Mystery of the Mixed-Up Zoo (2 page)

And so on a beautiful morning with the sun streaming through the leaves, they walked to Marlow's Zoo.

Going through the iron-grilled gates, they walked down a tree-lined path. Birds sang and tigers rumbled.

A young woman carrying a bucket walked toward them. She wore khaki knee-length shorts and a matching shirt.

Edward waved. “Pat!” he shouted. “Come meet my friends.”

She hurried over. “Hi,” she said. “This must be the Alden family.” A smile lit her tanned face. “Edward's been talking about your visit for weeks.”

“This is Pat Kramer” Edward said, introducing each of the Aldens. “Pat's the best animal keeper this side of the St. Louis Zoo. I don't know what I'd do without her.”

Pat shook James Alden's hand and then each of the children's. “If I can explain anything about the animals, let me know,” she offered pleasantly.

“Thanks,” Benny said.

“And that goes for all of us,” Henry added.

Pat smiled. “I have to get back to Leona.”

“Leona?” Violet questioned.

“Leona, the lion,” Pat said. “She hasn't been herself lately, so I'm giving her a special diet.”

“Let me know how she reacts,” Edward said.

“I will,” she promised and went on her way.

Looking over the zoo, the Aldens could see that many animals were not in cages.

“I think it's wonderful that many of the animals aren't behind bars,” Jessie said.

Edward, strolling along, said, “Each animal has an area that is as close to its home in the wild as we can make it.” He stopped before three giraffes. “In some cases a moat separates visitors from the animals,” Edward explained, pointing to a deep ditch between them and the long-necked giraffes, who munched contentedly on tree leaves. Once they stopped to stare at their visitors, their soft eyes with long lashes blinking at the Aldens.

“Wow! Look how tall they are,” Benny said, leaning back and looking down. “They have a longer neck than Miss Harrington, my first-grade teacher.”

Violet read the sign. “ ‘Grizzly Bear.' ” Puzzled, she glanced at Edward. “Grizzly bear?” she repeated.

Edward bent over to read the sign for himself. “Grizzly Bear!” He shook his head. “Well, now, we can see
that's
not right.”

“Let's see what it says by the elephants,” Benny shouted, running ahead.

He read the square card in front of the four adult elephants and one baby. “This sign says ‘Monkeys'!” Placing his hands on his hips, he said, “Did I read it wrong?”

“No,” Violet said. “You're right, the card is wrong.”

“Well, I'll be,” Edward said, catching up. Bewildered, he hurried to the Bird House. “Look at this,” he said to the others who followed.

Jessie peered at the sign. “Why, the birds are all labeled ‘Panthers,' ‘Lions,' and ‘Tigers.' ” As if in protest, the birds shrilled and screeched.

Outside the Bird House, Benny passed a desertlike area on which a black snake slithered over the sand. “This card says ‘Fox,' ” Benny said.

Jessie, Violet, and Henry laughed. “Someone is playing a funny prank on Edward.”

But Edward didn't laugh. “What's going on?” he asked. “This is an awful mix-up!”

Grandfather stepped forward, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. “It's a joke, Edward. Don't worry.”

“Well,” Edward growled. “I don't find it very funny.”

“We'll put the signs in their right places,” Violet said, snatching up the
FOX
sign. Soon all of them had been returned.

“Good, good,” Edward murmured. “I hope there are no more pranks!”

On the way home, Jessie glanced at Edward and could see he was still upset. “How about a nice dinner at home?” she asked. “We'll cook your favorite.”

Edward's smile wiped away his gloom. “I like a good steak, baked potatoes, and tossed salad.”

“That's easy,” Henry said.

When they arrived at the house, Edward said, “But you'll need to go to the store. Mike's Grocery is only two blocks that way.” Pointing in the opposite direction from the zoo, he dug in his pocket and pulled out some money, giving it to Jessie. “Now you can buy whatever you need.”

Violet and Jessie, not wasting any time, hurried down the road.

Before long they were back and went directly to the kitchen.

Jessie stopped, her mouth dropping open. “Henry! Benny! You've cleaned the whole kitchen!”

Violet smiled. “Even the floor has been mopped.”

“We wanted to surprise you,” Benny said.

“You certainly did,” Jessie said.

Henry unloaded the groceries while Violet made a salad and Jessie scrubbed six big potatoes and wrapped them in foil.

That evening everyone was seated at the dining room table. When the thick seared steaks and steaming potatoes were served, Edward's eyes lit up.

Cutting into his steak, Edward beamed. The children could see he felt a lot better than when he saw the mixed-up signs. They were glad they could cheer him up.

CHAPTER 3

The Snapshot

T
he next day the four Aldens walked to the store and bought lots of groceries to stock Edward's cupboards. They carried sack loads of apples, milk, bread, eggs, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oranges, grapes, peas, green beans, orange juice, cereal, muffins, and hamburger meat.

When they arrived home, they carefully put the food away. Afterward they dusted every piece of furniture.

“You know Edward told us to bring up the cabinet from the basement,” Violet said.

“Oh,” Benny cried, clapping his hands. “Could we explore the basement?”

Henry chuckled. “I'm ready. Are you, Jessie?”

“I sure am,” she said, heading toward the stairs.

First Henry went downstairs, followed by Jessie, then Violet, and finally Benny.

Boxes were stacked in corners, and a lamp as tall as Henry was in the center. Benny's eyes were wide as he peered at the many things strewn about. “Where should we start?” he asked.

Stepping over an old heater, Henry tipped over an empty box. “Anywhere you want to, Benny. Edward said we could bring upstairs anything we could use.”

“Oh, boy,” Benny said, going to a dark corner and kneeling down to open an old tin box. He picked up something small. “How pretty,” he said, holding up an orange and black trinket.

“Look,” Henry said, pointing to a wooden cabinet. “This must be what Edward mentioned.” Opening the two doors, he peeked inside. “This will be just fine to store his magazines and newspapers.”

Violet ran her hand over the dark wood. “I'll bet this is a hundred years old.”

“Maybe it was his mother's sewing cabinet,” Jessie said. “Edward told us he grew up in this house, so I know many of these things belonged to his parents.”

“Let's carry this upstairs,” Henry said. He lifted one end, and Violet and Jessie the other. They started up the steps.

They set the cabinet near Edward's chair in the living room.

“Did you notice that bookcase by the furnace?” Jessie asked.

“Perfect!” Violet exclaimed. “We could put some of Edward's books in there.”

So they carried it upstairs. “What's this?” Jessie asked, picking up an album that was on the lower shelf.

Sitting down, Violet turned the pages of an old photo album. She peered closely at an old snapshot. “Look! This is Edward!”

Henry, looking over her shoulder, exclaimed, “Edward was a pilot in World War Two. He was either in Japan or Germany. Those were the two main areas of fighting during the war.”

“A pilot!” Violet said in surprise. “Who would have thought it? Edward is such a gentle man.” She picked up the small photo. “This must be Edward in his pilot's suit, and, look, there's a pair of silver wings pinned to the collar of his leather jacket. And in the background is a plane with the words, ‘The Wildcats.' ”

Jessie took the picture and studied it. “Next to Edward is a real wildcat on a chain. Do you suppose that was their mascot?”

“I'm sure of it,” Henry said. “I want to ask him about these things.” He walked away. “Ouch!” he groaned, rubbing his shin. “I stumbled over this pile of books.”

Jessie laughed. “It isn't a pile now. Books are scattered everywhere.”

Henry studied the bookcase. “We could paint this and set it on the other side of Edward's big chair.”

A noise in back of her caused Jessie to turn around. Suddenly her mouth formed an O of astonishment. “Oh, no!” she whispered. “Benny, what have you done?”

Benny stared down at his shirt. “I decorated myself,” he said proudly.

“Oh,” Violet said in a dismayed voice. “You certainly did.” She touched one of the red and white hooks. “You got into Edward's fishing tackle box.”

Benny touched one of the fishhooks that he'd pinned on his shirt. Dozens of different-colored feathered fishhooks covered his shirt. Henry tried to get one off, but the hook was embedded in the cloth.

“It's a good thing that's an old T-shirt,” Jessie said quietly. “We'll have to cut off every hook!”

Benny asked, “Did I do something wrong?”

Violet said, “Fishhooks are hard to get loose. And,” she added in a firm tone, “they're dangerous and shouldn't be played with.”

“I won't do it again,” Benny promised.

“I know you won't,” Violet said.

Jessie, with great care, cut off every fishhook. Benny's shirt was filled with holes. “What can I do with it now?” he asked.

“Don't worry about it, Benny,” Henry said. “You can use it to help us polish this cabinet.”

So they all pitched in and rubbed the wood to a beautiful sheen, then placed the antique cabinet by Edward's chair.

“What a nice addition to the living room,” Jessie said, standing back.

“Yes, isn't it?” Violet agreed, placing on top of it a blue vase she'd found.

When they finished, the children prepared a delicious dinner.

Edward's eyebrows lifted when he saw the shiny glasses, and two candles in the center of the round table. “I didn't know my house could look so beautiful!” Edward said. He smiled when the meal was served. Baked chicken, peas, mashed potatoes, muffins, and for dessert, hot apple pie topped with ice cream.

“My grandchildren are very competent,” Grandfather said proudly.

That night everyone slept well. The children were tired from their busy day.

The following morning Henry said, “I noticed a bookstore across the street from Mike's Grocery. Shall we see what's in it?”

“Oh, let's,” Jessie said eagerly.

“Aren't we going to the zoo?” Benny asked in a disappointed voice.

“Of course, we are,” Violet answered. “First the bookstore, then the zoo.”

Entering the bookstore, the children were greeted by a tall lanky man who was bald and wore glasses. “Come in,” he said in a welcoming voice. He bent down and asked Benny, “And what kind of books do you like to read?”

“Books about animals,” Benny said quickly.

“Ahh,” the skinny man said, raising his brows and glancing at the older children.

Jessie laughed. “Yes, we're all interested in animals.”

“Especially animals in a zoo,” Henry said.

“I see.” The man rubbed his chin.

“You see,” Violet continued, “we're visiting Edward Marlow who owns the zoo. We'll be spending lots of time with the animals.”

“Oh.” A strange expression crossed the man's thin face, but it quickly passed, and he poked his glasses up on his long nose.

“Well, I'll find you all kinds of animal books,” he said. “By the way, I'm Mac Thatcher, the owner of the shop.”

“I'm Henry Alden,” Henry said, placing a hand on Benny's shoulder, “and this is my little brother, Benny, and my two sisters, Violet and Jessie.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Mac Thatcher said, tilting his head and studying each one. Then he handed Benny a book. “This is a good book on zoo animals and what they eat.” He gave another book to Violet. “This tells how they're captured and brought to zoos, and this one,” he said, handing a book to Jessie, “is about baby animals in the zoo.”

“This is great!” Benny said, flipping through the pictures of camels, rhinoceroses, elephants, lions, seals, bright-colored birds, and monkeys.

Mac Thatcher piled up books faster than the children could look at them, and he told them about each different kind of animal. There were books on jungle animals, on all sorts of monkeys, one on the African lion, another on the Bengal tiger. There were books on gorillas, bears, and hippopotamuses.