Now Benny was awake. “With the bad, rusty truck that’s always following us,” he told Miss Newcombe. “They called our house with scary voices, and stole Grandfather’s gas, and put a bad note in Jessie’s newspapers.”
She patted Benny’s hand. “Yes, Benny. Those men scared me, too. They told me they had already bought the land and I had to leave. They ordered me to close down the shelter. I wondered whether there was any way to stop this from happening, so I went up to the capital to check old property records. I didn’t want anyone to know what had happened, so I left Greenfield quietly.”
“Is that when you sent your pets to different families?” Jessie asked.
“Yes. I knew from my friend, Dr. Scott, that your family liked animals, so I dropped Patches off one night. I left animals at other places around town. I was in such a state, I didn’t have time to write notes to everyone or even check the animal tags and such. And, of course, I see some of the pets wandered away from where I left them and tried to find their way home again.”
Jessie brought out some of Mrs. McGregor’s coffee cake and set it in front of the woman. “Where have you been staying all this time?” she asked.
“Different places. I found a small room at the state capital so I could see some lawyers and visit the Land Records Office. That turned out to be a disappointing trip.”
“I bet Mr. Tully thought you were bothering him,” Benny said.
Miss Newcombe smiled a bit. “Yes, I’m afraid such a busy man didn’t have much time for someone with no papers or proof that the land belonged to my father, who left it to me in his will.”
“The will!” Henry cried. “Do you have a will?”
“Yes, of course,” Miss Newcombe said. “I was my father’s only child, and he left everything to me, including the land he was sure Mr. Kisco had left him.”
“The will is all you need,” Mr. Alden explained. “That and this deed. You stay here with us tonight. Then tomorrow I’ll drive up to the capital and file this deed before the deadline. You’ll be back in your own home by tomorrow afternoon.”
The old woman took a long sip of tea to calm herself. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes, indeed!” Benny said loudly. “Yes, indeed.”
CHAPTER 9
Moving Day
“Shh. Quiet, Watch,” Jessie whispered when she heard Watch growling. “It’s too early to get up.”
Watch did not agree with Jessie and growled long and low. When Jessie’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Watch looking out the bedroom window over the driveway. Jessie was wide awake now and went to the window, too.
She stroked Watch’s alert ears. “What is it, boy?”
Jessie didn’t really need Watch’s answer. Under the streetlamp, she could see the outlines of a pickup truck parked on the street. Whoever was in the car was smoking and flicking ashes out the window every few minutes.
“I don’t know if that’s the truck, but I’m not taking any chances,” Jessie told Watch.
She tiptoed down the hall to the phone table and dialed the Greenfield Police Department. “Hello, hello, this is Jessie Alden,” she whispered into the phone. “I’m calling to report a suspicious … oh, hello, Officer Lawler. Yes, I know it’s early, but that’s why I’m calling. There’s a truck parked in front of my grandfather’s house, and I think there might be some men in it who’ve been bothering Miss Newcombe on Fox Den Road and my family, too. Could a policeman drive by our house just in case they’re going to make trouble? Yes, thank you.”
“Whew,” Jessie said when she put down the phone.
“What are you whewing about?” Henry said, making Jessie practically jump out of her robe. “It’s five o’clock in the morning.”
“I know. That’s why I just called Officer Lawler at the police station to check on that suspicious truck out there. See,” she whispered. “Careful, don’t get in front of the window. They might see you.”
Henry pulled aside the curtain carefully and stood off to the side. “Hey, they’re getting out and walking toward Grandfather’s car. I’m going out there.”
When Henry put his hand on the light-switch, Jessie stopped him. “Don’t do that. Maybe this time we can catch them doing something while they think we’re asleep. Officer Lawler said he was leaving right away.”
Henry rubbed his eyes. “You’re right.”
Jessie and Henry tiptoed downstairs. The kitchen window was open a few inches to let in the night air. Henry and Jessie crouched down near the sink where they couldn’t be seen but right where they could hear the men whispering to each other.
“Four bum tires ought to do the trick,” one voice said. “Sam, where’s that knife you always carry?”
Jessie grabbed Henry’s arm. “Oh, no, I think they’re going to slash the tires so we can’t use Grandfather’s car today!”
Jessie and Henry were listening so hard to make out what the men were saying, they didn’t hear Officer Lawler’s cruiser pull up.
“Hands behind your back!” a deep voice shouted.
Henry and Jessie heard the men’s knife clatter to the driveway. That’s when the kitchen lights went on.
“Heavens, me, why are you both huddled by the sink?” Mrs. McGregor asked.
Benny came in next, carrying his blanket, followed by Violet, who was blinking hard and trying to figure out what the commotion was all about.
“My goodness,” Mr. Alden said when he came into the kitchen to find five people all up at this very early hour. “I’m not leaving for the capital for hours. I hope you’ll all quietly go back to bed before we wake up Miss Newcombe.”
“But Grandfather—” Jessie began.
“You see, the police are—”
“My word, there’s the doorbell!” Mrs. McGregor said. “I must be dreaming. That’s the only explanation for why I’m down in this chilly kitchen with everyone instead of in my nice warm bed.”
Mr. Alden led the way to the front hall and opened the door. “Why, Officer Lawler, you’re the last person I expected to see on my porch at this hour.”
“That may be, Mr. Alden,” the policeman said, “but one of your quick-thinking grandchildren helped me catch three vandals who were trying to slash your tires. I’m afraid they did some damage to one of them, but the other tires are fine.”
Mr. Alden put his arm around Jessie. “I’ll bet this is our detective. She’s the only one who looks wide awake enough to find the phone, let alone dial the right number for the police station.”
Jessie shivered, but she felt warm inside. “Are those men from the Wolf Demolition Company, Officer Lawler?”
The policeman checked his notepad. “That’s a good name for what they are— wolves who hunt in the night. But I’ve got them caged, all right. They’re locked up in the backseat of my cruiser. So if you’ll file a complaint later today, we can register the arrest.” Officer Lawler tipped his cap. “Good-night, or maybe I should say good-morning.”
“I’d better get some coffee perking,” Mrs. McGregor said. “I know you’ve all got a busy day ahead.”
An hour later, everyone, including Miss Newcombe, was wide awake, dressed, and ready to get on with that busy day.
“Benny and I changed the bad tire, Grandfather,” Henry said. “I started the engine for a minute, and the gas gauge needle is on full.”
Mr. Alden said, “I’m sorry not to have my backseat drivers on this trip, but I know you’ll want to get the animal shelter business straightened out now that Miss Newcombe is back. And, Clara, I imagine you’ll want to phone Dr. Scott.”
Miss Newcombe took Mr. Alden’s hand into hers. “Thank you, James. I feel like a new person today after the first restful sleep I’ve had in two weeks. Knowing I can go back to my own home, well, it means everything to me.”
“You can thank my grandchildren for that, Clara,” Mr. Alden said. He patted his suit pocket. “Well, the deed is in here, and I’ll pick up the will from your lawyer on the way out of town. So we?
??re all set.”
After everyone waved off Mr. Alden, they went out to the boxcar to check on the animals.
Miss Newcombe’s step was young and lively this morning. “I can hardly wait to see my dear cats curled on their favorite chairs. And I know it will cheer me to see Lad and Lady running in the meadows and through the woods. Not that they haven’t loved your boxcar,” the elderly lady told the Aldens when they peeked into the boxcar. “All of you did a wonderful job making a home for them.”
Violet’s thank-you could hardly be heard. She was blinking back tears.
Miss Newcombe handed her a white hanky. “I know just how you feel, dear. It will be hard to part from your new friends. That’s why I want you to come visit me whenever you want. I think I’ll start getting newspaper delivery again to keep up with the news— news of the Aldens!”
This made even Violet laugh, and everyone was still laughing when Dr. Scott drove up in her station wagon to pick up Miss Newcombe and her pets.
She gave Miss Newcombe a huge hug. “Why, Clara Newcombe! Imagine keeping a secret from me all these years. I must be better at figuring out animals than people not to guess that you were the founder of the Greenfield Animal Shelter.”
Miss Newcombe’s cheeks got pinker than ever. “That’s all right, Mary. There were reasons I was so secretive, but now, thanks to all of you, I don’t have to be.”
“Is it time?” Henry asked in a quieter voice than usual.
Miss Newcombe smiled. “You can get the leashes and cages for the ride home.”
Henry called Miss Newcombe’s two dogs. “Here, Lad. Come here, Lady.”
The dogs stood nice and still while Henry fastened on their leashes. He opened the back of Dr. Scott’s station wagon and let the dogs in. Up front, he cleared some space for two cat carriers. “We should be able to fit Patches and Midnight up here, and the gray cat in a cage in back.”
Violet slid the gray cat’s cage across the backseat where there was just enough room for it.
Miss Newcombe looked puzzled. “Why are you giving me this cat?” she asked.
Violet checked inside the carrier to make sure she had the right animal. “Isn’t she yours? She was in the boxcar the night you brought Lady here, remember? That rainy night?”
Miss Newcombe shook her head. “Why, I found that cat wandering outside the boxcar that night. I thought she lived in the boxcar already and had just gotten out. So I put her in an empty cage. She isn’t mine.”
At this news, Violet broke into a big smile. “Maybe we’ll get to keep one of the strays, after all. Now that the Greenfield Animal Shelter can stay open, our boxcar will be practically empty.” She opened the cage and lifted the pretty gray Persian in her arms. “And I do like this fluffy cat.”
Unlike Patches and Midnight, the gray cat was a shy one and never went too far from the boxcar or from people.
“She’s such a frightened one, isn’t she?” Violet asked. “I’d hoped that with the other cats gone, she would look around the yard a bit more.”
“She must have been an indoor cat, she’s so shy of every little thing,” Henry told his sister.
“And every big thing,” Benny said. He pointed to Watch, who was standing nearby and not a bit pleased with all the attention this ball of fur was getting.
The gray cat looked terrified of Watch.
Violet stroked the frightened Persian. “Poor cat. That gives me an idea. I know someone who would like you very much,” she said before she ran into the house.
Everyone looked puzzled, especially Benny. “Where does Violet want to send this cat, Jessie?”
Benny didn’t have to wait long for an answer. Violet was back in no time. “It’s all set,” she announced. “I’m sending this cat to the O’Connors, you know, the mother and the little boy who found Lad wandering around near their apartment. Jeffrey wanted a pet so much, especially a nice cat. And this is a nice cat! So I called the number they gave me when we met them and told them all about this cat. They’ll be over right away to pick her up.”
“Then we’d better pick her up,” Benny said. He bent down to catch the Persian. “Animals always run away just when you need them.”
Miss Newcombe’s eyes were twinkling. “Sometimes people run away when you need them, too!”
“But we always find them,” Benny said.
“I am glad you found me,” Miss Newcombe said. “I won’t run away again. I’ll be nearby with my dear pets and my dear new friends!”
About the Author
GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.
Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car—the situation the Alden children find themselves in.
When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.
While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible—something else that delights young readers.
Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.
The Boxcar Children Mysteries
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN
SURPRISE ISLAND
THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY
MYSTERY RANCH
MIKE’S MYSTERY
BLUE BAY MYSTERY
THE WOODSHED MYSTERY
THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY
MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY
SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY
CABOOSE MYSTERY
HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY
SNOWBOUND MYSTERY
TREE HOUSE MYSTERY
BICYCLE MYSTERY
MYSTERY IN THE SAND
MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL
BUS STATION MYSTERY
BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY
THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY
THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY
THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING
THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO
THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY GIRL
THE MYSTERY CRUISE
THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST
MYSTERY IN THE SNOW
THE PIZZA MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY HORSE
THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW
THE CASTLE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE
THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE
THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL
THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC
THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT
THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN
THE MYSTERY ON STAGE
THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC
THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK
THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON
THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE
THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR
THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE
br /> THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN
THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE
THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY
THE HURRICANE MYSTERY
THE PET SHOP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE
THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO
THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO
THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY
THE SOCCER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC
THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER
THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL
THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY
THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY
THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY
THE PANTHER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS
THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY
THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY
THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP
THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN
THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL
THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK
THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY
THE POISON FROG MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE
THE HOME RUN MYSTERY
THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES
THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME
THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE
THE HOCKEY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG
THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL
THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY
THE COPYCAT MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE
THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN
THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE
THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE
THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY
THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP
THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT