“Just follow us to the house,” Benny told the crowd, then took off running. The confused bystanders followed behind.
As everyone crammed into the entryway of the house, the clocks struck noon. A symphony of clock sounds surrounded them.
Benny bent down and carefully pulled on the grandfather clock’s wooden panel. It sprang open immediately. Isabel gasped.
Benny switched on his flashlight hat, then looked inside the clock. He pulled out a notebook with a black leather cover and handed it to Isabel. “This is where Brad got the idea for the clock.”
“Grandma Alice’s plan book!” Isabel said. She opened the inside cover. “It’s number nine!” She turned to Brad. “How did you know my grandmother hid the plan book in there?”
Everyone stared at Brad, waiting for his answer.
He turned away from all the curious faces. “From Martha,” he mumbled. “I overheard her reading a riddle from a book. I’ve worked in this house for a few years now. Some of the old-timers who did work around here, too, told me stories about finding all kinds of crazy things hidden behind paintings, inside statues. One worker discovered a riddle under a windowsill he was painting. When he figured it out, it led him to a toy fire truck hidden in the broom closet.”
“That sounds exactly like something Grandma Alice would do,” Isabel said with a faint smile on her face. “And probably Martha’s grandfather, too. I remember so many times the two of them sent us off on treasure hunts with just a riddle or puzzle to go by.”
Martha stepped forward. “Take a look at it, Mr. Marshall.”
Mr. Marshall took the plan book. No one spoke while he slowly flipped through the pages. At last, he shut the book. “This is Alice Putter’s plan book all right,” he finally declared. “But it’s not hers alone. Many of the inventions in this plan book, including Brad’s birdhouse clock and this grandfather clock, were planned by Alice Putter with Otis Carver. That’s his handwriting detailing all the colors to use on nearly every single object. It looks like Alice designed the clocks and Otis painted them. The silly riddles written in the margins appear to have been invented by both of them. Of course, most of the clocks in this plan book were never actually made. I guess that’s why you thought you could get away with this, Brad.”
Brad looked away.
“So Grandma Alice and Otis created the inventions and artworks together,” Isabel said, letting out a deep breath. She turned to Martha. “Is that what you were trying to prove?”
“Not exactly” Martha said. “I heard my grandfather tell stories about all the fantastic clocks and other inventions he came up with in this house. I just thought Alice Putter took credit for them. And I thought you hid the missing plan book so there would be no proof. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you, Isabel.” Martha looked sad. “We used to be such good friends and here I’ve been, sneaking around and trying to prove you had something to hide. I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry, Martha,” Isabel said, hugging her. “If we had worked together like the Aldens did, we might have solved the clues our grandparents left us and discovered the plan book long ago. Grandma Alice and Granddad Otis would want us to be friends again.”
“And we are,” said Martha, hugging Isabel back.
Isabel went over to Brad. “But I don’t think you and I can be friends any longer, Brad. You tried to pass off Grandma Alice’s and Otis’s invention as your own. I’m afraid I can no longer trust you to work here.”
Brad looked embarrassed. “I’m really sorry. I know what I did was wrong.” He looked at the two judges. “I guess I’m disqualified from the competition, huh?”
Mr. Marshall nodded sternly.
As Brad walked out of the house, the grandfather clock chimed the half hour. Mr. Marshall smiled at the sound of it. “I guess it’s time to begin the judging,” he said. “I haven’t looked at all the other Junior Division entries yet, but I’d like to award Benny a special prize right now.”
Benny looked up at Mr. Marshall and practically blinded him with the flashlight. “For what?”
“For solving the mystery of the grandfather clock — and looking inside it with your very useful hat.”
“Here, here!” someone cried.
Benny took off his flashlight hat and waved it over his head. “Hats off!” he shouted. Then he walked over to Henry and put his hat on his older brother’s head.
“Finally!” Henry said.
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 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
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 © 2003 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4532-2152-5
This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
180 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com