“Maybe you will now,” said Henry. The others nodded in agreement.
Dan Brinker wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up straight. He walked over to the giant banner. He yanked on one of the corners until the banner came loose and crumpled to the ground. Then he turned and walked back across the road to his store, with his head down.
“I’m glad you’re not selling the drive-in after all, Flick,” said Mr. Duke the next evening. He and Uncle Flick were sitting in lawn chairs in front of the Diamond Drive-in screen. The mini-van was parked nearby. The children and Grandfather had decided to stay one more night to see the new movies, Space Dogs and The Rainforest Giant. Now they were all having a picnic before the movie started. Mr. Duke had bought over food from his stand.
“I’ll bet you’re glad, Duke,” said Uncle Flick. “Especially since I’ve decided to let my customers bring in your hot dogs.”
“They’re really good hot dogs,” said Jessie as she sat down in a nearby lawn chair. The other Aldens joined her, and soon they were all enjoying the food together.
“I love the onion rings!” said Benny as he picked up a big one and took a bite.
“And don’t forget the popcorn from the snack bar,” said Violet. “That’s good, too.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Uncle Flick. “We’ve gotten a new popcorn machine, but we’re also going to keep a big shaker of Jessie’s popcorn topping on the counter. That is, if you’ll give me the recipe.”
“Of course!” said Jessie, who smiled proudly.
“I bet Joey and Amy will be happy to be part of the business,” Henry said to Uncle Flick.
“I’m making Joey a manager, and Amy will be in charge of special events,” Uncle Flick replied. “And now they’re planning all kinds of interesting things. In fact, they just borrowed the slide projector. I wonder what they’ll use it for.”
After a beautiful sunset in the distance behind the screen, it was almost time for the movie to begin. The Aldens took their seats in the minivan. Watch curled up on Jessie’s lap. Grandfather turned on the car stereo.
“Here we go,” said Henry, as the screen lit up. Then an announcement appeared on the screen:
COMING SOON!
FALL FESTIVAL
AT THE DIAMOND DRIVE-IN THEATER!
HAUNTED HOUSE GALORE!
MOVIES, MYSTERIES, AND MORE!
“Hooray!” Benny shouted as the other children applauded.
“Can we come back next month and go to this, Grandfather?” Violet asked.
“Of course,” Grandfather said. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Look!” said Jessie. “There’s another announcement!” She pointed to the screen. Now it read:
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ALDENS—
HENRY, JESSIE, VIOLET, BENNY, AND THEIR
GRANDFATHER—FOR SAVING OUR THEATER.
HONK IF YOU LOVE
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN!
Beep! Bee-beep! Beep! went all the cars in the theater lot. Beep-beep! Beep!
“Oh, my goodness!” Violet giggled.
“It sounds like a traffic jam,” Henry said, laughing.
“But even better!” said Benny. “Because we can beep back!” Then he reached over and pressed the horn on the minivan. Beep! Beep! Beep!
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
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
Mystery in the Cave
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 Black Raven
The Mystery of the Pirate’s Map
The Mystery in the Mall
The Mystery in New York
The Gymnastics Mystery
The Poison Frog Mystery
The Mystery of the Empty Safe
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, 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.
copyright © 2008 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4532-2905-7
This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
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