The Amazing Mystery Show

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  “It doesn’t have a tail, either,” Henry pointed out.

  Benny’s face suddenly brightened. “A dragon has a tail,” he said. “And it bites and spits fire, too!”

  “That’s true,” said Violet, smiling a little. “But a dragon isn’t a kind of ship.”

  That didn’t stop Benny. “How about a ship filled with so many dragons that it can’t even float?”

  The others burst out laughing. “Keep trying, Benny,” said Henry. He gave his little brother a pat on the back.

  Andy suddenly spoke up. “How about we change location,” he suggested. “That fountain in Franklin Square would make a better background. How does that sound?”

  The Aldens thought it sounded just fine. Andy stopped filming as they headed for the park.

  “It’ll seem strange to go back to normal,” said Violet. “Without a camera following us around, I mean.”

  “I know,” Henry was quick to agree. “I can’t believe this is our last day on the show.”

  Hearing this, Andy said, “Actually, it’s my last day on the show, too.”

  The children stared at the cameraman in surprise.

  “What happened?” Violet asked in alarm. “Was the show cancelled?”

  “No, nothing like that,” Andy told her. “I accepted a job with another station.”

  The Aldens all looked at each other, stunned.

  “You’re leaving ‘The Amazing Mystery Show?’” Jessie could hardly believe her ears. “But … why?”

  “I thought you liked working for the show,” Benny said, looking confused.

  “It’s a great place to work,” Andy was quick to say. “But there’s one catch.”

  As if on cue, the Aldens asked, “What’s the catch?”

  “The show frowns on its employees dating each other.”

  “You’re talking about you and Hilary, right?” guessed Violet.

  Andy didn’t deny it. “We had to keep it a secret or we’d lose our jobs,” he confessed. “But I can’t do that anymore,” he added. “You see, I’m planning to ask Hilary to marry me.”

  “Oh, how sweet!” Violet said, a dreamy lookin her eyes.

  “I know how much Hilary loves working on the show,” Andy explained. “So … I decided to make the switch.”

  Henry nodded his head in understanding. That’s what Andy had meant on the phone. He wasn’t talking about switching the landmarks on the map. He was talking about changing jobs.

  Andy looked over at the children sheepishly. “I’m sorry for not being honest with you before,” he said. “You must’ve wondered when you saw the photo of us together, Violet.”

  “I’m glad you told us,” Violet said, as they drew near the fountain. “It explains a lot.”

  The Aldens looked at one another. They were each thinking the same thing. They could cross Andy off their list of suspects.

  The four children turned their attention back to the riddle as they perched on the edge of the fountain. Andy, who was standing nearby, started filming again.

  Henry read the riddle aloud one more time to refresh everyone’s memories. “A kind of ship that never sails, it bites and spits, and has a tail. What is it?”

  “I keep thinking we’re close to figuring it out,” Jessie added thoughtfully. “I just can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”

  “What’s the matter, Benny?” Violet asked when she heard her little brother sigh. “Thinking about something?”

  Benny nodded. “I was thinking about putting through the crack in the Liberty Bell.”

  “We’ll come back tomorrow and have a game, Benny,” Henry said. “That’s a promise.”

  “And we’ll go for a ride on the camels,” Violet added.

  “Did you say”—Jessie paused—“camels?”

  Violet nodded. “The ones at the zoo, Jessie. Remember?”

  “Camels have tails … and they bite and spit,” Jessie said slowly, figuring it out as she spoke. “And they’re called—”

  “Ships of the desert!” Henry cut in. “Ships that don’t really sail.”

  Jessie’s eyes were shining. “Guess where we’re going?”

  The others were ready with an answer. “To the zoo!” they all cried out.

  Just then, something caught Violet’s eye. A woman with curly red hair was sitting on a bench nearby reading a newspaper. She was wearing sunglasses with tortoise-shell frames. The woman was peering over her paper, staring at the Aldens.

  Violet leaned closer to the others. “Let’s get going,” she whispered nervously.

  With that, the Aldens headed for the bus stop with Andy close on their heels.

  CHAPTER 10

  The Show Goes On

  A warm breeze was blowing when the Aldens arrived at the Philadelphia zoo. They could tell it was going to be a hot day.

  “I just knew we’d figure out that riddle,” Benny said as they headed along the tree-lined walkway.

  Henry gave his brother a big smile. “It does look like we’ve got a real shot at winning.”

  As they rounded a bend, they caught sight of the camels. “Now, where’s a good hiding place for a gold coin?” Violet said, glancing around.

  “Let’s split up again and check all around,” Jessie said in her practical way.

  Andy held up a hand. “Listen, kids, I’m just heading for the washroom. Don’t find the gold coin before I get back, okay?” he added with a wink.

  Henry laughed. “It’ll take us a while to look around.”

  While Andy walked over to the washroom, the four children started their search for the gold coin. It wasn’t long before Violet called out, “Over here!”

  As the others hurried over to where Violet was standing under a tree by the side of the walkway. They watched as she reached into the hollow of the tree and pulled out a gold coin.

  “Way to go, Violet!” Henry praised. He tucked the gold coin Violet handed him into his back pocket.

  Just then Violet spotted something that made her gasp. “She followed us!”

  “Who?” asked Henry, glancing around.

  “See that woman standing by the water fountain over there?” Violet said in a hushed voice.

  “The one reading the map?” Benny asked. “I can’t really see her face.”

  “She’s just pretending to read the map,” Violet said in a hushed voice. “This is going to sound a bit weird,” she added, “but I think that’s the same woman who was just at Franklin Square.”

  “Are you sure?” Henry asked in surprise.

  “She has the same red hair and the same sunglasses,” answered Violet, who had an artist’s eye for detail.

  “It could just be a coincidence,” said Jessie. “Maybe she was planning to go to the zoo today.”

  “But she’s watching us, Jessie,” Violet insisted. “She keeps peeking over the map at us. And she was doing the same thing at the park.”

  “There could be a good reason for that,” said Henry.

  “Like what?”

  “We’re being filmed, Violet,” Henry reminded her. “That would make anybody curious.”

  Violet had to admit Henry had a point. Still, she had a hunch there was more to it than that.

  “You know what would really be funny?” Benny piped up. “If it was the same woman who almost knocked me over. She had red hair, too.”

  “Now that you mention it,” Violet said slowly, “it just might be the same woman.”

  “She didn’t even say she was sorry,” said Benny, who still couldn’t get over it. “She just said, ‘Honestly!’ and hurried away.

  “Fiona!” Violet suddenly realized there was only one person it could be.

  The other Aldens looked over at Violet, puzzled.

  Benny scrunched up his face. “Fiona doesn’t have red hair, Violet.”

  “But she was coming out of a store that sells wigs,” Violet pointed out. “Right?” She kept her voice low. She didn’t want her suspicions picked up by the recorder clipped to the
back of her shorts.

  “They even sold purple wigs,” Benny said, nodding his head up and down.

  “Fiona really wants that trip to Hawaii,” Violet reminded them, eyeing the woman uneasily.

  Henry didn’t look convinced. “Enough to wear a disguise and spy on us?”

  “And steal my special cup?” added Benny.

  Violet nodded. “I knew there was something familiar about the woman who almost bumped into Benny. But I couldn’t figure out what it was,” she said, “until Benny reminded me of what she said.” Violet looked around at her sister and brothers. “What’s Fiona’s favorite expression?”

  Jessie shrugged. “You’ve lost me, Violet.”

  “Her favorite expression is ‘Honestly!’” answered Violet. “That’s what she’s always saying.”

  “You’re right, Violet.” Henry nodded his head slowly. “And it’s an interesting theory, but—”

  “It isn’t enough to go on,” finished Jessie.

  Henry thought about this for a moment. Then he snapped his fingers. “I have an idea,” he said as a foolproof plan flashed into his mind.

  “What is it?” Benny wanted to know.

  Henry made a big point of looking at his watch. “We’ve got lots of time,” he said, his voice booming. “Let’s take a look around the zoo.” He fished the gold coin from his pocket and put it back into the hollow of the tree. “We can come back for this later.”

  “What if the Best kids find it before we get back?” Benny asked in alarm.

  Henry waved this away. “Don’t worry, they’ll never find it.”

  “But, Henry,” said Jessie, “how can you be so sure?”

  “Just go along with me on this, okay?” Henry said without moving his lips. “I’ll explain on the bus ride back to the hotel.”

  The other Aldens looked at each other. What was their older brother up to?

  Later that morning, when the Alden children were chatting with Hilary and Andy later that morning, the Best kids suddenly burst into the lobby.

  “We did it!” cried Rosie.

  Fiona and Mike stepped into the lobby behind them. “I knew they could do it,” Fiona said, beaming.

  “Do what?” Hilary looked confused.

  “Become five-time champions, of course,” said Fiona. “What else?”

  Rob handed the gold coin to Hilary. “We found it in a hollowed tree.”

  “Near the camels at the zoo,” Timmy added.

  “I was just on my way back from shopping,” Fiona explained, “when I spotted them racing down the street. Can you believe they won the third round before lunch?”

  “No, I can’t believe it,” said Hilary. “You see, this isn’t even one of our coins.” She was shaking her head as she looked closely at it.

  Fiona’s smile faded. “What …?”

  “Our coins have the name of the show on one side,” Hilary explained, “and the number of the round on the other side.”

  “So?” Rosie shrugged.

  “This coin has Betsy Ross on one side,” said Hilary, “and the first American flag on the other.”

  “The Aldens already found the real coin,” Andy informed them.

  Rosie looked over at Fiona in surprise. “But, you said …” Her words trailed away.

  The children caught the look. Hilary had seen it, too.

  “What do you know about this, Fiona?” Hilary demanded.

  “Me?” Fiona pointed to herself. “How would I know anything about it?” she snapped. “It’s clear the Aldens have played some kind of trick on my nieces and nephews.”

  “We didn’t play a trick,” Henry said, his eyes never leaving Fiona. “We set a trap.”

  “A trap?” A look of shock crossed Fiona’s face.

  “We saw you spying on us!” said Benny, his arms folded. “You were wearing a red wig and sunglasses,” he added, “but Violet knew it was you.”

  Henry nodded. “I just let you think I was putting the coin back into the hollow of the tree,” he said. “But it was in my pocket all along.”

  Jessie added, “Henry actually put a Betsy Ross coin back in the hiding place.”

  Fiona gave an angry toss of her head. “I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she said. “I have nothing to hide. Nothing whatsoever.”

  “You switched the landmarks on our map,” Violet said quietly. “We kept getting lost.”

  “And you stole Benny’s cup to distract us,” put in Henry.

  Hilary looked from Fiona to the Aldens and back again. “Is any of this true, Fiona?”

  “I told you it wouldn’t work,” Rob muttered.

  “Rob, please!” Fiona gave her oldest nephew a warning look. “You’re not helping matters.”

  “I think you have some explaining to do,” said Hilary, who was pacing around the lobby. “What do you have to say for yourself, Fiona?”

  “Okay, okay!” Fiona held up her hands in surrender. “Maybe I did get a bit carried away,” she admitted. “But I figured if my nieces and nephews won, it would help the show’s ratings. What’s wrong with that?”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Hilary looked horrified. “That’s not the way to increase ratings, Fiona! Any hint of cheating would ruin the show.”

  Fiona shrugged. “My mistake,” she said, forcing a laugh. “I was just trying to help,” she added, trying to make light of everything.

  “And get a free trip to Hawaii,” said Henry, watching Fiona closely.

  “You should be happy the Aldens won,” Andy told Fiona. “Otherwise, your nieces and nephews would be forced to withdraw from the show.”

  “I can’t believe it, Fiona,” said Hilary, sounding more disappointed than angry. “I knew you were determined to win, but I had no idea you would stoop to cheating. What kind of example are you setting for these children?”

  Fiona lowered her eyes and her face reddened. She sank down into a chair, looking defeated. After a moment’s silence, she began to speak. “When I heard that the Aldens were first-class detectives, I started to get worried,” she said. “I found some landmark stickers in the gift shop,” she went on. “It started me thinking.”

  “So you stuck them to one of the maps,” Jessie guessed. “Only, you put them where they didn’t belong.”

  “That’s why you handed out the maps and brochures that first morning,” Violet realized. “You wanted to make sure we got the mixed-up map.”

  Fiona didn’t deny it. “But you won the first round anyway,” she said with a sigh, “so I bought a wig and sunglasses and followed you.”

  “Then you stole my cracked pink cup,” Benny said accusingly.

  “I didn’t mean any harm,” said Fiona. “After all, it was just an old cup.”

  “It wasn’t just an old cup to Benny,” Jessie said.

  “It was more than that,” added Violet. “A lot more.”

  “I’m truly sorry,” Fiona said in a small voice. “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not very proud of.”

  Fiona told her story quickly. When she saw the Aldens going into the photo shop, she decided to leave them a snapshot clue to the whereabouts of Benny’s cup. The next morning, she went to the photo shop and pretended to be picking up the photos for Violet. Instead, she added her own picture to the envelope.

  Fiona looked over at the Aldens. “I realized what good detectives you were,” she said, “when you found the cup so quickly.”

  “So you decided to follow us again,” Violet concluded.

  Fiona nodded as she went on with her story. She followed the Aldens to Franklin Square. When she heard them talking about going to the zoo, she told her nieces and nephews. She had spotted them checking out the wooden animals on the carousel nearby. Then she drove out to the zoo in her rental car and waited for the Aldens to arrive. By a stroke of luck, she watched Henry put the gold coin back into its hiding place. At least, she thought it was the gold coin. She waited for her nieces and nephews to arrive at the zoo. Then she told them where to find the
gold coin.

  “It seemed like the perfect plan,” said Fiona. “Especially since I made sure Mike didn’t see me talking to my nieces and nephews.” She let out a long, weary sigh. “I just didn’t count on the Aldens setting a trap.”

  Hilary shook her head. “I think it’s time for the Best family to pack their bags and leave.”

  Looking truly regretful, Fiona walked slowly from the room. The Best kids were close behind her.

  Jessie had a question for Hilary. “What did you mean when you said you didn’t like sneaking around and that you’d do whatever it takes?”

  “Oh, you heard that, did you?” Hilary was smiling. “It’s not what you think.”

  “You were talking about Andy,” guessed Violet. “Weren’t you?”

  “Why, yes,” said Hilary, who seemed surprised that Violet knew that. Turning to Andy, she added, “I accepted a job on another television show. Now we won’t need to sneak around anymore.”

  Andy threw his head back and laughed. “Great minds think alike,” he said. “I accepted a job on another show, too.”

  Violet clasped her hands together. “How romantic!”

  Andy looked over at the Aldens. “By the way,” he said, “we need to shoot some film of you kids actually finding the last gold coin at the zoo. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Sure,” said Henry. “We never get a chance to wrap up a mystery twice!”

  “Can we have lunch first?” Benny asked. “Mysteries always make me hungry”

  “Oh, Benny!” Jessie giggled. “Everything makes you hungry.”

  At this, even Benny had to laugh.

  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.