A beautiful Pace Academy tradition has mysteriously disappeared. Suddenly he has vanished from the campus. Last year, his fuzzy friend of all cheerfully greeted drivers as they zoomed through the front castle gate every morning. Perched on his shelf, the plush pal sat innocently with a wondrous bow around his neck. Always with a cheerful smirk on his face, he could only be described as one simple thing: a friend. Did he hop on a plane on the Boundary Waters ICGL trip last year and never return? It’s possible. Students engaged in the thrilling scavenger hunt of scurrying around the library silently, rushing to find his latest hiding spot while simultaneously trying not to pester studious peers. Now, it’s just a regular library. At the end of the day, one conclusion remains certain: Barnaby the Bear is missing. Where has Barnaby, the iconic staple of the Woodruff Upper Library, gone?

A cold breeze flows through the library now. Students are overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness. Mr. Ball, the missing bear’s closest friend, shared his thoughts in a tear-jerking interview. “Sometimes I look up from behind the desk and sense his presence. But he’s never there. I just want him to come home.” Mr. Hamburger has resorted to hanging up missing bear posters throughout the hallways. A reward of a sleep-in pass (now rebranded as a free tardy) has been promised to the curious investigator who strives to make our Pace community whole once again.

Personally, I never spoke to Barnaby, but solely from word of mouth, I know he is a Pace legend. If you have any information pertaining to the Barnaby case, please go to Mr. Ball’s office on the right side of the 3rd floor library. Mr. Gannon has also cleared his schedule to devote full attention to the case.

Fortunately, I have solved the Barnaby mystery. As a result, Mr. Gannon will no longer be taking any meetings. For all audiences interested in the bear’s brash breakout of the library, scan the bookshelves for a surprise! 

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