Mr. Darden’s house was on a quiet street not far from Main Street. The house had a small porch, and flowers grew in pots on either side of the front steps.
When he opened the door, Mr. Darden looked surprised. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“We’d like to ask you a few more questions about the robbery at Antique Treasures,” Henry said.
David Darden glanced over his shoulder, then quickly stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind him. “What do you want to know?” he said.
“Do you know anyone named Marvin Map?” Jessie asked.
“No!” Mr. Darden said. He hesitated and then said, “Except what I read about him in the newspaper, of course.”
“Why didn’t you want to give your name and address to Mr. Bellows for the police?” Jessie went on.
Mr. Darden said, “Shhh, keep your voice down.” He looked over his shoulder again.
“And why haven’t you been back to buy a ring like you said you would?” Benny demanded.
“Shhh!” Mr. Darden said sharply. Then he said, “Will you please go away!” And without saying another word, he turned and went back inside, closing the door firmly behind him.
The Aldens were so surprised that they didn’t speak for a moment. Then they turned and went back down the steps to their bicycles. Jessie glanced over her shoulder at the house as they rode away. “He’s hiding something,” she said. “And don’t forget, he knew the rubies were there, or he could have known. The only other people were Mr. Bellows and Dr. Kroll.”
After lunch, the Alden children gathered supplies to take out to the boxcar. They were going to work on the party decorations there.
But as they reached the boxcar, their steps slowed. Watch growled softly and the hair on his neck stood up.
“What is this?” Jessie asked.
“It looks like Benny’s cereal,” Violet said.
Benny ran forward. “It is!” he cried. “Someone has sprinkled Stars all over the ground.”
The Aldens bent to examine the spilled cereal. Watch trotted around the corner of the boxcar. A moment later, he trotted back with something in his mouth. It was the empty cereal box.
“The thief must have dropped the box while he was running away last night,” said Henry. “Good dog, Watch.” Watch cocked his head and panted.
Jessie looked puzzled. “But why did he open it before he dropped it?”
“Why did he take it if he didn’t want to eat the cereal?” Violet wondered.
“Hmmm,” said Jessie. “If you ask me, the cereal box mystery is even harder than the jewelry mystery — we know why someone would steal valuable jewelry. But why would anyone steal a box of cereal?”
When Soo Lee arrived, the Aldens told her what had happened. She was just as puzzled as they were. “But if we scatter the cereal in the grass,” she said, “at least the birds can eat it.”
“Good idea, Soo Lee,” said Jessie.
Soo Lee and Violet and Benny scooped up the cereal that was spilled near the boxcar and scattered it across the lawn for the birds. Watch helped by eating pieces of the cereal.
“Oh, Watch!” Soo Lee laughed. “You’re a silly dog.”
Watch wagged his tail.
“It’s good cereal, isn’t it, Watch?” asked Benny.
Watch wagged his tail again.
“I’ve never had any,” said Soo Lee.
“You’ve never had Silver Frosted Stars?” Benny’s eyes widened. “Wait right here.”
He hurried away and returned with his opened box of cereal. Going into the boxcar, he returned with the old cracked pink cup that had been his when he and his sisters and brother had lived in the boxcar. He poured some of the cereal into the cup.
“Here,” he said. “You can eat it without milk. We’ll eat Stars while we make decorations for Grandfather’s party.”
The Aldens worked all afternoon. Benny and Soo Lee made a big poster that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDFATHER in bright letters. They painted a rainbow behind the words.
Violet painted a bouquet of purple flowers with green leaves and drew a frame around it for Grandfather Alden. Jessie and Henry gathered branches of greenery to make into birthday wreaths.
“We can pick flowers on his birthday and make a big birthday bouquet,” said Jessie.
“We could paint pinecones different colors and put them in a big glass bowl,” said Soo Lee. “That would be pretty.”
“I know, I know! I know an even better idea,” cried Benny, bouncing up and down in excitement.
“What is it, Benny?” asked Violet.
“We can get Grandfather a special tree and decorate it. Then we can plant it and he will have it forever and ever,” Benny said.
“That’s a terrific idea, Benny,” said Jessie admiringly. “We’ll put all our money together and go pick out a perfect tree tomorrow.”
Violet suddenly turned her head and frowned.
“What is it, Violet?” asked Soo Lee.
“I don’t know,” said Violet. She looked around uneasily. Then she said, “I must be imagining things. But I just had the strangest feeling that someone was watching us.”
The other Aldens looked around, too. But they couldn’t see anyone.
Then Watch jumped up and raced toward the woods behind the house, barking as loudly as he could! |