The children weren’t the only ones to hear what Coach Woods had said. Grandfather Alden had, too.
“Coach,” said Grandfather, “I didn’t realize that the old stadium had fallen into such bad shape. If I had, I might have done something to help out.”
“That’s the problem,” Coach Woods said. “Everyone’s so excited to cheer for the team and so excited that we usually win that they don’t pay any attention to how old the stadium we play in is. It’s almost like I’m one of those old gargoyles, always there for the university, and everyone takes me for granted.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Grandfather Alden said. “Maybe there’s something I could do to help. Maybe I could get the word out.”
“Maybe the gargoyles could get the word out.” said Coach Woods.
“What?” Grandfather Alden asked.
“Oh, nothing,” said Coach Woods. “My team has a game for me to coach, so I’d better just forget about this lousy old stadium.”
“Did you hear that?” Violet asked her siblings once they were away from the football team. “He was talking about the gargoyles.”
“Nice catch, Violet!” said Henry. “It sounds like Coach Woods doesn’t want anyone messing with the old library. We’d better remember that as we try to solve this mystery.”
“Mystery? Are you children on the case of another mystery?” It was Grandfather Alden, having left Coach Woods’s side to catch up with his grandchildren. He knew that they were very good at solving mysteries, and was very proud of their detective skills.
“Yes, Grandfather,” said Violet. “We’re investigating the case of the grinning gargoyles.”
“You heard Miss Hollenberg tell us about the legend of the gargoyles, didn’t you?” Jessie asked.
“I certainly did,” said Grandfather Alden.
“When I was running up the stairs at the library, I saw a gargoyle!” Benny said.
“We all saw it,” said Jessie.
“We all saw something,” said Henry, “since gargoyles are just stone statues and can’t actually fly down from the roof and scare people. It must be someone making everyone think the gargoyle legend is true, and we’re going to figure out who it is!”
“Well, maybe we should get some dinner,” Grandfather Alden said. “Detective work is always more productive on a full stomach.”
“Dinner sounds great,” said Benny. “Playing football and playing detective both make me really hungry!”
“I know just the place,” said Grandfather Alden. “We’ll eat at what was my favorite restaurant when I was a student.”
The Aldens said goodbye to the football team and Coach Woods, then climbed the old gray steps of Goldwin Coliseum. The five of them laughed and talked as they crossed the college campus, admiring the beautiful autumn leaves that fell from the trees.
Soon they came to an old wooden building with a sign that said Goldwin Gyros.
“It might not look like much,” said Grandfather Alden, “but Goldwin Gyros serves the tastiest food on campus.”
Grandfather held the door for his grandchildren and, of course, Benny was the first one into the restaurant. But no sooner had Benny dashed inside, he yelled and turned around.
“You guys have to see this!” he said, pointing. Standing there was a big, bald man with a big, bushy, black mustache and a big, bright smile. He looked friendly, so Benny shouldn’t have been alarmed.
But the big sign the man held didn’t look so friendly. On it was painted a sharptoothed, smiling creature with wings—a gargoyle! The sign read “BITE INTO A GARGOYLE GYRO!”
The Alden children looked past the sign and around the main dining room of Goldwin Gyros. Painted on the walls were other gargoyles, peering down at the customers with toothy grins. There were gargoyles over each table and booth. There were gargoyles over the counter and underneath the cash register. There were even gargoyles painted onto the restroom doors—one wearing a skirt for the girls’ room, and one without a skirt for the boys’.
And on the t-shirt that the bald man wore under his white, dusty apron was yet another gargoyle and the words, “DON’T LET THE GARGOYLE GET YOU!”
While Benny peeked out from behind Grandfather Alden’s back, Henry, Jessie, and Violet looked at one another. All four children watched as the man stepped toward them and said, “Welcome, Alden family. I’m so glad you dropped by!”
“Where are all the customers?” Violet whispered to Jessie.
“Maybe they were scared off by all of the gargoyles,” Benny whispered.
“This place is a little bit spooky, being so empty,” Jessie whispered.
“Maybe we should keep our eyes peeled for clues,” whispered Henry, trying not to be heard as the bald man surrounded by all of those gargoyles welcomed the family into the empty, spooky place.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover art by Logan Kline
Illustrations by Anthony VanArsdale
Copyright © 2014 by Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN: 978-1-5040-0753-5
Published by Albert Whitman & Company
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www.albertwhitman.com
Distributed by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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THE BOXCAR CHILDREN
MYSTERIES
FROM ALBERT WHITMAN & COMPANY
AND OPEN ROAD MEDIA
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