The tradition of pets in the White House goes all the way back to the Founding Fathers. From the parrot and foxhounds of George Washington to Spot and Barney, the current canines of the Bushes, the First Family's animal companions have always had a special place in America's heart. These various (and often exotic) animals have enjoyed the special privileges of living in the nation's capital, giving them access to the scenes of power. So when something goes awry in the White House, who better to solve it than these pet detectives? Did Rex, Ronald Reagan's King Charles spaniel, play a role in uncovering Irangate? What mystery did Franklin Roosevelt's Scottish terrier, Fala, uncover when left on the Aleutian Islands? How would some of the more unusual pets, such as John Quincy Adams's pet alligator or Calvin Coolidge's hippopotamus, search for clues in the halls of the Executive Mansion? Introduction 9(2) Carole Nelson Douglas Martha's Parrot 11(14) Edward D. Hoch A Mimicry of Mockingbirds 25(24) Lillian Stewart Carl Alligator Tears 49(18) Bill Crider The Greatest Sacrifice 67(14) Brendan DuBois Tabby Won't Tell 81(12) Jan Grape Under Hoof 93(12) Jeffrey Marks The Princes and the Pickle 105(20) Carolyn Wheat Remember the Maine? 125(12) Jeanne Dams The Secret Staff 137(16) Janet Pack Trouble A-Bruin 153(18) Esther Friesner Izzy's Shoe-In 171(22) P.N. Elrod Fala and the Ghost of Bulows Minde 193(6) Kate Grilley Dr. Couch Saves a President 199(16) Nancy Pickard Sax and the Single Cat 215(20) Carole Nelson Douglas Contributors 235(10) Copyrights 245