Mystery of the Stolen Boxcar (6 page)

She put the phone receiver down slowly and stood there with her hands hanging at her sides.

“What is it?” Violet cried. “What’s wrong?”

Jessie looked up at the other children. “Mr. Winters doesn’t work for Senator Teacher anymore. He’s been fired! And they wouldn’t tell me where he lives so I could call him. They said they couldn’t give out that information.”

“We’ll talk to the senator!” declared Henry.

‘“I tried. She wasn’t there. They don’t know when she’ll be back to her office. She’s out campaigning.”

“We’ll think of something,” Henry said. “Don’t worry.”

But the children knew they had to solve the mystery and solve it soon — or they might never see Watch again!

That night Benny couldn’t sleep. He got up and pressed his face against the window in his room and looked down into the backyard where the boxcar had stood.

The moon was out, and it was bright enough to see the stump that had been the step for the door of the boxcar.

Benny remembered how Watch could jump up into the boxcar without even using the stump as a step. He thought about how Watch had been all over Greenfield with the Aldens while they were walking or riding their bicycles and even in the car. Watch was very smart. He could find his way home — Benny just
knew
it. But still he felt a little worried. His stomach even hurt a little.

Benny sighed. He was thinking about Watch so hard that he almost thought he could hear Watch barking.

Then Benny blinked. He blinked again. Something small and white was running by where the boxcar had been.

It
was
barking that Benny heard!

“Watch!” shouted Benny joyfully, jumping up and down. He didn’t care that it was the middle of the night. “Watch!” he shouted as loudly as he could, running out of his room and down the stairs toward the back door. “Watch has come home!”

Doors slammed. Footsteps pounded in the hall. Everyone came running from their rooms. Mrs. McGregor came out with only one slipper on. Grandfather tied the sash around his robe as he ran.

Benny threw the back door open. A small furry body hit him and knocked him over.

“
WOOF
,” Watch barked, wild with excitement. “
Woof, woof, woof!
” He was wagging his tail so hard that his whole body shook. He licked Benny’s face and his neck and his ears.

The kitchen light came on.

“Watch!” said Jessie. “You’re back!”

Watch jumped up on her. He jumped up on Henry and Violet and Grandfather and Mrs. McGregor, too. He ran in circles around the kitchen. Everyone hugged him and kissed him and petted him and talked at once.

When everyone had calmed down a little, Grandfather said, “No one wanted dessert tonight after dinner this evening. Maybe now we should eat some ice cream to celebrate.”

“Hooray!” said Benny, who was holding Watch. “Can Watch have some, too?”

“Yes,” said Grandfather. “Watch can have some, too.”

So the Aldens and Mrs. McGregor sat at the big kitchen table and ate vanilla ice cream in the middle of the night. And just that once, because it was a very special night, Watch sat on Benny’s lap and ate a little bit of ice cream out of a bowl of his very own. They were all very happy. They were a whole family again, because Watch had come home.

“I wonder where you were, boy,” said Henry to Watch the next morning. “I wish you could tell us. Do you know who took the boxcar?”

Watch licked Henry’s hand.

“Are we ready?” asked Jessie.

They were going to Senator Teacher’s office. They hoped that they could find out more about Mr. Winters.

“Yes,” said Benny. He added, “And Watch is coming with us. We’re not leaving him behind.”

“Watch can come with us,” said Henry. “A senator who doesn’t like dogs shouldn’t be elected, anyway!”

The Aldens and Soo Lee rode their bikes into Greenfield. Benny held Watch’s leash and Watch trotted alongside him on the sidewalk.

The senator’s office was a small two-story house near the town square. It was white with red-and-blue trim, and the United States flag and the state flag hung out front. There was also a big poster in the front yard with the senator’s picture on it. It read:
RE-ELECT SENATOR TEACHER.

The Aldens parked their bicycles and went inside. “We called yesterday afternoon,” said Henry to the man behind the receptionist desk, who was flipping through a magazine. “About Ralph Winters.”

The man looked up. “Ralph Winters.” He shook his head. “Can’t help you. He’s gone. Fired.”

“We have to find him,” said Benny. “It’s very important.”

“Can’t help you,” said the receptionist, leaning back in his chair.

“But . . .” said Benny.

“Could we see Senator Teacher?” said Jessie. She was beginning to get angry.

“The senator is a very busy woman,” said the receptionist. He unwrapped a stick of gum and began to chew it.

“
Woof!
” said Watch.

“Is that a dog?” The receptionist sat up. “Oh, no! Dogs aren’t allowed!”

“You’re a mean man!” said Benny, his face turning red.

“Not mean,” a woman’s crisp voice said. “Just not very smart sometimes.”

Now it was the receptionist’s face that turned red. “S-Senator Teacher,” he said. “We weren’t expecting you today.”

“No, I didn’t think you were,” said the senator. She walked into the room. She was a short woman with close-cut silver hair. She had on a navy blue suit and navy blue shoes. She was wearing red earrings and a white blouse, and had red fingernails that matched her earrings.

The senator gave her receptionist a sharp look. “I’ll talk to
you
later,” she told him. Then she turned to the Aldens. “Come into my office. All of you. Let’s see what I can do to help.”

The Aldens followed the senator into her office. As fast as they could, they told her the whole story of the missing boxcar. When they finished, the senator shook her head.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” she said. “I did discuss the idea of using a train with my staff — but Ralph Winters never mentioned your boxcar to me. And I’ve decided against using an actual train anyway. You see, the trains don’t go enough places. So I’m going to have a large truck fixed up to look like a train, and that’s what I’ll use for my whistle-stop campaign.”

“So Mr. Winters didn’t have any reason to take our boxcar after all,” said Henry.

“No,” said the senator. “Not to my knowledge. And I don’t know where Ralph is. He turned out to be very untrustworthy and I had to fire him. He was living in Silver City, but I don’t know if he is still there.”

“Thanks anyway,” said Henry.

“I wish I could have helped you,” said the senator. “Here.”

She gave them campaign buttons and escorted them out of her office. “Come back if I can be of any help at all,” she told them. She gave the receptionist another sharp look and added, “And bring your dog. I work for the voters and their families. Their
whole
families!”

“So Mr. Winters didn’t take our boxcar,” said Jessie as they left. “I don’t think a senator would lie, do you?”

Henry said, “Not about stealing a boxcar!”

“I liked Senator Teacher,” said Benny. “I’m going to vote for her when I grow up.”

“I will, too, Benny,” agreed Violet. “But we still haven’t found our boxcar.”

“We have to find it soon, or we can’t be in the parade,” said Henry. “Let’s check on Mr. Chessy one more time.”

The Aldens turned back down Main Street. But before they had gone very far, Watch pulled on his leash so hard that he almost pulled Benny over.

“Watch! Stop that!” scolded Benny.

Watch didn’t listen. He strained on his leash and barked.

Someone shrieked. “I hate that nasty dog. He’s barking at me again! Bad dog! Go away!”

It was Becky. She was walking with Martha.

The Aldens didn’t stop to hear Becky shouting horrible things about Watch. Becky was very spoiled, but they were a little embarrassed because Watch was behaving badly, too.

“Watch, stop that!” Benny scolded again as they rode away. But it wasn’t until they had turned the corner and Becky was out of sight that Watch stopped growling and barking and pulling on his leash.

“None of us likes her, Watch,” said Henry. “You’re a smart dog to know how mean she is right away, without ever even having met her.”

“He’s the smartest dog in the whole world,” said Violet.

No one wanted to argue with that, especially since Watch was very good the rest of the way to Mr. Chessy’s caboose.

“It’s still here,” said Violet.

They knocked on the door. Mr. Chessy smiled, just a little, when he slid open the door of his caboose and saw them standing there.

“Well, well, well if it’s not the Boxcar Children. And just in time for a final visit. I’m getting ready to leave. Time to take my traveling railroad car home, you know. Have you changed your mind about your boxcar?”

Henry took a deep breath, “Even if we did change our mind, we couldn’t sell it to you.”

Mr. Chessy stopped smiling. “Why not?” he said.

“Because our boxcar is missing. It’s been stolen!” said Jessie, watching Mr. Chessy closely.

“Stolen! But that’s impossible!” Mr. Chessy seemed very surprised and shocked. Then Mr. Chessy sneezed. He took a big handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his eyes.

“You don’t have to cry about our boxcar,” said Benny, even more surprised to see the tears in Mr. Chessy’s eyes. “We’ll find it.”

With a sneeze, Mr. Chessy said, “I’m not. Although I am worried. Who would do such a terrible, terrible thing . . . achoo!”

“Oh. May we come in and see your caboose again?” Benny asked.

“No. No, no, no,” Mr. Chessy shook his head and wiped his eyes again. “In fact, I think I must ask you to leave.”

“Leave? Why?” asked Henry.

Mr. Chessy waved his handkerchief in Watch’s direction. Watch was sitting on the top step by Jessie.

“Because I’m very, very allergic to dogs. And even standing this close to your dog is making my eyes water and making me cough and snee . . . ah
-choo.”

“We’ll leave right away,” said Violet. The Aldens went quickly down the stairs.

“If you change your mind about selling your boxcar,” Mr. Chessy called after them, “you know where to find me. . . .” Then the door of Mr. Chessy’s traveling home closed.

“Allergic?” Benny asked. “Does being around any dogs in the world make him cough and sneeze?”

“Yes, it does,” said Henry. “Let’s walk our bicycles home. Watch looks as if he could use a rest from all the running with us he’s been doing.”

Hearing his name, Watch wagged his tail. The Aldens began to walk slowly home.

A horrifying thought came to Benny. “Oh! Does being allergic mean that Mr. Chessy can’t have a dog ever?’’ he asked.

“I’m afraid so, Benny,” said Violet.

“Poor Mr. Chessy,” said Benny. “He’ll never have a dog like you, Watch. Or any dog at all.”

“Yes,” said Jessie. She bent over and patted Watch’s head and he wagged his tail again. “Mr. Chessy’s boxcar is very nice, but it wouldn’t be any fun to have the fanciest boxcar in the world if we didn’t have Watch!”

A
s the Aldens walked through Greenfield, they saw signs everywhere that said:
COME TO THE GREENFIELD FOUNDERS’ DAY PARADE!
They saw shoppers hurrying about and children playing. Watch wagged his tail at the people passing by. He sniffed noses with a poodle on a leash.

“Everybody likes Watch,” said Benny. “And Watch likes everybody.” He paused and frowned. “Except Mr. Chessy doesn’t like Watch. And Becky doesn’t like Watch and Watch doesn’t like Becky. And Watch doesn’t like whoever took our boxcar. Do you, Watch?”

“Benny!” exclaimed Jessie. ‘That’s it!”

“What?” said Benny.

“That’s the key to the mystery!” said Jessie. She threw out her hands excitedly and almost dropped her bike.

“Whoa,” said Henry, catching Jessie’s bicycle before it fell over.

“Mr. Chessy couldn’t have taken the boxcar because of Watch. He’s too allergic to dogs to even let Watch near him. Remember how he had to jump out of the boxcar the day he visited it, because Watch was inside?’

“And he was sneezing then, too,” Benny said.

“How does that help solve the mystery?” Henry asked.

“Well, when Watch saw Becky, he didn’t like her. And she didn’t like him. Remember what she said. ‘I hate that nasty dog. He’s barking at me again!’ ” Jessie went on. “But how did she know she didn’t like ‘that dog’? And how could Watch be barking at her ‘again’ if Becky and Watch had never met each other? At least, not when we were with Watch.”

Violet said slowly, “But Becky acted as if she knew Watch. And Watch acted as if he knew Becky.”

“And when we saw Becky, she said, ‘I want to go play in my
new
playhouse.’ Why did she say that about her new playhouse when she saw us?” asked Henry.

Everyone thought a moment. Henry continued, “She wanted our boxcar for her playhouse, remember? That’s why seeing us reminded her of her playhouse . . . because our boxcar
is
her new playhouse!”