2014a tiny tunnel<\/strong> leading into the earth. It was too small for the lunchbox to fit through, but something had definitely been hiding there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thief was clever. They had covered their tracks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n