The Mystery of the Stolen Music

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  “No, I most certainly did not,” Melody answered. “Why would I?”

  “I thought perhaps you wanted to meet to talk to me about the orchestra,” Victor said. “About how … unhappy you are.”

  Melody looked surprised. “Unhappy? What makes you think I’m … unhappy, Victor?”

  “My dear, you have been with the orchestra a long time. I know you well.” Victor put his arm around Melody’s shoulders. “Now, let’s get on with your practice.” He led her off toward the theater.

  “What was all that about?” Benny wanted to know.

  “Someone wrote Victor a note and signed Melody’s name,” Jessie answered.

  Benny shook his head. That was not what he had meant. “About Melody being unhappy. She doesn’t look unhappy.”

  “We can talk about that later,” Henry said. “Now, we have to figure out who wrote that note.”

  “And why,” Jessie added.

  Violin music drifted into the room.

  Violet said, “Oh, we’re missing Melody’s practice,” and hurried toward the auditorium.

  The others followed. Perhaps an idea would come to them as they listened to Melody’s solo performance.

  They slipped into front row seats. Down the aisle, Victor’s head was bowed, and his eyes were closed. They thought he might be sleeping. On stage, Melody swayed gently as she played. She moved the bow over the strings with a light, sure touch. Under her skillful fingers, the violin seemed to come alive.

  “I’ll never be able to play like that,” Violet whispered.

  “Sure you will,” Henry said. “It just takes practice.”

  Suddenly, Benny blurted, “I know!”

  Jessie, who was sitting beside him, said, “Benny, hush!”

  “But I know why — !”

  Violet leaned around her sister. “Shhh!” she commanded.

  Grumbling to himself, Benny slumped back in his seat.

  After awhile, Melody lifted her bow from the violin. Victor was on his feet before the last notes had died away.

  “My dear, that was superb!” he said. “There’s just one passage that still needs work.” He climbed the stage stairs to show Melody which part of the music he wanted her to try again.

  Benny looked at the other Aldens. “Can I talk now?”

  “What do you want to tell us?” Henry asked.

  “I know why someone sent that note to Victor: To get him out of his room!”

  “That makes sense,” Jessie said, “but why would anyone want Victor to leave his room?”

  “Whoever did it might think the missing score is still there,” Violet suggested.

  Benny nodded vigorously. “And they wanted to search for it!”

  They decided to tell Victor and Melody what they suspected.

  Victor listened intently. Then he nodded and said, “We must go back to the hotel immediately!” and ran up the aisle.

  Melody and the Aldens ran after him.

  But they were too late. Back at the hotel, they found Victor’s door standing open. Inside, the room was a jumble. Drawers were overturned, their contents strewn about the floor. Sheets and pillows were pulled off the bed. Clothes lay in piles on the closet floor.

  Victor picked up his garment bag and unzipped it. His tuxedo was in a heap at the bottom.

  Bob Weldon came into the room. Looking at the mess over his glasses, he said, “Not you, too!”

  “You mean your room was ransacked?” Melody asked.

  “Yes,” Bob answered. “I went down to the dining room to meet you as you asked, Melody, and — ”

  “I never asked you to meet me,” Melody interrupted.

  Bob looked confused. “But your note — it said you had to see me immediately.”

  “I didn’t write you a note,” Melody told him.

  Still confused, Bob said, “I don’t have time to argue. There is too much to do.” He started to leave.

  “Wait!” Victor called. “This tuxedo needs cleaning before the dress rehearsal. Please see to it.” He handed Bob the garment bag.

  Bob narrowed his eyes. “Yes, sir,” he said. Under his breath, he added, “Always waits till the last minute,” just loud enough for the Aldens to hear.

  “We had better get back to the Civic Center,” Melody suggested. “The orchestra will be arriving.”

  “Yes, yes, of course,” Victor responded absently, and drifted out of the room.

  Melody hung back.

  “You go ahead,” Henry told her. “We’ll stay here and straighten up.”

  Saying, “I’m sure Victor would appreciate that,” Melody hurried off.

  Benny and Soo Lee began putting things back in drawers. Jessie and Violet remade the bed. Henry put the clothes back on hangers.

  “Now, we have two false notes,” Jessie said.

  “I’ll bet they were both written by the same person,” Benny said.

  “But who?” asked Violet.

  They thought about that.

  Finally, Soo Lee asked, “Could it be Janet Muller?”

  They remembered the scene in the hotel earlier that morning. Janet Muller had seemed uneasy. She said she was there collecting autographs. Had she lied?

  “Maybe she is the one who wrote the notes,” suggested Jessie.

  “What about Melody’s signature?” Violet asked.

  “She could have traced it from her autograph book,” Benny answered.

  It was possible, they agreed.

  “I’ll bet she took the score, too,” Benny said.

  That made sense. She had been very interested in the score that first day. And Mozart’s signature would be a valuable addition to her collection.

  “But if she has the score, why would she need to search for it?” Henry asked.

  “And if she didn’t need to search for the score, why would she write the notes?” Jessie added.

  Benny let out a loud breath. “We don’t need more questions,” he said. “We need answers.”

  But no one had any.

  CHAPTER 12

  The Audition

  “I can’t think about this mystery now,” Violet said. “Tomorrow is the audition for the young people’s orchestra. I have to go home and practice.”

  “We’ll go home, too,” Jessie suggested. “We can be your audience.”

  They trooped out of Victor’s room to the elevator.

  Outside the hotel, they were just in time to catch the bus.

  When they were seated, Benny said, “This is a good idea — listening to Violet practice.” He turned to the others. “You know why?”

  “Oh course we do, Benny,” Henry replied. “Listening to good music is a wonderful experience.”

  “That’s not the only reason,” Benny said.

  Jessie laughed. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense, Benny. Tell us your reason.”

  “I might get an idea.”

  “Yes, listening to music often gives people ideas,” Henry said.

  “I mean about the mystery. I got the idea about the fake notes when Melody was playing. I might get an even better idea listening to Violet,” said Benny.

  But he didn’t. The minute he and the others were seated around the living room and Violet began to play, Benny forgot about the mystery. So did everyone else. They thought only about the music Violet played and how proud they were of her.

  “Now, I’ll play ‘Song of the Wind,’” she said.

  The notes followed one after another, separate and clear and yet blended, like drops of water in a smoothly flowing river.

  Violet played all their favorites, even “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

  When she had finished, Jessie asked, “What will you play for the audition, Violet?”

  Benny piped up, “Play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’ I like that best.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “I like them all best,” Soo Lee said.

  “I don’t know which piece to play,” Violet said. “I think I’ll let Melody choose.”


  Benny got to his feet. “Now that that’s settled,” he announced, “I’m hungry. It’s time for lunch.”

  Jessie put out sandwich fixings. That way, each of the Aldens could make his or her favorite.

  Afterward, Benny raided the garbage.

  “I’m going to use this cardboard tube to make a kazoo,” he said. He placed waxed paper over one end and secured it with a rubber band. Then, he hummed into it. He liked the sound it made.

  Soo Lee decided to make an instrument, too. She found several different-sized bottles and arranged them according to size. When she blew across the tops, she played a melody.

  All afternoon, Soo Lee and Benny kept making instruments until they had enough for all the Aldens. When Grandfather came home from the mill, they gave him a concert.

  “Bravo!” he said as they took their final bows. “You sound like a real orchestra.”

  “Part of what you heard was my stomach growling,” Benny told him. He was hungry again!

  After dinner, Grandfather asked Violet to play. She sounded even better than she had that afternoon.

  “Violet, if you play like that, you’re sure to win a place in the young people’s orchestra,” Grandfather assured her.

  “Then we’ll celebrate,” Benny said.

  Grandfather nodded. “Yes, of course, we must do that. I’ll tell you what: You meet me at the hotel tomorrow afternoon and I’ll treat you to dinner in the dining room.”

  “What if I’m not chosen?” Violet asked.

  “You will be,” Soo Lee responded.

  Violet wanted to believe that, but she had her doubts. The competition would be stiff. She went to bed vowing to do her very best. “Then, whatever happens will be all right,” she told herself.

  The next morning, they arrived at the Civic Center to find the auditorium nearly full and buzzing with excitement.

  Melody called for attention. “Will the musicians please come up to the front rows,” she instructed.

  Violet made a this-is-it face. The others wished her good luck, and she started up the aisle.

  When everyone was assembled, Melody divided them according to their instruments. The strings would be first to play.

  Violet was third. On stage, she carefully took her violin from its case. She put it in position and pulled the bow across the strings to be sure it was in tune. Then, she read-justed it, took a deep breath, and played the pieces Melody had selected from her list.

  After the first few notes, Henry, Jessie, Benny, and Soo Lee relaxed. There was no question about it: Violet was very good and getting better all the time.

  The orchestra list was posted in the reception hall at noon. There were so many people crowded around the bulletin board, it was difficult to see. Benny squeezed to the front of the group where he stood on tiptoe to read the list. At the very top of the strings section was Violet’s name.

  “Hooray!” Benny exclaimed. He squeezed back through the crush of people. “You made it!” he said, and hugged his sister.

  Violet skipped off to call Grandfather. While the other Aldens waited for her, Henry picked up a printed concert schedule.

  “When is the young people’s rehearsal?” Jessie asked him.

  “Tomorrow morning. Their concert will be Saturday afternoon.”

  “What about the regular orchestra?” Benny wanted to know. “When do they play?”

  “Friday night.”

  “That’s tomorrow!” Soo Lee said.

  Benny sighed. “That doesn’t give us much time.”

  They all knew he was thinking about solving the mystery. Could the Boxcar Children find the missing score in time for it to be displayed before the concert?

  CHAPTER 13

  The Plane Ticket

  The Aldens took their sack lunches and went outside to the park beside the Civic Center. Jessie spread the blue tablecloth from their boxcar days on a grassy hillock. Benny had even remembered to bring his old cracked pink cup.

  “This is like old times,” Henry said. “All we need is the boxcar.”

  “And Watch,” Jessie added.

  “Sometimes I wish we were still living in the boxcar,” Benny put in.

  “I don’t,” Violet said. “I never would have learned to play the violin if we hadn’t come to live with Grandfather.”

  “And you wouldn’t know me,” Soo Lee said.

  “That’s right,” Benny said to his sister and his cousin. “I forgot.”

  Henry laughed. “Things work out.”

  “Except for this mystery,” Jessie said. “I wonder if it’ll work out at all.”

  “Let’s go over what we know,” Henry suggested.

  “We know the music’s missing,” Soo Lee responded.

  “And that Victor took the score to the hotel,” Violet said.

  “Two false notes,” Jessie added. “And two ransacked rooms.”

  “Don’t forget about Melody and that mysterious man,” Benny put in.

  Henry looked sad. “We always come back to Melody, don’t we?”

  “It’s not Melody,” Violet said. “Someone else signed her name to those notes.”

  “At least that’s what we think,” Jessie reminded her sister.

  Benny’s face lit up. “I got it: Melody signed the notes herself and just told us she didn’t.”

  “That’s a possibility,” Henry agreed.

  “But what about the ransacked rooms?” Violet asked.

  “Yes,” Soo Lee said. “Melody didn’t do that. She was at the Civic Center with us.”

  Henry shrugged. “Maybe she has a partner.”

  “The mysterious man! I’ll bet he messed up the rooms,” Benny piped up.

  Violet crushed her lunch sack and got to her feet. “Melody did not do any of this!” She stalked off toward the Center.

  “Wait, Violet!” Benny called. “We didn’t say she did it — only that she might have.”

  But Violet was already inside the building.

  Benny’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t like to see Violet upset. “Now what?” he asked the others.

  “Let’s go and listen to the orchestra rehearse,” Henry answered.

  They found Violet in the front row and sat down beside her. Victor was at the podium, his baton raised, ready to begin.

  “Violet, I — ” Benny began.

  “Shhh!” she said.

  Just as the music began, Bob Weldon hurried in a side door. He saw the Aldens and headed toward them.

  When he reached Jessie, he whispered, “I wonder if you’d be kind enough to run an errand for me.”

  “Yes, of course,” Jessie whispered back. “What is it?”

  Bob motioned for her to follow him.

  “Bob wants me to run an errand for him,” she told the others. “I’ll be back soon.” She started up the aisle.

  “I’ll go with you,” Benny offered. He crawled over Henry and hurried after his sister.

  In the lobby, Bob told them, “I left my glasses in my room. They’re in my briefcase on the desk. I’d get them myself, but I can’t leave right now. Too busy.”

  “We’ll be happy to get them for you,” Jessie said.

  “Thank you,” Bob said. He gave Jessie his room key and hurried off.

  Bob’s briefcase was on the desk in his hotel room. Benny got to it first. Its latch was closed. Benny fiddled with it.

  “Wait, Benny, let me do — !” Jessie said, but it was too late.

  The briefcase fell to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere.

  Benny stood looking at the mess. “Oops,” he said.

  “Oops is right,” Jessie said.

  Benny began picking up things. “Here’re the glasses.”

  “Just pile the rest on the desk,” Jessie instructed. “No sense putting the papers back in the briefcase. We won’t get them in the right order.”

  They were ready to leave when Benny saw something under the desk chair. He knelt down and reached for it.

  “It’s
a plane ticket,” he said and sat back on his heels to examine it. He handed it to Jessie.

  “You’re right, it’s a plane ticket,” she said and set it on the desk.

  “Where’s it to?” Benny asked. “Doesn’t it say Paris?”

  Jessie glanced at the ticket. “Yes.” She examined the ticket more closely.

  “That’s in France, isn’t it?”

  Jessie nodded. “And the ticket’s for tomorrow afternoon.” She looked puzzled.

  “That’s funny,” Benny said. “The concert isn’t until tomorrow night. Why would Bob leave before that?”

  Jessie shook her head. “I don’t know, Benny. Maybe he has to go on ahead to make arrangements for the next concert.”

  “But the orchestra’s not going to Paris,” Benny reminded her. “It’s going to Cleveland!”

  CHAPTER 14

  The Mysterious Package

  Back at the Civic Center, they found Bob in the lobby, talking to some of the orchestra members.

  “Did you find my glasses?” he asked when he saw Jessie and Benny.

  Jessie handed them to him. “The briefcase fell over,” she said, “so we put everything on your desk.”

  Bob nodded, but Jessie was sure he hadn’t heard her.

  “Why didn’t you ask him about the plane ticket?” Benny wanted to know.

  “He’s too busy now,” Jessie answered. “And there are too many people around.”

  Henry came up behind them. “The orchestra took a break,” he said. “Let’s go back to the park.”

  “Wait till you hear what we found!” Benny exclaimed.

  “Not here, Benny,” Jessie warned him. She didn’t want Bob to hear them discussing the plane ticket.

  When the Aldens were all in the park, Benny said, “Bob has a plane ticket to Paris!”

  “It’s for tomorrow afternoon,” Jessie added.

  “I’ll bet he’s taking the missing music with him,” Benny added.

  “Bob Weldon?” Soo Lee asked.

  Violet was surprised, too. “He can’t be the thief!”

  Until now, they hadn’t even considered him a suspect.

  “Let’s think about this,” suggested Henry.

  And they did.

  After a while, Jessie said. “What about his room? It was ransacked just like Victor’s.”