Henry stood up. “Thank you for showing us your dogs,” he said to Ms. Wilson.
“I told you I had nothing to hide,” she said as she led them out of the room.
Once they were outside, Henry spoke. “That black malamute is not really black,” he told his sisters and brother. “Its fur has gray and white roots.”
“Ms. Wilson dyed its fur!” said Jessie.
“And the white dog had white fur with black roots,” said Benny. “She must have dyed its fur, too!”
“The white dog was Boxcar,” said Violet. “I know it was Boxcar.”
The children walked directly back to the dentist’s office. They found an empty bench on the sidewalk and sat down. Henry pulled out the cell phone that Grandfather made sure they took with them.
“It’s time to make some phone calls,” said Henry.
CHAPTER 10
Reunion!
By the time Grandfather was done at the dentist’s, Henry had made all the phone calls.
“Should we have lunch while we wait?” asked Grandfather.
Henry shook his head. “Everybody will be here soon,” he said. “And I think we should act quickly.”
“That’s right,” said Jessie. “We’ve been watching to make sure that Ms. Wilson’s van is still there.”
Just as she said that, a car pulled up and parked. Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Servus stepped out of the car. “Here we are,” said Mr. Brooks.
Another car pulled up and parked. Mr. Kovack stepped out of the car. “Everybody’s here,” he said. “Good work, Henry and Jessie. Good work, Violet and Benny.”
Grandfather introduced himself to Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Servus and Mr. Kovack. “My grandchildren always do good work,” he said with a smile.
The group of eight people walked down the side street and into Dogs—Yippee!
Candy Wilson looked very nervous. “What are you all doing here?” she demanded. “I’m about to close. You’ll have to come back another time.”
“I’m here to see the Dalmatian dog you have for sale,” said Mr. Brooks.
“And I’m here to see the malamute you have for sale,” said Mrs. Servus.
“Those dogs have already been sold,” said Ms. Wilson.
“We want to see them anyway,” said Mr. Brooks.
“We sure do,” said Mrs. Servus.
“No,” said Candy Wilson. “You wouldn’t like these dogs. They aren’t as nice as your dogs were.”
Benny walked up to the locked door in the back of the store. “The dogs are back here,” he said. Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Servus followed him.
“We won’t leave until you unlock this door,” said Mr. Brooks.
Candy Wilson jangled her big key ring and walked to the door. “All right, all right,” she complained. “I have nothing to hide.”
She unlocked the door. Benny walked into the kennel room. Mrs. Servus and Mr. Brooks followed him. Everybody else walked into the kennel room, too.
As soon as Mrs. Servus and Mr. Brooks stepped into the room, two dogs started barking. The barks were very loud and very happy.
Mr. Brooks ran up to the all-white Dalmatian, which was jumping around in its cage and barking. Mr. Brooks knelt down and the Dalmatian licked his face.
“Boxcar!” said Mr. Brooks. “What happened to you—where are your spots?” He petted Boxcar and tried to hug him through the cage.
“That’s white dye,” said Henry. “Ms. Wilson dyed his spots so that he would look different. If you ruffle Boxcar’s fur, you can see black roots where his spots are.”
Mr. Brooks looked. “You’re right,” he said. “That’s ridiculous!” said Ms. Wilson.
Mrs. Servus was trying to hug the all-black malamute, which had its paws on the cage and was trying to get out.
“Grayson!” she said. “I’d recognize you anywhere! You have such beautiful blue eyes!” She also tried to hug her dog through the cage.
Mrs. Servus turned toward the Aldens. “I suppose that Grayson has been dyed black?”
“Yes,” said Henry. “If you ruffle his fur, you’ll see white and gray roots underneath.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said Candy Wilson. “Utterly ridiculous.”
Mrs. Servus faced Candy Wilson. “Unlock this cage at once,” she demanded.
Candy Wilson stood there, unsure what to do. Mr. Kovack reached over and took the key ring from her hand. Then he found the right keys to unlock the cages that Grayson and Boxcar were in.
Both dogs jumped out and jumped up to lick their owners. Mr. Brooks and Mrs. Servus hugged their dogs.
Mr. Kovack chuckled. “Now is not the time to say down, is it?” he asked everybody.
Mr. Brooks turned to face Candy Wilson. “You stole our dogs,” he said.
Candy Wilson looked very nervous. “I found these dogs,” she said. “They were roaming the streets.”
“No,” said Henry. “You stole these dogs from the Dog Gone Good training center. You gave them dog biscuits so they would know you. Then, when we were all in the office, you took the dogs. You used a pair of your grooming scissors to cut Grayson’s leash.”
“You put each dog in your van,” said Jessie. “And you drove away. Nobody could see the dog in your van. I heard a car drive away when Grayson was stolen. It was your van.”
“I found these dogs, that’s all,” said Ms. Wilson.
“You changed the way they looked,” said Violet. “But you couldn’t change the color of their eyes.”
“Such beautiful eyes,” said Mrs. Servus, hugging Grayson.
“I agree,” said Mr. Brooks, hugging Boxcar.
“Ridiculous,” said Ms. Wilson. “Why would I steal your dogs.”
“We know why,” said Mr. Kovack. “Boxcar and Grayson are beautiful dogs. They are popular breeds. You could get a lot of money for each dog. But neither dog is a show dog. So you wouldn’t have to worry about somebody recognizing the dog.”
Mr. Kovack pulled out his cell phone. “It’s time to call the police,” he said.
Later, after the police had come and taken statements from everybody, Grandfather and the children left Dogs—Yippee! So did Mr. Kovack, Mrs. Servus, and Mr. Brooks. So did Grayson and Boxcar.
Candy Wilson had left in the police car. She was going to have to answer a lot of questions.
“Thank you for finding Boxcar,” said Mr. Brooks to the children. “Now I’m happy again.”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Servus, “thank you for finding Grayson. I love my dog.”
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny watched as two people and two dogs piled into Mr. Brooks’s car. They waved goodbye as the car drove away.
Mr. Kovack turned toward the children. “I want to thank you, too,” he said. “I was working on the case, but you were the ones who solved it.”
“We had to think hard to solve this mystery,” said Jessie.
“When it comes time for you to get a job, you should consider detective work,” he said.
Grandfather smiled. “Maybe they will,” he said. “But until then, I think my grandchildren still have a lot more adventures ahead of them.”
Then Mr. Kovack got in his car and drove away.
Benny turned toward the corner restaurant. “I know we’re smart,” he said, “but sometimes we’re lucky, too. Like now. It’s way past lunch time, and we’re standing next to a restaurant.”
The Aldens all laughed as they followed Benny into the restaurant.
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 t
racks 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
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
THE AMAZING MYSTERY SHOW
THE PUMPKIN HEAD MYSTERY
THE CUPCAKE CAPER
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 © 2009 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4532-2908-8
This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
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EBOOKS BY GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER
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