"Wow, there are a lot of people here," Cole said.
"I know." Maggie sounded happy. "We might need to make more lemonade."
Henry smiled.
It had been Maggie's idea to set up their lemonade stand at the park for Belltown Arts Day.
She'd thought they would make lots of money.
And it looked like she was right. The stand had been busy all morning long.
Belltown Arts Day was a popular tradition in Belltown.
It was a whole day of art, music, and crafts for all ages.
There was a crafts fair at one end of the park.
People had set up booths there to display crafts like glassblowing and basket weaving.
At the other end of the park, right in front of the Belltown Museum of Art, was an art show.
Anyone could enter a painting, sculpture, or other piece of art in the show.
That afternoon a committee of experts was going to judge all the pieces.
The pieces that won first place would be displayed in the museum for the rest of the year.
The bandstand in the middle of the park featured a full schedule of musical acts and dance groups.
Right now a fiddler was playing a lively tune.
Henry, Maggie, and Cole had set up the lemonade stand near the bandstand.
Cole tapped his foot along with the music.
"Here come some more customers," he said.
For the next few minutes, The Lemonade Detectives stayed busy pouring lemonade and collecting money.
When the last customer wandered off, Henry turned to his friends.
"We should look for Nathan," he said.
"I want to see his painting before the judging starts."
"Me too," Cole agreed. "I heard it's really good."
Their friend Nathan was a talented artist.
This was his first year entering the art show.
He was competing in the Age 12 and Under category.
The other two categories were for teenagers and adults.
Maggie looked around. "I guess we can take a short break," she said.
"I want to see Nathan's painting too.
His little sister, Nora, can't stop talking about it."
Cole laughed. "Nora can never stop talking!" he joked.
"She talks more than any other little kid I know."
The Lemonade Detectives set out a Closed sign.
Then they headed across the crowded park to the art show.
They found Nathan standing in front of his painting.
Nora was sitting on the ground, playing with a doll.
Nathan's mom was chatting with a friend nearby.
Nathan was talking to a red-haired boy named Patrick and his parents.
Patrick was in the grade below Henry, Cole, and Nathan.
"Hi, Patrick," Henry greeted him. "Did you enter the art show too?"
"Of course," Patrick said. "I enter the show every year.
My painting came in third place last year."
"Wow." Nathan sounded impressed. "I'd be thrilled to come in third place."
Patrick looked at Nathan's painting. Henry looked closely too.
Nathan had painted a very good watercolor of a calico cat.
"I'm sorry to say this, Nathan, but you probably won't win," Patrick declared.
"Art judges don't usually like pictures of animals."
Maggie frowned. "I think Nathan's cat painting is amazing!"
Nora looked up. "Are you talking about my kitty?"
"Your kitty?" Henry looked at the painting again.
"Oh, I get it. It's a painting of Patches."
That was the name of Nora's pet cat.
"You should try painting a landscape next year, Nathan," Patrick went on.
"That's what I did. My art teacher thinks I'll win first place this year."
"We'll see about that," Maggie told Patrick.
"If Patches winds up in the museum and your painting doesn't, you'll regret bragging!"
Nora's eyes widened. "No!" she blurted out.
"Patches can't live in the museum. She lives in my room with me!"
"Don't worry," Henry told her.
"We're not talking about sending Patches away to live in the museum.
Just the painting of her."
Nora still looked upset.
"Nathan said I could hang the painting in my room after the show.
She's my kitty, so I should have the painting!"
"It's okay, Nora," Nathan said. "I'm sure my painting won't win anyway."
Just then another kid ran up to them.
His name was Owen, and he was one of Patrick's friends.
"Guess what, you guys?" Owen said. He stopped to take a big breath.
"I just heard the judges talking about the paintings they liked!"
"Really?" Nathan sounded surprised.
"I thought judging didn't start until two o'clock."
"It doesn't. But I guess they walked through the show and saw some of the artwork already," Owen said.
"All three judges were talking about how good Nathan's cat painting is.
It sounds like he might win!"