“I thought that loud bell would get you!” said Grandfather. “Good news, Peter!”
“You mean Peter’s father?” whispered Mike.
“Yes! His father and mother are alive. They will be waiting for us at the dock in San Francisco.”
“Oh, my!” said Peter.
“Now you can all read the radiograms. The last one just came. It says, ‘Son Peter Horn last seen in lifeboat from Explorer II.’”
“My own father sent that?” asked Peter.
“Yes, he signs his name, Peter Horn.”
Henry put his arm around Peter and said, “Come on, old boy, and sit down on the bench.” Benny and Mike sat down on the other side.
“And we land tomorrow!” said Mr. Alden.
“I hope I can live till tomorrow,” said Benny.
They all lived till “tomorrow.” They were very much excited when they began to see land. San Francisco came nearer and nearer. They went under the Golden Gate bridge. Soon they saw the dock. There were crowds of people waiting for ships.
“Oh, dear,” said Jessie. “I suppose we must say goodby to the crew.”
They all shook hands with Captain Brown and the sailors. But then they came to Lars.
Violet looked up at Lars and said, “How can we say goodby to you, Lars?”
Mike said, “Maybe we’ll never see you again.”
But Lars smiled at Violet and said, “You’ll see me again, all right. I often come your way.”
“Come to dinner!” said Benny. “Come any time! We’ll have beans for you!”
Just then Peter began to shout, “Oh, I see my mother! And my father! There they are, waving!”
“Is that your mother?” yelled Benny. “It’s not our teacher! It doesn’t look a bit like her.”
“I was sure you boys would be disappointed about that,” said Grandfather.
“I don’t care,” said Benny. “The neat thing is that she’s Peter’s mother!”
At last they were all on the dock.
“Hi! Mother!” cried Peter.
“I thought I would never see you again!” said Mrs. Horn.
Mr. Horn took Peter’s hand to help him up the steps to the street.
“Don’t help Peter, Mr. Horn,” said Mike. He laughed. “Peter can climb right up the side of a house!”
Peter was not too happy wearing shoes. But he did very well.
Mr. Alden looked at Mr. Horn. He said, “Let’s go to some quiet place! We’ll have lunch, and then we’ll all take the plane east.”
“I never can thank you enough for bringing Peter home!” said Mr. Horn.
“Don’t try,” said Mr. Alden. “Here are some taxis. Everyone get in.”
Very soon they were all sitting at a big table for lunch. “Oh, peanut butter!” cried Benny. “I thought I’d never see you again!”
“Is that what you want?” asked Mr. Alden. He laughed. All of them wanted peanut butter. “Think of that, Mr. Horn,” he said. “They want peanut butter, when they can have almost anything in the world.”
Peter’s father and mother were told all about Blue Bay. Peter’s mother said, “At last we have found Peter. I never really gave up hope of finding him.”
“Grandfather finds lots of things,” said Benny. “Now where will Peter live?”
“Peter will live near Boston. This is a picture of our house,” said Mr. Horn. He took out a picture.
“A nice little place!” said Mike. “Nice trees to climb, but no banana trees.”
“No,” said Mr. Horn laughing. “We have no banana trees.”
After lunch they all took the plane. Everyone on the plane smiled to see the happy group. They talked all the time. Mike and Benny walked up and down. They told the passengers about the island, and all about Peter.
Mike did not want to get off at Chicago. But when he saw his mother and his brother Pat, he changed his mind.
“And my teacher!” he yelled. “My teacher came to meet me! I bet she doesn’t know that bananas grow up and not down!”
“That’s our Mike for you!” said Henry. He patted Mike’s shoulder. “Next year you will be teaching your teachers, Mike.”
At last the plane landed in Boston. They all got off the plane. Then they had to say goodby to Peter.
“We’ll come to see you often,” said Henry.
Mr. Horn carried old Myna’s cage. Old Myna said, “What’s the matter, Mike?”
Benny laughed and laughed. He said, “That shows that old Myna doesn’t know what she says. She just talks.”
“Mike’s gone,” said Myna. She looked right at Benny.
“What do you know!” said Henry.
“What do you know!” said Myna.
“Let’s go, Mother,” said Peter. “Next thing old Myna will say, ‘Look out, it’s hot!’”
“Well, it is hot, sure enough,” said Benny.
They all watched Peter go out of the door of the airport.
Henry took a long breath. He said, “Grandfather, we can never thank you enough for this wonderful trip.”
“Don’t try, my boy,” said Mr. Alden. “I had a pretty good time myself.” The Alden family reached home. Watch began to bark. He was so glad to see his family again. Mr. Alden began to sing, “East, west, home is best.”
Benny hugged Watch. He said, “Well, that’s right, Grandfather. Home is best. But Blue Bay was pretty neat, too. Let’s go somewhere else next year.”
Mr. Alden smiled at Benny. But all he said was, “Maybe.”
The children were very happy. They all knew that with Grandfather, maybe almost always meant yes.
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
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
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 book. And so she continued the Aldens’ adventures, writing a total of nineteen books in the Boxcar Children series.
ISBN 978-1-4532-0775-8
Copyright © 1961, 1989 by Albert Whitman & Company. All rights reserved. THE BOXCAR CHILDREN is a registered trademark of Albert Whitman & Company.
70 69 68 67 66
Printed in the U.S.A. 40
The Woodshed Mystery
GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
Illustrated by David Cunningham
ALBERT WHITMAN & Company, Chicago, Illinois
To all readers everywhere,
including Guam, who have written to me
about the Boxcar Children,
this new mystery is dedicated.
Contents
CHAPTER
1 A Farm for Sale
2 Making Plans
3 Grandfather Takes Over
4 The Potato Pit
5 An Old Flintlock Gun
6 Exploring the Woodshed
7 Clues from an Old Book
8 A Light in the Dark
9 What Was in the Box
10 Back to the Woodshed
11 A New Discovery
12 Too Much Excitement
13 Just in Time!
14 A Treasure Bag
15 Letter from Long Ago
16 Aunt Jane’s Surprise
About the Author
CHAPTER 1
A Farm for Sale
The telephone gave a long, loud ring. Supper was over. Benny Alden was going through the hall. He answered it.
“Telephone, Grandfather!” shouted Benny. “It’s for you. Long distance.”
Mr. Alden came to the telephone and said, “Hello. Oh, yes.”
Then he said nothing for a long, long time. Benny and his sister Violet couldn’t help listening.
At last Grandfather said, “That’s just fine, Jane!”
“It’s Aunt Jane!” Violet whispered to Benny.
Benny nodded, and a smile spread over his face.
“Just wonderful, Jane,” said Grandfather again. “Yes, I do. Yes, I think it is a fine idea. Yes, Jane. I’ll think it over and call you very soon. No, Jane, I won’t be long, maybe a day or two. Yes, I know you like to do things fast. You are like Benny.” Grandfather winked at Benny.
At last Grandfather said, “Good-by, Jane. See you soon.”
“See you soon?” said Benny. “Are we going out West to see Aunt Jane again?”
“No, she is coming here,” said Mr. Alden.
“Oh, my, my!” said Benny.
“Yes, that’s what I say too,” said Grandfather. “Oh, my, my, my! Now you four children get together and we’ll talk this over. Benny, you find Henry.”
“And I’ll get Jessie,” said Violet. “She is up in her room.”
The four Aldens—two girls and two boys—lived with their grandfather in a big house. Henry was in college. Jessie was a senior in high school, and Violet was
just ready for high school, too. Benny still went to grade school. In a few minutes the four young Aldens were sitting with Mr. Alden in his den.
Grandfather looked around and smiled. “This is the big news,” he said, laughing. “Aunt Jane wants to come East to live in New England again. She wants me to buy a farm for her, right away quick.”
“Quick like a fox,” said Benny.
“Right,” said Grandfather. He laughed again.
“Why does she want to move?” asked Jessie. “She has such an exciting place to live on Mystery Ranch.”
“Well, you see Jane and I were born in New England on a farm,” said Mr. Alden. “We all moved to the West. I should say Jane was about eighteen when we went. I was younger than Jane. After awhile I wanted to come back and go into business. But Jane wouldn’t. She said she would stay and run the ranch alone.”
“Stubborn,” said Benny.
“I remember,” said Jessie. “That is what made the trouble between you and Aunt Jane.”
“Yes, she was too proud to give in. She found she couldn’t run the ranch alone. So she almost starved to death.”
“Wasn’t it lucky we went out there when she was sick?” said Violet. “We found such a lovely aunt.”
“Well, yes—she is lovely now,” said her grandfather, smiling. “Now I am going to surprise Jane. Maybe I can buy the very farm where we used to live! She would like that.”
“Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful!” cried Jessie. “We could go up to the farm and get everything ready. Do you suppose we’ll have to get chairs and tables and beds? We could get in food and make the beds. We’d love to do that.”
“What fun that would be!” said Violet. Her eyes were very bright.
“When are you going to try, Grandfather?” asked Benny.
“Well, my boy, I am going to surprise you, too. I’m going to start this very minute. It’s only just after supper.”
Benny hugged Watch, the dog, and jumped up and down with him. Watch did not like this very well. But he loved Benny, so he did not make any fuss.
“Now just hand me that telephone, Henry,” said Mr. Alden.
“Whose number are you going to call?” asked Benny. “How do you know what to call?”
“I don’t,” said Mr. Alden. But he made a call just the same. He called the village store.
“Nobody will be in the store as late as this,” said Henry.
“Don’t be too sure,” said Mr. Alden. “In the old days the storekeeper lived in the store. Maybe he still does.”