{First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} and {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm} had invited {First Name or Nickname} to visit Farmer {Farmer's Name} on his farm. The farm was just a few miles from {First Name or Nickname}'s Home in {Hometown}. As they approached Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s farm, {First Name or Nickname} saw something strange in the corn field.

"What is that?" {First Name or Nickname} asked.

"Oh, that's a scarecrow," replied {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm}.

"It's supposed to scare birds away from the corn. But, as you can see, {First Name or Nickname}, it doesn't always work."

As they drove down the lane, {First Name or Nickname} could see Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s barn and house in the distance. He could also see someone riding on a tractor and waving to them.

"Who's that?" asked {First Name or Nickname}.

{First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} answered, "That's Farmer {Farmer's Name}. He looks eager to greet us."

Farmer {Farmer's Name} climbed down from the tractor and walked toward his visitors in their stopped car. {First Name or Nickname} ran from the car and climbed onto the nearby fence. As Farmer {Farmer's Name} again waved hello to {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} and {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm}, he looked at {First Name or Nickname} and said, "Well, who do we have here?"

"I am {First Name or Nickname} {Last Name}, and I live in {Hometown}," {First Name or Nickname} replied.

Farmer {Farmer's Name} said to {First Name or Nickname}, {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} and {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm}, "Maybe you folks can help me solve a mystery." {First Name or Nickname} listened with great interest as he continued: "You see, before I went into the chicken coop to gather eggs, I took off my favorite straw hat and put it on a barrel next to the door.

When I was finished in the coop, I came out and reached for my hat ... but, it was gone!"
{First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} said to Farmer {Farmer's Name}, "Oh, you probably wore your hat into the coop, and took it off there."

{First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} continued, "{First Name or Nickname}, would you please look in the chicken coop. I'm sure Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s hat is in there."

{First Name or Nickname} nodded, and as he walked toward the coop, {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} said, "And, if you don't find it there, just look around the barnyard. {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm} and I are going to visit with Farmer {Farmer's Name} in the house."

So, {First Name or Nickname} went into the chicken coop looking for the straw hat as {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} had requested. The hens greeted him with "cluck ... cluck ... cluck" along with many curious looks as he continued his search.

But the hat was nowhere to be found in the chicken coop. Sensing that the chickens were angry about the search, {First Name or Nickname} quickly left to continue looking in other places.

{First Name or Nickname} thought that maybe Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s dog could help him. {First Name or Nickname} tried to tell the dog what he was looking for. He grabbed some straw and held it over his head. He hoped that the dog would understand that he was looking for the straw hat.

Suddenly the dog began to bark and run around {First Name or Nickname}. Could it be that he understood what {First Name or Nickname} wanted?

"Good boy!" {First Name or Nickname} shouted. "Show me where the hat is! I'll follow you."

Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s dog took off running toward the open barn door. {First Name or Nickname} followed quickly behind the excited dog.

As {First Name or Nickname} entered the barn, he saw the dog looking up towards the loft and barking. "Oh, Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s hat must be in the loft!" {First Name or Nickname} thought. He climbed the ladder, certain that his search would soon be ended with success.

But, as {First Name or Nickname} reached the top of the ladder and looked around the loft, there was no straw hat to be seen.

Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s dog understood the "straw" part of {First Name or Nickname}'s message.

There surely was a lot of straw up there ... but, no straw HAT!

Perched on one of the bales of straw was a barn owl. "Hoo ... hoo ... hoo," said the owl.

"It's not WHO but WHAT that I'm looking for," said {First Name or Nickname} as if to answer a question from the owl.

{First Name or Nickname}, left the barn, and decided to try to get some clues from the barnyard animals. As he approached one of the cows, {First Name or Nickname} combined gestures with his own kind of cow-talk, "Moo ... moo ... straw hat ... moo ... lost ... moo ... have you ... moo ... seen it?"

As the cow continued chewing her hay, {First Name or Nickname} knew that no clue was coming from her. In fact, the cow herself had no clue as to what {First Name or Nickname} was trying to say.

Continuing his search, {First Name or Nickname} decided to talk to one of Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s pigs. Again, using his own style of people - pig talk, {First Name or Nickname} asked the large pig, "Oink ... ... oink ... straw hat ... oink ... have you ... oink ... seen it?"

The pig stared at {First Name or Nickname} with a curious look. But, no clues from this corner of the barnyard either.

Walking to the other side of the barn, {First Name or Nickname} saw some ducks in a pen. He thought maybe they could help him. So, he continued his questioning, "Quack ... quack ... straw hat ... quack ...Farmer {Farmer's Name} ... quack ... lost ... quack ... have you ... quack ... seen it?"

In response, the ducks looked at one another as if they had no idea as to what {First Name or Nickname} was asking.

Looking out into the pasture, {First Name or Nickname} saw a small horse ... just his size. Then he heard {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} call out: "{First Name or Nickname}, where are you going?"

{First Name or Nickname} shouted back, "I'm going to ride this horse around and look for Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s hat."

"Be careful, {First Name or Nickname}," {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm} warned.

Riding the pony, {First Name or Nickname} thought, "This is like being a cowboy - barnyard detective ... Detective {First Name or Nickname} {Last Name}."

{First Name or Nickname} saw the tractor which Farmer {Farmer's Name} had been driving. He thought that maybe Farmer {Farmer's Name} had left his hat there. But, it was nowhere to be found.

A noisy crow flew overhead and circled {First Name or Nickname}. "Caw ... caw ... caw," it screeched. To {First Name or Nickname} it sounded like the pesky crow was laughing at him.

Just then, Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s dog began barking and looking up at the noisy crow.

As the dog ran, following the flight of the crow, {First Name or Nickname}'s pony trotted in the same direction.

As {First Name or Nickname}, up on the pony, and Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s dog chased the crow, they saw it land on the head of the scarecrow. And, beneath the crow, resting upon the scarecrow's head was a hat ... a straw hat ... Farmer {Farmer's Name}'s hat! It was obvious to {First Name or Nickname} that the crow was the barnyard thief.

In the distance, {First Name or Nickname} could hear the voices of Farmer {Farmer's Name}, {First Person who Invited Child to the Farm} and {Second Person who Invited Child to the Farm}.

When Farmer {Farmer's Name} arrived on the scene, he said, "{First Name or Nickname}, that's my hat! You're quite a detective, {First Name or Nickname} {Last Name}!"

{First Name or Nickname} smiled. He patted the pony and winked at the dog ... his detective partners.

The barnyard mystery had been solved.