CHAPTER EIGHT

THE FINAL CLUE

Shaggy, Scooby, and Daphne raced through the halls in the arena. They sprinted up and down staircases and through the maze of hallways. No matter how fast they ran, the monster mutts stayed on their tails.

“Like, find a place to hide, Daphne,” said Shaggy. “Scoob and I will distract them.”

Scooby-Doo nodded. “Reah! Reah!”

“Okay, you two are really starting to freak me out,” said Daphne.

“I’m telling you, Daphne, it’s the Spunky Snacks,” Shaggy explained. “Like, I guess everyone will have to get used to us being brave from now on.”

“It’s just plain weird,” said Daphne, as she turned a corner and looked for a place to hide.

Shaggy and Scooby skidded to a stop in front of a supply closet. They ducked inside. They closed the door just as the monster mutts caught up to them.

The two beasts growled and clawed at the door.

Grrrrrrrrrr! Grrrrr!

BAM!

The door flung open and knocked the mutts across the hall. Shaggy and Scooby leaped out of the supply closet. They each wore a gray uniform. Shaggy held a mop while Scooby-Doo pushed a rolling bucket of soapy water.

“I tell ya, these dog shows sure are tough on us working guys,” said Shaggy.

“Rou said it,” agreed Scooby.

Shaggy leaned on his mop. “Like, I’ve already gone through two pooper-scoopers.”

The monster mutts got to their feet. They lowered their heads and growled at Shaggy and Scooby. They stared at them with blazing red eyes.

Shaggy looked up.

“Hey! You’re tracking dirt all over our clean floors!”

The monster mutts looked ashamed. They lifted their paws and checked the bottom of their feet.

Shaggy bent down to the mop bucket. “Like, I guess we’ll have to start all over.” He tilted the bucket toward the mutts. Soapy water splashed all over the floor underneath their feet.

“Come on, Scoob!” shouted Shaggy.

Shaggy and Scooby ripped off their uniforms and climbed onto the rolling mop bucket. Scooby paddled with the mop as they rolled down the hallway.

The monster mutts looked at each other and then back to Scooby and Shaggy. They grumbled and ran after them. But the floor was too slippery.

At the end of the hallway, Shaggy and Scooby hopped off the bucket. They turned the corner and ran. They found an unlocked door and ducked inside. Suddenly a bright light blinded them.

“Like, who turned on the light?” asked Shaggy.

“Shaggy and Scooby!” said Velma. She lowered her flashlight. “Boy, are we glad to see you!”

Velma, Fred, and Daphne stood in front of an open file cabinet. They were in Mrs. Jamison’s office.

“Just in time too,” added Daphne. “Fred and Velma found out who is behind the monster mutt mystery.”

Shaggy held out his hands. “No, no. Don’t tell me,” he said. “Like, I don’t want to ruin the surprise of Velma’s report at the end.”

“She’s rery good at it,” added Scooby.

Velma smiled. “Thank you, Scooby.”

“Well, before that can happen,” said Fred, “we need to take care of those mutts once and for all.”

Shaggy raised his hand. “Ooh! Like, can we be the bait for one of your traps?!!”

“Reah, reah!” agreed Scooby. “Preese say res! Preese say res!”

Fred walked over to Shaggy and Scooby. He looked them square in the eyes. “Who are you, and what have you done with the real Shaggy and Scooby?”

“It’s the Spunky Snacks, isn’t it?” asked Velma.

“Okay,” said Fred. “Here’s what we’ll do…”