The Disappearing Friend Mystery

  Jessie jumped up. “I’ll go get her and then you can meet her, Grandfather,” she said.

  Beth had just finished talking to the young woman behind the counter as Jessie came up. “Yes,” the woman said. “That’s plenty for four people.”

  “Then that’s exactly what I want,” said Beth.

  “Hi, Beth,” said Jessie.

  Beth quickly turned around. She looked startled. “Oh!”

  “Are you buying ice cream for your family, too?” asked Jessie.

  “Yes,” said Beth.

  “While they’re getting it ready, come meet our grandfather,” Jessie suggested happily.

  “But, well, my ice cream will melt,” Beth objected.

  “You’ll be back by the time they have it ready,” promised Jessie, leading Beth toward the table where all the Aldens were sitting.

  “This is our grandfather, James Henry Alden,” said Jessie. “Grandfather, this is Beth Simon.”

  Grandfather stood up. “Welcome to Greenfield, Beth. Would you like to join us?”

  “No. Uh, I mean, no, thank you. Um, I can’t.” Beth said quickly. “I have to go. Good-bye.”

  She hurried back to the counter, although her order wasn’t quite ready.

  “I’ll write out the directions to our house on this napkin,” said Violet. “Just so she remembers.”

  Violet began to scribble down the directions. Jessie waved at Beth, motioning her to come over as she left the counter.

  For a moment, Beth hesitated. It didn’t look as if she wanted to stop to talk to them again. But then she did.

  “I wrote down the directions to our house,” said Violet, holding out the napkin. “Just in case you need them when you come over tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” said Beth.

  “At ten o’clock—to make the posters to help raise money for the new hospital wing,” said Violet. “You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

  “No. I didn’t forget. Ten o’clock,” repeated Beth. She reached eagerly for the instructions and tucked them in the pocket of her skirt. “Thanks. This will be a big help.”

  “See you tomorrow, Beth,” the Aldens called after her as she started toward the door.

  Pausing, Beth looked back. Then she nodded uncertainly and hurried out.

  The Aldens ate their ice cream slowly and watched the other people in the shop.

  “You ate all of yours,” Grandfather said as Benny finished the last bite of his banana split.

  “This is the best ice cream I ever had,” said Benny.

  “You always say that, Benny,” said Henry.

  “It always is,” said Benny.

  It was time to go home. As they drove toward their house, they talked about seeing Beth again.

  “Beth seemed very nervous tonight,” Henry said. “I wonder why.”

  “I think she’s just shy,” said Violet. “We should be extra nice to her until she feels more comfortable.”

  “I think you’re right,” said Jessie. “And if we get a lot of jobs, Beth will learn her way around Greenfield in no time.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Henry said. “It will be fun making posters and working together. That will help Beth feel more at home, too.”

  Grandfather smiled as he listened to the children.

  CHAPTER 4

  The Boxcar Helpers

  Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny had begun to gather their art supplies together the next morning when someone knocked on the front door.

  “I’ll get it,” said Benny. He hurried to the front door with Watch close behind him. When he opened it, Beth was standing on the porching, smiling shyly.

  “Hi!” said Benny. He led Beth back through the house. “Here’s Beth!” he said.

  “Hello,” everyone said.

  “Hello,” said Beth, “May I carry something?”

  “Thanks,” said Violet, who had been struggling with the blank poster boards. She gave half of them to Beth.

  “Come on, then,” said Henry.

  Beth and the Aldens left the house and went across the backyard toward their boxcar.

  “It’s really a real boxcar!” Beth exclaimed.

  “Yes,” Jessie said, smiling. “It really is.”

  “It’s wonderful.” Beth stopped to study it.

  Henry stepped up on the old stump that they used for the front steps and went into the boxcar, followed by Benny, Violet, and Jessie.

  Benny leaned out the door of the boxcar. “Come see this inside, Beth!”

  So Beth climbed inside and carefully propped the blank poster boards against the wall next to Violet’s. She looked around admiringly. There on the shelf was the old knife that the Alden children had used to cut bread and butter, and vegetables, firewood, and string. The big kettle they’d used for cooking was there, and a blue cloth was spread on the table. Beth saw a pitcher and a teapot. Suddenly she heard a loud noise and jumped.

  “What is that?” Beth asked.

  Henry laughed. “Oh, that’s just Benny, ringing the dinner bell.”

  Beth looked out the door and saw that Benny was ringing an old tin can hung over a branch.

  Climbing back into the boxcar, Benny grinned. “I’ll show you my cup when we get back to the house,” he promised. Benny had a cracked pink cup that he had found when they lived in the boxcar. It was one of his most favorite things in the world, and he still used it.

  But now it was time to go to work. Violet had carefully arranged all the art supplies so that they were easy for everyone to reach. The Aldens and Beth sat down at the table.

  “First let’s decide what we’re going to call ourselves,” suggested Jessie.“How about ‘The Helpers,’ ” said Benny.

  “Or maybe ‘The Boxcar Helpers,’ ” said Violet.

  Everyone liked Violet’s idea.

  “Now you need to figure out how much you’re going to charge for each choice,” Beth said.

  “And where we’re going to put the posters up,” Henry added. “And how many we need to make.”

  “It’s a good thing there are a lot of us,” said Benny. “That will make deciding easier!”

  “It doesn’t always,” laughed Henry. “What do you think, Beth? Do you have brothers and sisters? Do you always agree on everything?”

  “I don’t think anyone ever always agrees,” answered Beth. “Not even brothers and sisters.”

  Violet nodded. “Even if your brothers and sisters are your best friends.”

  Beth didn’t say anything. Then Henry said, “Well, let’s start deciding what we’ll do then.”

  The Aldens and Beth talked it over and soon decided what skills they wanted to advertise, and how much to charge for each kind of job. After that it was easy to think of all the places in town they could put up posters.

  “We will have to use all of our poster boards, then,” said Jessie. “We’d better get started.”

  But just then, Mrs. McGregor’s friendly face appeared in the door of the boxcar.

  “How’s your project coming along?” she asked.

  “We’re The Boxcar Helpers,” said Benny proudly. “We do everything.”

  “Just like Charlie the Fix-it Man,” said Mrs. McGregor.

  “Who’s that?” asked Violet.

  “You’ve probably seen his truck around town. It says on the side of it, No Job Too Big, No Job Too Small, Just Call Charlie,” quoted Mrs. McGregor. “He’s a handyman.”

  “That’s a good slogan.” Henry laughed. “I wish we’d thought of it! Only we’re not fix-it people. We just help out.”

  “Well, anyway, I’ve made some chocolate-chip cookies. Would you like some?” she asked.

  “Would I!” cried Benny excitedly, jumping up.

  “Yes, please,” said Beth.

  “Yes for all of us,” said Jessie.

  So they went with Mrs. McGregor back to the kitchen. Benny got his pink cup from the cupboard and sat down at the kitchen table, and everyone joined him. The big, friendly kitchen was fille
d with the smell of warm cookies.

  “Chocolate-chip cookies are my favorite,” said Benny as Mrs. McGregor set a plate of delicious-looking cookies on the kitchen table.

  “All cookies are your favorite,” teased Mrs. McGregor. She gave Henry the pitcher of milk, and he poured everyone a tall glassful and filled Benny’s pink cup.

  “If chocolate chip wasn’t my favorite before, it would be now,” said Beth. “These cookies are wonderful, Mrs. McGregor.”

  Mrs. McGregor looked pleased. “Thank you.” She paused, then said, “You know, Beth, when you start painting, you might get spots on your clothes.”

  “Oh!” Beth looked at the Aldens. They were all wearing old clothes. Henry had on jeans and one of his grandfather’s patched shirts. Violet was wearing cut-off jeans and a very faded tank top that had once been violet. Jessie had on a white T-shirt that already had paint stains on it and a pair of plain, paint-speckled shorts. Benny was wearing his favorite old overalls, with an old T-shirt, too.

  Then Beth looked down at the crisp white shorts and blue-and-white striped T-shirt she was wearing. “You know, I didn’t even think of that.”

  “Why don’t I go get one of Mr. Alden’s old shirts from my mending basket?” suggested Mrs. McGregor. “I’m sure he won’t mind.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. McGregor. That would be great,” said Beth. “And I’ll still try to keep it clean.”

  “I’ll be right back,” said Mrs. McGregor, walking out of the kitchen. “I know just where they are.”

  “I have all kinds of ideas for posters,” said Violet. She tilted her head to one side, as if she could see all of the ideas lined up in front of her.

  “Something with violets on it, I’m sure,” Jessie said, teasing her sister with affection.

  “Flowers would be good on a poster for hospital fund-raising,” agreed Violet with a good-natured smile.

  “I can’t wait to start!” Benny said excitedly.

  “Now you can at least wait for Beth, can’t you?” Henry said with a twinkle in his eye.

  Mrs. McGregor came back into the kitchen and handed Beth one of Mr. Alden’s old blue work shirts.

  “That is just right!” exclaimed Beth. “Thank you.”

  “You can go change in my room,” said Violet. “It’s the first one at the top of the stairs at the end of the hall. You can’t miss it.”

  “I’ll be right back,” said Beth, running from the room.

  The Aldens finished their cookies and milk slowly, trying to make them last.

  After several minutes had passed, Violet said, “Maybe Beth got lost. Maybe I should go look for her.” She had just pushed her chair back from the kitchen table when Beth came running breathlessly into the kitchen.

  “Look. The shirt covers my shorts, so I won’t get paint on them, either,” said Beth.

  “Come on,” said Jessie. “Let’s get to work on those posters!”

  CHAPTER 5

  Mean Jokes

  Jessie led the way to the boxcar and up the stump step. Then she stopped so quickly that the others almost ran into her.

  “Jessie, what is it?” said Henry, sounding puzzled.

  “Look!” said Jessie, sounding even more puzzled.

  The table where they had left their art supplies was almost completely empty. The only things left were the glasses of water for the watercolors. The paints, pencils, poster boards—even the paintbrushes were gone!

  “Did you put away the art supplies before we went for cookies, Jessie?” Henry knew that Jessie always liked to keep things clean and tidy.

  But Jessie shook her head. “No,” she said.

  “Maybe they fell on the floor,” said Beth quickly.

  “I could understand if some of the art supplies fell on the floor,” said Henry. “But not all of them at once.”

  “Besides, they didn’t,” Violet pointed out.

  It was true. Nothing at all was on the floor of the old boxcar.

  “Maybe Watch ate them!” cried Benny.

  They all looked at Watch, who was standing on the stump with his front paws just inside the door.

  “Woof.” Hearing his name, Watch barked happily and wagged his tail.

  “Watch didn’t eat them,” said Violet. “He was lying on his old blanket just inside the kitchen door while we had cookies.”

  “Well, the art supplies are definitely gone,” said Henry, who had been walking around the boxcar, looking everywhere for them. “Someone must have come in and taken them.”

  “Why would anyone want to do that?” asked Beth.

  “I don’t know.” Henry shook his head sadly.

  “This is very strange,” said Jessie. “But we can’t worry about it right now. Let’s go get some more supplies so we can get started on our project.”

  The Aldens and Beth got on their bicycles and pedaled into town to the art store. As they were parking their bikes, Beth said, “Oh, I almost forgot. My mother wanted me to pick something up for her at the drugstore. I’ll go next door and do that and meet you in the art store.”

  “Okay,” said Jessie.

  The woman who owned the art store was dressed in a black leotard and a big skirt covered with splashes of color just like paint. She smiled cheerfully at the children as they pushed open the door. “Hello! What can I do for you today?” she asked.

  “We need some new art supplies,” explained Jessie. “We were making posters to help raise money for the new hospital wing. But then someone took all our supplies!”

  “That’s too bad.” The art store owner frowned. But then her smile came back. “Since these posters are to help raise money for the new hospital wing, I’ll give you a discount on supplies. That will be my contribution.”

  “Oh, thank you so very much,” said Violet softly.

  With the help of the owner, the Aldens had just finished paying for new paints and poster boards when Beth came hurrying in. She was holding a paper bag and seemed a little out of breath.

  “Don’t worry,” said Jessie. “We wouldn’t have left without you.”

  “Are you all finished, then?” Beth looked around nervously.

  “Yes,” said Benny. “Let’s go.”

  “Oh, Well. I guess . . . yes. Let’s go,” said Beth. She clutched the bag to her side and went with Benny out of the store. Jessie, Violet, and Henry gathered up the supplies and followed them.

  But as they began to put the supplies in their baskets, Benny suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, no!”

  “What is it?” asked Jessie.

  “My tire is flat!” cried Benny.

  “That’s strange,” said Jessie.

  Henry looked more closely at Benny’s bike. “This is even stranger—both tires are completely flat!”

  “But how could that happen?” Violet asked.

  “This couldn’t be an accident,” said Henry. “Someone must have let the air out of your tires.”

  “Really?” said Benny. “Why would anyone do that?”

  “Yes, why?” asked Violet.

  “Beth,” said Jessie. “After you left the drugstore, did you see anybody?”

  “W-what do you mean?” asked Beth.

  “Anybody near our bikes,” Jessie explained.

  “Or anybody acting suspicious, as though they might be up to something,” suggested Henry.

  “No!” said Beth. “No, I didn’t. Not at all.”

  Violet looked at Beth. Beth’s face was flushed and she looked almost as if she might cry. “Oh, Beth. Don’t worry. We can put more air in the tires,” said Violet.

  “M-maybe it was someone’s idea of a joke,” said Beth.

  “If it is, it’s not a very funny one,” said Jessie.

  “Can my tires be fixed?” asked Benny anxiously.

  “Of course they can, Benny,” said Violet.

  “We’ll go to the bike store and use their pump.”

  Beth suddenly wheeled her bike away. “I can’t go with you,” she said.

  “But what about
the posters?” asked Henry.

  “It’s getting late. My parents want me to be home soon,” Beth said.

  “Well, come over tomorrow,” suggested Jessie. “We can work on the posters then.”

  “Uh—okay,” said Beth. She quickly got on her bicycle and rode away.

  The Aldens walked toward the bike store, wheeling their bicycles. “Why did that upset Beth so much?” wondered Violet.

  “Maybe she doesn’t like mean jokes,” said Henry.

  “I don’t, either,” said Benny.

  “No one does,” said Jessie. “What can Beth think of Greenfield?”

  “I wish we had brought Watch,” said Benny. “He would have watched my bicycle.”

  “And I wish Watch had been in the boxcar when our art supplies disappeared. Then they wouldn’t have,” said Violet with a sigh.

  Suddenly, Jessie pointed, “Look! It’s Charlie the Fix-it Man’s truck. He must be the man Mrs. McGregor was talking about.”

  Parked on the curb ahead of them was an old white truck, with Charlie’s name, phone number, and advertising slogan on it. There was no one in the truck.

  “I wonder whats he’s fixing,” said Violet.

  “Do you think we’re going to do some of the same kinds of jobs he does?” said Jessie worriedly.

  “Maybe,” said Henry. “If he were around, we could ask.”

  But they didn’t see anybody near the truck, so they kept on walking toward the bicycle shop, forgetting about Charlie the Fix-it Man.

  When they reached the shop, they parked their bikes outside.

  “Why don’t all of you take Benny’s bike inside and pump up the tires,” Henry said. “I’ll wait here and keep an eye on our bikes, just in case!”

  CHAPTER 6

  Paint Footprints

  The next morning was bright and sunny. The old boxcar seemed almost to shine as the Alden children walked toward it, carrying the new art supplies. Watch barked and pranced happily alongside.

  “We’ll have plenty of time to make posters today,” said Violet as she led the way into the old boxcar. She looked around. It was a comfortable place to be, friendly and full of good memories.

  Jessie began to arrange the new supplies neatly on the table.