When he was three years old, Isaac Asimov (born 1920) came to the United States from Russia with his parents. At seven he was already teaching his younger sister how to read. He soon began reading the science-fiction magazines in his father's candy store. He has been busy reading and writing ever since. Asimov writes a book every six weeks on average. He has published over four hundred works—more than any other author in America. "It's not my fault," he says. "I like to write and people seem willing to let me."

I saw the crowd about halfway down the block; and the police cars, too. I could hear the whine of an ambulance.

Isaac Asimov Sarah Tops came out of the Museum of Natural ask Dad about it after dinner. He sometimes History1 and was crossing the street talked about cases without telling too much Ion my way to the subway when I saw of the real security details. the crowd about halfway down the After I asked, Mom looked kind of funny block; and the police cars, too. I could hear and said, "He was in the museum at the the whine of an ambulance. very time." For a minute, I hesitated, but then I I said, "I was working on my term paper. walked on. The crowds of the curious just I was there first thing in the morning." get in the way of officials trying to save Mom looked very worried. "There might lives. My Dad, who's a detective on the have been shooting in the museum." force, complains about that all the time. "Well, there wasn't," said Dad soothingly. I just kept my mind on the term "This man tried to lose himself in there paper I was going to have to write on air and he didn't succeed." pollution for my 8th-grade class and "I would have," I said. "I know the mentally arranged the notes I had taken museum, every inch." during the museum program on the Dad doesn't like me bragging, so he subject. frowned a little and said, "They didn't let Of course, I knew I would read about it him get away entirely—caught up with him in the afternoon papers. Besides, I would outside, knifed him, and got away. We'll catch them, though. We know who they are." He nodded his head. "They're what's 1. Museum of Natural History: New York City museum housing one of the world's largest collections of natural left of the gang that broke into that science exhibits. jewelry Sarah Tops 3 "Did they get the diamond?" I asked. "How can we tell? The woman who reported the killing came on him when he was just barely alive. She said he said three words to her, very slowly, 'Try— Sarah— Tops.' Then he died." "Who is Sarah Tops?" asked Mom. Dad shrugged. "I don't know. I don't even know if that's really what he said. The woman was pretty hysterical. If she's right and that's what he said then maybe the killers didn't get the diamond. Maybe the dead man left it with Sarah Tops, whoever she is. Maybe he knew he was dying and wanted to have it off his conscience." "Is there a Sarah Tops in the phone book, Dad?" I asked. Dad said, "Did you think we didn't look? No Sarah Tops, either one P or two P's. Nothing in the city directory. Nothing in our files. Nothing in the FBI files." Mom said, "Maybe it's not a person. Maybe it's a firm. Sarah Tops Cakes or something." "Could be," said Dad. "There's no Sarah New York with Moon, Georgia O'Keeffe, 1925. Tops firm, but there are other kinds of Tops companies and they'll be checked for anyone working there named Sarah." I got an idea suddenly and bubbled over. "Listen, Dad, maybe it isn't a firm either. store two weeks ago. We managed to get Maybe it's a thing. Maybe the woman didn't the jewels back, but we didn't grab all hear 'Sarah Tops' but 'Sarah's top'; you the men. And not all the jewels either. know, a top that you spin. If the dead One diamond was left. A big one— guy has a daughter named Sarah, maybe worth $30,000." he gouged a bit out of her top and "Maybe that's what the killers were stashed the diamond inside and—" after," I said. Dad grinned. "Very good, Larry," he said. "Very likely. The dead man was probably "But he doesn't have a daughter named trying to cross the other two and get away Sarah. Or any relative by that name as far with that one stone for himself. They turned as we know. We've searched where he lived out his pockets, practically ripped off his and there's nothing reported there that can clothes, after they knifed him." be called a top." "Well," I said, sort of let down and disappointed, "I suppose that's not but the big ones in the middle of the such a good idea anyway, because why large room. Bones and teeth and spines should he say we ought to try it? He of giants that ruled the earth, millions either hid it in Sarah's top or he didn't. of years ago. I said, "I want to look He would know which. Why should close at that one. Is it all right if I he say we should try it?" climb over the railing?" And then it hit me. What if— "Go ahead," said the guard. He I said, "Dad, can you get into helped me. the museum this late?" I leaned against the platform, "On police business? Sure." looking at the grayish plaster "Dad," I said, kind of breathless, "I material the skeleton was standing think we better go look. Now. Before on. the people start coming in again." "What's this?" I said. It didn't look "Why?" much different in color from the "I've got a silly idea. I—I—" plaster. Dad didn't push me. He likes me "Chewing gum," said the guard, to have my own ideas. He thinks frowning. "Those darn kids—" maybe I'll be a detective too, someday. "The guy was trying to get away and He said, "All right. Let's follow up your he saw his chance to throw this—hide lead." it from the gang—" We got there just when the last Dad took the gum from me, purple bit of twilight was turning to squeezed it, and then pulled it apart. black. We were let in by a guard. Inside, something caught the light I'd never been in the museum and flashed. Dad put it in an when it was dark. It looked like a envelope and said to me, "How did huge, underground cave, with the you know?" guard's flashlight seeming to make I said, "Well, look at it." things even darker and more It was a magnificent skeleton. It mysterious. had a large skull with bone stretching We took the elevator up to the back over the neck vertebrae.2 It had fourth floor, where the big shapes two horns over the eyes, and a third loomed in the bit of light that shone one, just a bump, on the snout. The this way and that as the guard moved nameplate said: Triceratops.3 his flash. "Do you want me to put on the light in this room?" he asked. "Yes, please," I said. There they all were. Some in glass 2. vertebrae [vur'ts bre']: the small bones that cases, make up the backbone. 3. Triceratops [trl ser's tops']: plant-eating North American dinosaur with three horns, a snout, and a bony shield on the neck.