Mrs. Reddy smiled. “Really? You would let me help? I would love to!”
There was another knock at the door.
Mr. Hanson scratched his head. “Now what?” he said.
It was Madison, one of the pier workers. “Mr. Hanson!” she cried. “We need your help out here!”
“What is the problem?” Mr. Hanson asked.
Madison’s face was flushed. “There are so many customers, we need help running the rides! I think the whole town of Oceanside has come to your pier tonight!”
“How wonderful!” Violet said.
Everyone rushed out to help run the pier. Jessie sold tickets. Henry and Benny ran the haunted house ride. Violet helped children on the Big Slide. Mrs. Reddy went from ride to ride, helping wherever she was needed, and smiling happily at all the customers. She told everyone what a safe and wonderful pier Carl Hanson was running. Wendy ran the motorcycle ride and Will took care of the Ferris wheel.
When the pier finally closed, all of the customers went away talking about how much fun they had had.
“We will be back!” many people called as they walked away. “Thank you so much for a great night.”
Mr. Hanson, Will, Wendy, Mrs. Reddy, and the Aldens sat at a picnic table at the end of the pier overlooking the ocean. They were very tired.
“The free ride night was a big success,” Jessie said. “Now everyone knows that Hanson’s is a terrific and safe amusement pier.”
“Yes.” Mr. Hanson smiled. “Thanks to you children.”
Suddenly, there was a loud growling sound. Mrs. Reddy looked startled. She put her hand over her heart. “What was that?” she asked.
Everyone turned to look at Benny. Benny held his stomach. “I can’t help it!” he said. “My stomach always does that when I am hungry.”
“And Benny is always hungry,” Henry explained.
“Then I am just in time!” Hunter walked up to the picnic table. His arms were full of boxes of pizza from Mack’s.
“Oh boy!” Benny cried. “Mack’s has the best pizza in the world. It smells so good!”
“Congratulations, Mr. Hanson,” Hunter said. “Everyone on the boardwalk has been talking about your amusement pier. The free ride night must have been a great success.”
“It was,” Mr. Hanson said. “And it is not over yet.”
Benny swallowed a big mouthful of pepperoni pizza. “It’s not over yet?” He looked around. “But all the customers are gone. I thought the pier was closed.”
Mr. Hanson smiled. “The pier is closed, but we are still here. And now that the crowds are gone, I think you children should try all the rides.”
Benny jumped up from the table. “Really? Can I ride the motorcycles? And the roller coaster? And the Ferris wheel, too?”
“Of course you can,” Will said. “And you can ride them as many times as you like.”
“I’m going to ride everything!” Benny said. Then he paused. “Except maybe not the haunted house. The zombies still scare me a little bit. I know they are not real but . . .”
Just then another long, loud growl came from Benny’s stomach.
Mrs. Reddy laughed. “Benny, I think the zombies should be afraid of your stomach! It sounds much scarier than they do.”
“You’re right, Mrs. Reddy!” Benny grabbed another piece of pizza and headed toward the haunted house. “Okay, zombies, here I come,” he called. “I am not afraid of you!”
Everyone laughed. Henry, Jessie, Violet, Benny, Will, Wendy, Hunter, Mr. Hanson, and even Mrs. Reddy spent a fun night riding on all the rides, playing games, and eating the pizza that Hunter had brought.
“Mr. Hanson,” Benny said at the end of the night, holding his very full stomach, “I hope that you own this amusement pier forever and ever!”
“We all do,” Violet said.
Mr. Hanson smiled. He put one arm around Will and one around Wendy. He gazed up at the big Ferris wheel. “This has always been my dream,” he said. “And now, because of all of you, my dream has come true! Thank you!”
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
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
&nb
sp; 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
THE AMAZING MYSTERY SHOW
THE CLUE IN THE RECYCLING BIN
MONKEY TROUBLE
THE ZOMBIE PROJECT
THE GREAT TURKEY HEIST
THE GARDEN THIEF
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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 © 2013 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4804-0113-6
This 2013 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
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EBOOKS BY GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
AND PATRICIA MacLACHLAN
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