Elowen's art class shared a box of markers. Every color lived inside one plastic box. Every Monday, three or four markers were gone.
埃洛温的美术课大家共用一盒马克笔。所有颜色都放在一个塑料盒里。每个星期一，都会少三四支笔。
Elowen looked under the tables first. She checked inside desks and backpacks. No markers turned up anywhere.
埃洛温先看了桌子底下。她又找了课桌里和书包里。哪儿都没有找到马克笔。
"Someone takes them home," a classmate said. Elowen was not sure. She decided to watch closely.
“有人把它们带回家了。”一个同学说。埃洛温不太确定。她决定仔细观察。
On Friday, she stayed a few minutes late. She watched the classroom door carefully. The school custodian walked in with his cart.
星期五，她多留了几分钟。她留心看着教室的门。学校的清洁工推着小车走了进来。
He picked up loose markers from the floor. He picked up pencils and erasers too. He placed everything in a small bin.
他从地上捡起散落的马克笔。他还捡起了铅笔和橡皮。他把所有东西都放进一个小箱子里。
"Why do you collect those?" Elowen asked. The custodian smiled at her question. "I keep loose things safe every night," he said.
“你为什么要收这些？”埃洛温问。清洁工听了她的问题，笑了笑。“我每天晚上都把散落的东西收好。”他说。
"Students lose these often," he said. "I return them at the front office."
“学生们经常把这些东西弄丢，”他说，“我会把它们送到前台办公室。”
Elowen laughed and felt a little silly. She imagined a very big mystery.
埃洛温笑了，觉得自己有点傻。她刚才还想象出了一个天大的谜团。
The next morning, she checked the front office. A full box of markers sat on the counter.
第二天早上，她去了前台办公室。柜台上放着一整盒马克笔。
She carried the box back to her classroom. Her classmates cheered at the door.
她把盒子抱回了教室。同学们在门口欢呼起来。
