Courtney leaped forward—and sprinted past the boxcar and into the woods as Jessie and Henry came out, each holding on to the sleeve of Eddie Hampton.
“Let go of me!” he shouted angrily.
Courtney stepped in front of Eddie. “I don’t think so, Eddie.” She helped Jessie and Henry lead Eddie toward the others.
Monica kept snapping pictures.
“This is outrageous,” Eddie said angrily. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Catching the bad luck man,” said Benny folding his arms.
“Bad luck man? What are you talking about?” Eddie said.
“You’re the one who’s been responsible for all the bad luck that’s happened to me recently,” said Tate.
“That’s not true!” Eddie said.
“If it’s not true, what were you doing in the woods, pulling on that rope and trying to turn the boxcar over?” asked Jessie.
“I got here early . . . and I saw the rope and I went to investigate,” Eddie said weakly. “Anybody could have left that rope there. Stefan. Or Harpo. Or Courtney . . . or Monica. She probably did it, for publicity.”
“What?” squeaked Monica in outrage.
“No,” said Henry. “You did it. We were awake and waiting before you got here this morning. We saw you do it.”
“And you had to be the one who called Monica,” said Jessie. “Because you were the only other person who knew about Tate coming to the boxcar this morning. We trapped you.”
“A trap?” said Eddie. Drops of sweat popped out on his forehead. “You trapped me? Tate, how could you? After all I’ve done for you.”
“You mean after all you’ve done to me,” corrected Tate.
“You set Tate up,” Henry said. “You tried to make him look as if he had a jinx on him.”
“Why?” asked Violet.
Eddie looked around at the angry faces. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his forehead. He said, “All publicity is good publicity, Tate. That’s my motto. You know that.”
“That’s not true,” said Jessie.
“Tate, listen to me,” Eddie pleaded. “I was just doing my job. When all those other accidents happened during your last movie, and Monica did that bad luck jinx story, that’s when I got the idea. I figured if strange things happened during this movie, it would be great publicity. Get everybody talking.. . .”
“So you started the fire in the trash can in front of the ice-cream parlor,” said Violet. “And called Monica and told her that Tate was there.”
“It was mostly smoke,” said Eddie. “Never any danger. But what a great story it would have made! Only you got away before Monica could find you and take your picture.”
“And you switched off the lights in our house when Tate and Courtney came for dinner,” said Jessie.
“I had Monica waiting then, too. But you didn’t come outside like you were supposed to,” said Eddie. “How could I get you any publicity if you wouldn’t even be seen in public?”
“That’s not publicity,” said Tate angrily. “And you’re fired.”
Eddie threw back his shoulders. “Fine,” he snapped. “You’re not the only star in the sky. There are plenty of other stars—bigger, better stars—who’d love to have Eddie Hampton as their agent.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” said Monica. She snapped one last photograph. “Let’s wait and see what happens when they read my exclusive story.”
“This is the biggest car I’ve ever been in,” said Benny.
“It’s a limousine, Benny,” Henry said.
Tate had sent a limousine to take the Boxcar Children to the special showing of his new movie at the Greenfield movie theater. He was ahead of them in another limousine.
The limousines stopped at the curb where a red carpet had been put down. The drivers sprang to open the doors of the cars. A crowd had gathered behind the velvet ropes on either side of the carpet.
“What do we do now?” asked Violet.
“Smile and wave like a movie star,” said Jessie.
So they did.
The lights in the Greenfield movie theater came on as the final credits of the movie began to roll. The audience began to applaud.
“That was the best movie I ever saw,” Violet said to Jessie.
“It was exciting,” Jessie said.
“And exciting to be in it, too,” Henry pointed out.
It was true. Benny, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Watch had all been in Tate’s new movie. They had been extras, standing in the crowd outside the bank as the robbers ran away.
“It’s so cool,” said Jessie. “Maybe someday I’ll be a movie director.”
“I’m going to be a star,” said Benny. He paused, and then added, “Just like the boxcar.” He pointed up on the screen.
There, in splendid color, was their boxcar, with the credits rolling in front of it.
Then Jessie gasped, “Look!”
Just before the screen went blank, the Aldens saw the words:
THE MAKERS OF THIS MOVIE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF GREENFIELD FOR ALL THEIR HELP—ESPECIALLY HENRY, JESSIE, VIOLET, BENNY, AND, OF COURSE, WATCH.
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
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
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
THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY
THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY
THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY
THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY
THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE
THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY
THE RADIO MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST
THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR
THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE
THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES
THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT
THE GAME STORE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN
THE VANISHING PASSENGER
THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY
THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE
THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY
THE SECRET OF THE MASK
THE SEATTLE PUZZLE
THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW
THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND
A HORSE NAMED DRAGON
THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE
THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE
THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES
THE SPY GAME
THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY
THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY
SUPERSTAR WATCH
THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS
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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 © 1996 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4532-1422-0
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