Mystery of the Missing Cat (5 page)

“No spotted cats?” asked Benny.

“No.” Mr. Allen shook his head, then hesitated. Finally he said, “Why don't you come see for yourself.”

Once again, the Aldens found themselves following someone through the mansion. This time, Mr. Allen led them to a long, luxurious room.

Benny's eyes got very large when he saw the room. Like the back room at Professor Madison's house, it was filled with cats. But the room and the cats were very different.

The room seemed as big as Professor Madison's whole house. It was lined with cages. Most of the cages had the doors open so that the cats could come and go as they pleased. Every cage was elaborately decorated like a little house, with windows that had curtains. There was a nameplate on each door. Dishes with food and water sat in front of each cage. On the dishes were names that matched the nameplates on the cage doors. Toy mice and scratching posts and little balls and all kinds of cat toys were scattered everywhere.

A dainty silver cat with dark brown markings on her head, paws, and tail jumped down from atop a cat house and ran lightly toward them. She wound herself in and out between Mr. Allen's legs as he tried to walk.

Mr. Allen laughed and bent over to pet her. “There you go, Blue. This is Blue. She's a chocolate-point Siamese.”

“Oh! Her eyes are blue,” said Benny. “Is she still a kitten?”

“No, Siamese have blue eyes their whole lives,” Mr. Allen told Benny.

“What kind of cat is that?” asked Soo Lee, pointing to a big white cat with long hair and a mashed-in face that made it look unhappy.

“That's Ralph. He's a champion longhaired Persian,” said Mr. Allen, picking up the cat and stroking his luxurious fur. “In fact, all my cats are champions. However, some, like Blue, are retired. But as you can see, I have no cats like yours.”

“You have so many different kinds!” exclaimed Jessie.

“My goal is to have at least one of every breed. And I very nearly do,” said Mr. Allen, looking proud. “Cats are amazing creatures.”

“I like cats, too,” said Benny. “I like your cats. And Spotzie.”

“I'm sorry I can't be of more help,” said Mr. Allen. He led them back out of the cats' room and toward the front door. “Your cat is an ordinary cat, though, so it would be unlikely I would have her, don't you think? All my cats are rare and expensive.”

“Every cat is special in its own way,” said Violet loyally. “Including Spotzie.”

Mr. Allen looked at Violet in surprise. A funny look came over his face. Then he said, “I'm sure she is,” and led them all to the front door. He opened it. “If I hear anything at all about your cat, I'll certainly get in touch.”

“Thank you,” said Henry, and the five Aldens left.

No one said anything as they rode their bicycles home. There was nothing to say. Mr. Allen hadn't been able to help after all. They had seen lots of interesting cats, but they were no nearer to finding Spotzie than they'd been when they first started looking.

CHAPTER 8

A Strange Phone Call

“L
ook, Violet! That's the North Star,” Henry pointed up at the sky.

The Aldens had just finished dinner and Grandfather Alden had gotten out his book of constellations. The four children were trying to find the constellations and stars he had shown them in the book.

“I see the Big Dipper,” said Henry.

“Very good, Henry,” said Grandfather.

Just then they heard the sound of the phone ringing through the open back door.

“I'll get it,” said Henry.

He raced up the stairs and a moment later, the others heard the phone stop in mid-ring.

A few minutes later, Henry came back outside.

“Who was it, Henry?” asked Grandfather Alden.

“I don't know,” said Henry. “I think someone was trying to disguise his — or her — voice.”

“What do you mean?” Jessie asked quickly.

Henry said, “It was someone calling about Spotzie. The voice was very muffled and hard to hear. He — or she — said that Spotzie is lost and going to stay lost. And if we know what's good for us, we'll stop looking for her!”

Everyone was so surprised that no one said anything at all for a minute. Then Violet said, “Do you think it was the same man who called me? Mr. Jones?”

“There's no way of knowing,” said Henry. “I couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman calling. But if it was a man, it might be the man you talked to.”

Suddenly Jessie snapped her fingers excitedly. “But now we have a clue!”

“A clue?” Grandfather looked at Jessie. “What's the clue?”

“Now we know Spotzie was stolen! Why else would anyone want us to stop looking for her, unless they'd taken her and didn't want to get caught?” explained Jessie.

“You're right!” exclaimed Henry.

“Was it a cat burglar?” asked Benny, looking up at his grandfather. “Was it a cat burglar who took Spotzie?”

Grandfather Alden patted his youngest grandchild on the head. “It was a cat burglar of sorts, Benny.”

“I think we should visit Professor Madison again,” Jessie said. “I think she knows more than she is telling us.”

The Aldens all agreed it was a good idea, and decided to go visit Professor Madison the following day.

The next day when the Aldens arrived at Professor Madison's, she was even more unfriendly than she had been before.

“Hello,” said Henry politely when the professor opened the door.

This time, Professor Madison didn't try to close the door in their faces. Instead, she stepped outside onto her porch and shut the front door behind her. She folded her arms in front of her and frowned. “What is it now?” she asked.

“We'd like to talk to you about Spotzie.” Jessie held up the photograph of Spotzie to remind the professor.

The professor sighed a big, annoyed sigh. “Are you still looking for that cat? Well, she's not here. Not now. Not ever!”

“Wait a minute,” said Henry. “Remember the last time we were here and we tried to show you a photograph of Spotzie. You said you didn't have a cat that looked like ours. But you didn't really look at the photograph!”

Professor Madison bit her lip. “I saw as much as I needed to see.”

“But — ” Henry began.

“I've told you everything I'm going to tell you,” Professor Madison told them.

“Then there
is
more,” said Jessie quickly. “You know more and you aren't telling us!”

Putting her hand on the door handle behind her, the professor said, “No. Well . . .”

“Wait,” said Violet. “Please wait. We need your help. We think Spotzie isn't lost after all. We think she was stolen. If you know anything that can help us find her, please tell us!”

The professor hesitated. She half turned, as if she were about to go back inside without answering. Then she turned back around.

“Okay,” she said. “You're not the only one looking for a lost cat that matches the picture you showed me. The day before you came over, someone else was here looking for a lost cat. He'd gotten my name from the animal shelter as someone who had a lot of cats and might have taken his in.”

“What happened?” asked Jessie eagerly.

“I showed him the cat I gave to you. He said she was his cat and made a grab for her. She hissed and tried to get away from him. That made me suspicious.”

“Why would his own cat do that?” Benny's eyes were wide.

“I don't think it was his cat.” Professor Madison went on, “I became really suspicious when he offered me a large reward for the cat — a great deal too much money — if I'd just hand her over. When I wouldn't, he became very angry and almost threatening. I made him leave.

“That same night, someone tried to break into my house. Fortunately, I have an alarm system and it scared off whoever it was. But I'm sure it was the same man.”

“It could be the same man who called us, too,” said Henry.

“What are you talking about?” the professor asked.

“Last night, someone called us and told us to stop looking for Spotzie if we knew what was good for us. That's what made us think she was stolen,” Henry explained. “What did the man who came here look like?”

Professor Madison answered, “It was hard to tell. He was wearing a hat and dark glasses and a coat with the collar turned up — almost like a disguise. That made me suspicious, too.”

The Aldens exchanged glances. It sounded like the man who had followed them outside the animal shelter!

“I think you're right,” Professor Madison continued. “I think it might be the same man that called you.” She reached out and took the photograph of Spotzie that Jessie was holding. “They do look alike, don't they. But I don't understand it. Why would someone steal a cat like this?”

No one could answer that.

The professor gave the photograph back to Jessie. “Anyway, I'm glad she's in a safe place now. That's why I insisted you take her. I know that man wasn't her owner and I didn't trust him.”

Jessie put the picture carefully in her pocket. “Thank you, Professor Madison,” she said.

“Good luck,” said Professor Madison. “If anything else happens, or I can think of anything to help, I'll let you know.”

She went back into her house and the Boxcar children went down the stairs and got back on their bicycles.

“Who could have taken Spotzie?” wondered Violet.

“And why?” added Jessie.

“That's the biggest mystery of all,” said Henry. “Spotzie looks like an ordinary cat.”

“Maybe she's not,” said Benny. “Maybe she's a rare and valuable cat.”

“Oh, Benny,” said Jessie. “Spotzie isn't like those cats we saw at Mr. Allen's. Those cats are like the dogs we saw at the dog show. They are very valuable.”

“But Watch isn't a show dog, and he's valuable,” said Benny.

“That's true, Benny,” Violet said. “And Spotzie isn't a show cat, but she is valuable to Mr. Woods, too, because he loves her, the same way we love Watch.”

“That makes Watch and Spotzie the most valuable dog and cat of all,” declared Benny.

“You're right,” Violet said to her little brother, giving him a warm smile. “You're exactly right, Benny.”

CHAPTER 9

Looking for Mr. Jones

A
s they turned down the street where they lived, Jessie suddenly exclaimed, “I have an idea! And I know it's going to help us solve this mystery!”

“What is it?” asked Violet.

“Yes, tell us,” urged Henry.

“Remember that man who called you, Violet?” Jessie asked her sister.

“Mr. Jones.” Violet nodded. “I remember.”

“He gave you a post office box to write to. Why don't we write him a letter and tell him we have a lost cat.”

“But won't that be a lie?” said Violet.

“No!” crowed Benny. “Because we
do
have a lost cat. The cat Professor Madison gave us.”

Jessie said, “That's right. And when Mr. Jones gets our letter, he'll call and we'll tell him to come over and we can see who he is and ask him a few questions.”

“That's a terrific idea,” said Henry.

“Thanks, Henry,” said Jessie. “We'll write the letter this afternoon. If we take it to the post office, he might even get it tomorrow.”

“We could have another clue by tomorrow!” cried Benny. “Hooray, hooray!”

“Don't say hooray yet,” Jessie warned. “Let's see if this works.”

That afternoon, right after lunch, the Aldens sat down at the kitchen table to write the letter. Henry did the writing, since he was the oldest, but everyone helped compose the letter. It read:

Dear Mr. Jones,

We have a lost cat like the one you were looking for. Please call us and you can come and see if she is yours.

Sincerely,

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden