“I think Benny did that mostly,” said Jessie.
“Well, I don’t,” said Benny. “I think we all did it together—and you, Grandfather, and Captain Snow and Watch.”
“Don’t forget Mr. Hall,” said Jessie.
“We’ll never forget Mr. Hall,” said Violet.
“No, sir!” said Benny. “Mr. Hall knows absolutely everything!”
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.
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 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
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, 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, 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 © 1963 by Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN: 978-1-4532-0783-3
This 2010 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
180 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
Mountain Top Mystery
GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
Illustrated by David Cunningham
ALBERT WHITMAN & Company, Chicago, Illinois
Contents
CHAPTER
1 Grandfather in the Lead
2 Hold On, Benny!
3 Waiting for Rescue
4 Lovan’s Story
5 More Plans
6 Back Up the Trail
7 A Stranger
8 The First Find
9 Caught in the Rain
10 David Explains
11 Benny Finds the Way
12 The Treasure
13 No Goodbyes
14 Time for Celebration
About the Author
CHAPTER 1
Grandfather in the Lead
It was a fine warm day in early summer. The Aldens—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny—and their grandfather were just eating lunch. They had come to dessert of apple pie and cheese.
Benny rested his head on his hand. After awhile he said, “Grandfather, do you remember a few summers ago we wanted to go mountain climbing?”
“Well, do you remember we got cheated out of it? Joe and Alice had to go abroad and we couldn’t go alone.”
Henry said, “Benny will never forget that. We went to see Aunt Jane at Mystery Ranch instead.”
Benny said, “Well, I wondered where we were going that summer, if we had gone. What mountain were we going to climb?”
“Benny, does all this mean you want to go mountain climbing?” asked Mr. Alden. He couldn’t help laughing.
“Yes, it does,” said Benny. “Maybe not the same mountain.”
“No, indeed, it won’t be,” said Mr. Alden. “That year I was going to take you up in the Rockies. No more of that. We’ll have to choose Old Flat Top because I don’t want Violet getting all tired out with a long climb. And I don’t want me getting all tired out either. The rest of you are tough enough.”
Grandfather looked up to see that every Alden was looking at him. The four shining faces answered him. There were four nods.
“You do have the strangest ideas, Benny,” said Jessie. “What put that into your head?”
“Well,” said Benny, “I’ve been reading about that place in school.”
“About Flat Top?” asked Violet.
“Oh, you have, have you?” said Henry. “You chose Flat Top yourself?”
“Right,” said Benny. “I don’t want to climb too much myself. I get lame.”
Mr. Alden said, “Well, my answer is yes. Old Flat Top is easy enough for all of us, and yet it is interesting all the way up. And we’ll all be able to get a good rest on the smooth top.”
“Just like airplanes landing on an airplane carrier,” said Benny.
“That’s exactly right, my boy,” said Grandfather. “Only this flat top is twice as big as a carrier.”
Benny finished his apple pie and put down his fork. “Then the only question is when. Let’s go right away.”
Everyone laughed. Benny and Grandfather were so much alike. When they wanted anything they wanted it right away.
“What do you mean by right away?” asked Grandfather, smiling. “You mean this minute? If you do, we could go this minute, very easily. It is only a day’s trip. You climb up Flat Top, eat lunch, and climb down. There is just time in one day. Nobody spends the night there.”
“How do you know all this, Grandfather?” asked Henry.
“Oh, I had a friend who made that trip last summer. He said it was exactly right for his wife, and they had a fine time. Near the foot of the mountain is a general store. The men give you poles and a lunch and directions. They always leave a lot of firewood all cut for a campfire to cook your lunch on the flat top. This place isn’t for real mountain climbers. It’s for old men and children.”
Henry laughed. He knew that it was a real mountain. Grandfather was having a good time teasing them.
“Do you mean we can really go today?” asked Jessie.
“Well, no,” Grandfather answered. “I should say tomorrow would be better because we must have a full day. We can drive to Old Flat Top in two hours. What time do you want to get up, Benny? You’re the sleepy one.”
“I’ll get up at five,” said Benny. “I did when we went to the lighthouse.”
“So you did. Five it is. Lay out some sport clothes. Better take some extra clothes. We may want to go on somewhere else. And another thing, we can’t take Watch. He’ll just be in the way.”
“That’s right,” said Henry. “He will do nothing but whine. He doesn’t like to see us do anything dangerous.”
Mr. Alden looked thoughtful and then said, “I believe that Dr. Percy Osgood is working somewhere in the range not too far from Old Flat Top. How about it, Benny, does that name mean something to you?”
Benny shook his head. But Henry said, “Osgood? It means something to me. He was the author of a book on geology I read for a college course last year.”
“Right!” Grandfather said. “Percy is on a hunt for some fossils. If John Carter can find out where he is for me we might pay him a visit. I haven’t seen Osgood for years, but I don’t suppose he’s changed much.”
The Aldens went to pack and Grandfather made a phone call to John Carter. It was too bad Benny wasn’t around to hear some of the plans being made. But he and the others were busy packing.
There was not much sleep in the Alden house that night. At five o’clock everyone was wide awake and downstairs eating breakfast.
“I have two flashlights,” said Henry, “and some batteries and the binoculars. You can see the view better.”
Grandfather said, “We’ll get the lunch at the store and water and either coffee or cold drinks in bottles. We can buy anything we need.”
The day was beautiful. It was warm even in the early morning. They all knew it would be cooler on Flat Top, and they each had a warm sweater.
When they reached the mountain range, Violet said, “Oh, isn’t this lovely!”
“That’s Old Flat Top,” said Benny, pointing. It was the lowest mountain in the range. Other peaks went much higher into the sky. Some looked blue in the distance. Others looked violet. Others looked green. But Flat Top was so near it looked green almost all the way up. The top was all solid rock.
“Hey!” said Henry. “There is the store. It seems to be made of logs.” He stopped the car at the door and they all went into the store. Old Flat Top towered right over them.
“Just right,” said Benny. “Not too high. Not too steep. Just right, just a good healthy climb and a grand view at the top.” Then he thought, “Isn’t it queer that this store man seems to know Grandfather?”
The two men were shaking hands, and Grandfather just said, “Fit us out for Flat Top, won’t you?”
The man said, “You each need a pack on your back to carry your lunch. You’ll need five poles. I should think that would be enough. You’ll find the path is well marked, but there’s only one. And remember that there is no other path down.”
“I’d like to go first,” said Benny.
“I’m sorry to disagree with you, Benny,” said Mr. Alden. “I should like to go first.”
“Oh,” said Benny, “of course, you should go first. That’s OK.”
“Thanks,” said Mr. Alden.
&n
bsp; Up they went. It was true that the path was well marked. The trees were marked with knotted strips of red cloth. It was a little hard in some places, but the poles were a great help. Each climber had a pack on his back.
Up and up they went. Violet was right behind Grandfather. Benny still wished he could be the leader, but he thought he had better mind his grandfather at this point.
It took the Aldens three hours to reach the first stop.
“See the sign?” said Henry. “Lunch Here. The man said we must eat just half of our lunch here.”
“I have never been so hungry in my life,” said Benny.
“Oh, yes, you have!” joked Henry. “Almost every meal you eat. And be careful how much water you drink. That’s the thing we have to save.”
Soon they were ready to go on. When they were almost at the top they noticed there were no more bushes, no more trees, no more grass. It was all gray rock.
Grandfather looked ahead. He could see the last two steps very well. He noticed that the last step was a big one, and he was glad he had gone first. With his pole, he reached the very top where it was flat. He turned around and gave a hand to Violet. Then he helped Jessie up, and reached way down to help Benny. With his pole, Henry climbed up by himself.
They all looked around. “This is as big as our own front yard,” said Jessie.
“What a view,” said Benny. “The town is over there, and nothing but woods there at the foot of the mountain.”
Henry said, “Here is the woodpile for campfires and a fireplace. This is where we can cook the rest of our lunch.”
It never entered anyone’s head, even Grandfather’s, that a fire might be needed to keep them warm.
CHAPTER 2
Hold On, Benny!
My, I’m glad we have sweaters,” said Henry. “The wind blows harder up here.” He pulled his brown sweater on over his head.
The others put on their sweaters and then they sat down in a row,
“What a view!” said Jessie. They looked out over the valley. They felt as if they were very high up.
Grandfather said, “Benny, you come over and sit by me. I want to talk to you. You know a boy ought to learn a thing the first time he is told. Of course he can learn it the second time and maybe the third time. But he will save a lot of time for himself by learning the first time. I am telling you not to go near the edge, and I shall say nothing more about it. Is that clear?”