Monroe was a curious 10-year-old boy who loved solving mysteries. One day, he came home from school to find that his trusty vacuum cleaner had vanished without a trace. He immediately enlisted the help of his two best friends, Xavier and Ricky, to investigate the baffling disappearance.

"Who could have taken my vacuum?" Monroe wondered aloud, pacing back and forth in his living room. "And why would anyone want to steal a vacuum cleaner?"

Xavier, the more logical of the trio, suggested they start by looking for clues. The three friends scoured the house, searching every nook and cranny, but the vacuum was nowhere to be found. Just as they were about to give up, Ricky spotted a peculiar trail of dust leading from the living room towards the basement.

"Aha! I think we've found our first clue," Ricky exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The boys followed the trail, their curiosity piqued, until they reached the basement door, which was slightly ajar.

Cautiously, they pushed the door open and peered inside. To their surprise, they found the missing vacuum cleaner humming away in the corner, its cord neatly coiled around it. But the most unexpected sight was the culprit: their neighbor's cat, Mittens, happily lounging on top of the vacuum.

"Mittens!" the boys cried in unison, realizing the mischievous feline had been the one responsible for the vacuum's disappearance. Apparently, the cat had taken a liking to the machine and had dragged it down to the basement for its own personal use.

With the mystery solved, the boys couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Monroe was relieved to have his beloved vacuum back, and the three friends shared a triumphant high-five, proud of their sleuthing skills.