Great Detective Race (7 page)

“But there’s only room in the helicopter for one other person,” Debra added. “I suppose you’ll have to draw straws.”

“Or put your names into a hat,” said a voice behind them.

The Aldens turned to see Chris standing with his father, Chopper Dan. Chris was giving the Aldens the thumbs-up sign.

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny looked at each other. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Violet asked her sister and brothers.

Jessie nodded. So did Benny and Henry.

Benny held the envelope out to Chris. “You take it,” he said. “Now you can get a ride with your dad.”

Chris stared at the envelope. “What …?”

Henry said, “We want you to have it.”

Chris hesitated. “But … I haven’t been very nice.”

“You left that clue in the hopscotch game,” guessed Jessie. “Didn’t you?”

Chris nodded. “I heard you talking about all the mysteries you’ve solved,” he confessed. “I didn’t think I had a chance to win.”

Benny blinked in surprise. “You sent us on a wild-goose chase?”

“Yes,” he said. “I saw you in the park the other day. When you left your notebook on the bench …”

“You tore out the list of playgrounds, didn’t you?” guessed Violet. “Then you planted that fake clue in the hopscotch game.”

Chris didn’t deny it.

Chopper Dan looked at his son in disbelief. “Why would you do such a thing, Chris?”

“I wanted to throw the Aldens off track.” Chris hung his head. “Getting a ride in the helicopter was so important to me. I figured the race was just a game to them.”

“It wasn’t just a game to us,” Violet exclaimed.

“It was more than that,” agreed Jessie. “A lot more.”

Henry added, “We were trying to win tickets to
Swan Lake
for our housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor.”

“I’m really sorry,” Chris said, handing the envelope back to Henry. “I don’t deserve this.”

Chopper Dan shook his head in surprise.

“You wanted a helicopter ride that much?” he asked his son. “I had no idea.”

“I think we can work something out,” said Mr. Porter. “We’ll make sure you get that ride in the sky with your dad, Chris.”

“Thanks so much!” said Chris. Then, turning to the Aldens, he added, “Sorry about the fake clue.”

“If you mean that,” said Jessie, “then you won’t play tricks on people anymore.”

“I won’t,” Chris promised. “Not ever.”

The next day, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny trooped into the dining room where Grandfather and Mrs. McGregor were waiting. Henry was carrying a birthday cake while everyone sang “Happy Birthday” at the top of their lungs. Even Watch woof-woof-woofed his way through the song.

“Oh, how beautiful!” Mrs. McGregor said, as Henry set the cake on the table.

“It’s your favorite,” Jessie told her. “Chocolate with caramel frosting.”

“Well, fancy that,” said Mrs. McGregor. “And just look at those sprinkles on the top—in the shape of a swan!”

“Well, you couldn’t get tickets to
Swan Lake,”
Henry said, his eyes twinkling, “so we made you a swan cake.”

“How thoughtful!” said Mrs. McGregor.

“Now make a wish, Mrs. McGregor,” Benny said. “Sometimes wishes really do come true.”

Their housekeeper closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and blew out all the candles.

“Well done!” said Grandfather, as everyone clapped.

Benny held out an envelope. “Open this first, Mrs. McGregor,” he said. “Okay?”

Mrs. McGregor smiled at the youngest Alden. Then she opened the envelope Benny handed her. “Why, it’s a sketch of Watch!” she said, as she pulled out a birthday card.

“Violet drew it herself,” Benny said proudly.

“But everybody helped with the verse inside,” Violet was quick to add.

Mrs. McGregor opened the card and read the verse aloud.

We entered a race

and followed the clues

so somebody’s wishes

all would come true!

“Happy birthday, Mrs. McGregor!” Jessie handed their housekeeper another envelope.

“Oh, my!” said Mrs. McGregor. “What’s this?”

“Open it, Mrs. McGregor!” cried Benny. He was bouncing up and down with excitement.

The Aldens held their breath as she opened the envelope.

“Front-row tickets to
Swan Lake?
” the housekeeper blinked in surprise. “How in the world …?”

“It wasn’t easy, Mrs. McGregor,” Henry said with a grin. “First, we followed the Pied Piper, then—”

“We tracked down a giant turkey!” continued Benny.

“And don’t forget about the mermaid,” added Violet.

Mrs. McGregor laughed. “You know what?” she said. “I can’t wait to hear all about it!”

G
ERTRUDE
C
HANDLER
W
ARNER
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

T
HE
B
OXCAR
C
HILDREN

S
URPRISE
I
SLAND

T
HE
Y
ELLOW
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY
R
ANCH

M
IKE’S
M
YSTERY

B
LUE
B
AY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
W
OODSHED
M
YSTERY

T
HE
L
IGHTHOUSE
M
YSTERY

M
OUNTAIN
T
OP
M
YSTERY

S
CHOOLHOUSE
M
YSTERY

C
ABOOSE
M
YSTERY

H
OUSEBOAT
M
YSTERY

S
NOWBOUND
M
YSTERY

T
REE
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

B
ICYCLE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY IN THE
S
AND

M
YSTERY
B
EHIND
THE
W
ALL

B
US
S
TATION
M
YSTERY

B
ENNY
U
NCOVERS
A
M
YSTERY

T
HE
H
AUNTED
C
ABIN
M
YSTERY

T
HE
D
ESERTED
L
IBRARY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
A
NIMAL
S
HELTER
M
YSTERY

T
HE
O
LD
M
OTEL
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
H
IDDEN
P
AINTING

T
HE
A
MUSEMENT
P
ARK
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
M
IXED
-U
P
Z
OO

T
HE
C
AMP
-O
UT
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY
G
IRL

T
HE
M
YSTERY
C
RUISE

T
HE
D
ISAPPEARING
F
RIEND
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
INGING
G
HOST

M
YSTERY IN THE
S
NOW

T
HE
P
IZZA
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY
H
ORSE

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
D
OG
S
HOW

T
HE
C
ASTLE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
L
OST
V
ILLAGE

T
HE
M
YSTERY ON THE
I
CE

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
P
URPLE
P
OOL

T
HE
G
HOST
S
HIP
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN
W
ASHINGTON
, DC

T
HE
C
ANOE
T
RIP
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
H
IDDEN
B
EACH

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
M
ISSING
C
AT

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT
S
NOWFLAKE
I
NN

T
HE
M
YSTERY ON
S
TAGE

T
HE
D
INOSAUR
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
TOLEN
M
USIC

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
B
ALL
P
ARK

T
HE
C
HOCOLATE
S
UNDAE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
H
OT
A
IR
B
ALLOON

T
HE
M
YSTERY
B
OOKSTORE

T
HE
P
ILGRIM
V
ILLAGE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
TOLEN
B
OXCAR

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN THE
C
AVE

T
HE
M
YSTERY ON THE
T
RAIN

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
F
AIR

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
L
OST
M
INE

T
HE
G
UIDE
D
OG
M
YSTERY

T
HE
H
URRICANE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
P
ET
S
HOP
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
S
ECRET
M
ESSAGE

T
HE
F
IREHOUSE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN
S
AN
F
RANCISCO

T
HE
N
IAGARA
F
ALLS
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT THE
A
LAMO

T
HE
O
UTER
S
PACE
M
YSTERY

T
HE
S
OCCER
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY IN THE
O
LD
A
TTIC

T
HE
G
ROWLING
B
EAR
M
YSTERY

T
HE
M
YSTERY OF THE
L
AKE
M
ONSTER

T
HE
M
YSTERY AT
P
EACOCK
H
ALL

T
HE
W
INDY
C
ITY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
B
LACK
P
EARL
M
YSTERY

T
HE
C
EREAL
B
OX
M
YSTERY