The Boxcar Children Mysteries: Books One through Twelve (81 page)

“He won’t tell,” said Benny. “A lot of people want to know. He always says, ‘That is my secret.’ The chowder is secret, too.”

After the stranger had finished supper he went out to the kitchen tent to talk to Larry. But he did not learn how to bake the beans.

Larry was very polite and was willing to talk. But he said just what Benny had said—“That is my secret, sir.”

“They say you like to cook,” said the stranger.

“Oh, yes. Ever since I was fourteen I have cooked this supper. I love to cook. I like to put things together to see what will happen.”

“Oh, do you? Do you go to college?”

“No.” said Larry. He scowled.

The man saw the scowl, so he said goodbye to Larry and went down to his car. Nobody else noticed him very much. And nobody knew his name until some time later. Then they were really surprised.

I
have an idea for today,” said Mr. Alden at breakfast on Monday. “See this paper, Henry? In Ashland, the next town, ships come in from all over the world.”

“From Blue Bay?” shouted Benny.

“Well, you are right,” said Grandfather nodding at Benny. “They do come in from the South Seas. See, there is one coming in today. We might go over to Ashland and see her come in. She sailed from Tahiti and her name is Tahiti.”

“Oh, boy!” cried Benny. “Maybe the captain will let us go over the ship.”

“Maybe,” agreed his grandfather. “It will be a beautiful passenger ship, not like the freighter you went to Blue Bay on.”

“Very posh,” said Benny.

“Yes, I guess that is the word,” said Grandfather, smiling. “I know the company that owns that ship.”

“Then I guess the captain will let us go on,” said Jessie, looking at Violet. “Grandfather does know a lot of people.”

“I don’t know this captain, but I hear he is a very good man with a boat. He is young.”

They washed the dishes and then got into the station wagon. Henry backed it out and they were soon on their way to Ashland.

“Boats are always late,” said Jessie. “We may have to wait all day.”

“Right,” said Mr. Alden. “But there are seats on the wharf and a roof to keep the sun off. You will enjoy watching the small boats. They keep coming and going.”

“How do you know so much about Ashland?” asked Henry. “I never heard of that town.”

“Well, remember I grew up on Aunt Jane’s farm. And I have been up here with Mr. Carter a few times. I am interested in that Tahiti boat.”

“Ah, I thought so,” said Jessie. “That’s why we are going to see it come in.”

Mr. Alden laughed. “I like to see ships come in anyway—any ship.”

The Tahiti was late.

“I told you boats are always late,” said Jessie.

They all sat down and watched the small boats. There was one big empty place for the Tahiti. Small boats came in to get gas and water.

“See that man having his breakfast on that boat?” said Jessie. “He has bacon and eggs.”

“Now his wife is bringing the toast,” said Violet. “It must be fun to cook and eat on a boat like that.”

One boat had children climbing all over the deck. “Oh, they’ll fall in!” cried Violet.

“I don’t think so,” replied Grandfather. “Those children are used to a boat.”

The mother heard this. She looked up at Grandfather and laughed. She said, “Don’t you worry. All these children have been living on a boat since they were born. They can all swim and dive.”

Everything was interesting, but still the ship did not come in. At last it was time for lunch.

“We had better get lunch at some place over here,” said Mr. Alden. “We’ll hear the boat whistle if it comes in.”

It seemed good to eat at a real table again. The Aldens had a good lunch and finished with apple pie. Then they went back to the wharf.

“She’s coming, sir,” said a man in uniform. “She has passed the Point.”

“Good!” said Mr. Alden. “Thanks for telling me.”

Many men began to come down on the wharf to help tie up the big ship. Soon they saw it coming in the distance. It was pure white.

“It has three big whistles,” said Violet.

“No, Vi, those are not whistles,” said Benny. “They are smokestacks. See the smoke?”

Violet laughed at her mistake.

The big ship came nearer and nearer. It was very beautiful. A small boat went out to meet it. Then it slowly came into the empty place at the wharf. People were standing and waving at the rail of the ship. Then Jessie noticed that many people had come down to meet them. It was exciting to watch them. And Larry Cook was in the crowd. But it seemed as if he did not want to be seen. He never looked toward the Aldens.

“Is that the captain?” asked Benny.

“Yes. You can tell by his uniform.”

After the crowd had gone, Grandfather went up to the captain and said, “Good day, sir. I am James Alden.”

“Are you indeed?” said the captain. “I’m glad to meet you at last.”

“These are my grandchildren. I wonder if they could go aboard,” said Mr. Alden.

“Certainly,” said the young man, smiling. “My name is Snow. I’ll have an officer show them around.”

“I don’t want to take up your time,” said Mr. Alden.

“Oh, no,” said Captain Snow. “I have three days’ leave. I live just over in Conley.”

“Conley!” said Benny. “That’s where we are staying. In the lighthouse.”

“What an adventure that must be,” said Captain Snow, “living in a lighthouse. Here is an officer. He will show you over the Tahiti.”

The officer showed them everything. They looked in the boiler room, the swimming pool, the dining room, the cabins. Everything was much nicer than the Sea Star that had taken them to Blue Bay.

“Have you a big kitchen?” asked Violet.

“Kitchen? Oh, yes! We call it a galley. We feed hundreds of people. It takes a lot of pans and dishes, ranges, and an enormous refrigerator to do that. Come this way, and you will see.”

The refrigerator was interesting because it was as big as a small room. There were two men in it, putting things on the many shelves.

“Could we go in, too?” asked Benny.

“Sure,” said the officer, smiling. “Plenty of room, but rather cold. You won’t want to stay there long.”

“Brrr! No, I don’t,” said Benny. He went out as quickly as he had come in. “You’ve got enough meat for a meat market, I should think.”

“We have enough for many meat markets,” said the officer.

When they had seen the whole ship, the young Aldens were ready to go home to supper. They thanked the officer four times over.

Jessie said, “If Captain Snow lives in Conley, I wonder which house he lives in.”

“If he is there for three days, we’ll find out,” said Henry. “We’ll ask Mr. Hall. He will know.”

When Benny started to climb up to bed that night, he shouted, “Henry, I am the dumbest thing in the world!”

“Why are you dumb?” Henry shouted back.

“Because I saw two or three long white bags in that refrigerator, just the kind you get plankton in, and I never said a word about it.”

“Yes, old boy, I’m dumb, too, because I saw those bags and just didn’t pay any attention. I was thinking about that refrigerator that we could walk into.”

“I saw them, too,” said Jessie. “Aren’t we all dumb? We could have asked the officer what they had them for.”

Grandfather said, “Now just what are you talking about?”

Benny called down the stairs, “Don’t you remember, Grandfather, that’s the way to get plankton? To drag a long bag through the South Seas?”

“Of course I remember. Captain Snow was getting plankton for Larry. I should say the whole family was quite stupid.”

“Dumb,” said Benny.

“All right. If you like it better—dumb,” said Grandfather.

T
he Alden family did not stay dumb for long.

Tuesday Benny said, “Let’s see if we can find out where Captain Snow lives.”

“Just step down to the store,” said Henry, laughing.

Everyone laughed.

“Wait just a minute until we finish the breakfast dishes,” said Jessie, “and we can all go.”

It was Grandfather who asked Mr. Hall, “Do you know Captain Snow of the Tahiti?”

“I’ll say I know him,” said Mr. Hall. “I’ve known him ever since he was a boy. He’s brother to the Cook boy’s mother.”

“Aha!” said Jessie.

“Aha!” said Benny. “That explains a lot of things.”

Mr. Hall leaned on the counter. “Larry always goes over to see his uncle when the Tahiti comes in. His uncle gives him something every time, but nobody has ever found out what it is.”

“Maybe he gets it in a covered pail,” said Benny, looking at Mr. Hall.

“How did you know that?” asked Mr. Hall.

“I saw him come home late one night and he had a pail,” said Benny.

“Sometimes his uncle gives him a box,” said Mr. Hall, “and sometimes a glass can. What do you suppose is in all those things?”

“We think we know,” said Henry. “It’s seaweed or plankton.”

“And what’s plankton, young feller?”

“It doesn’t grow here close to shore,” said Violet.

“It grows in the deep sea,” said Henry. “In some places the deep sea is full of it.”

“And what is it?” asked Mr. Hall.

“It’s what a whale eats,” said Benny. “It’s plants and tiny fish and eggs and stuff you can’t see with- out a microscope, but whales live on it. The whale takes a big mouthful and swallows the plankton and strains the water out of his mouth.”

“Fishes eat it, too,” Henry added. “It’s something like the way land animals feed on growing plants and smaller animals.”

“Plankton tastes awful,” said Benny. “They say there’s enough plankton in the deep sea to feed the world.”

“You don’t say!” said Mr. Hall. “Too bad it doesn’t taste good. But what I want to know
is
what the Cook boy wants it for.”

“We think he studies it and experiments with it,” said Henry.

“He’s a smart boy all right,” said Mr. Hall. “Maybe Captain Snow would know.”

“Where does he live?” asked Henry.

“Way up the street,” said Mr. Hall. “Do you know where they’re fixing the driveway?”

“Yes, that’s where we got our cement,” said Jessie.

Mr. Hall said, ‘There’s a white house near that corner and that’s Captain Snow’s. He lives with his mother.”

Benny said, “But most of the time he’s out at sea.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Hall. “Most of the time.”

Then Watch began to wag his tail. He went to the door.

A tall man came in and said, “Well, hello, dog. You are a good watchdog. Your name ought to be Watch.”

“It is!” cried everybody.

“You’re Captain Snow of the Tahiti,” said Benny. “We were just coming down to see you.”

“Good,” said Captain Snow. “You are the Aldens who went over my ship. Just give me some crackers and five pounds of sugar, Mr. Hall. Then I’ll go right home.”

“Do you have to go home?” asked Benny.

“No, I’m not in a hurry. I’m on leave from ship just now.”

“Can you come and sit on our rocks for a while?” asked Henry. “Right over there,” he pointed.

“Certainly,” said Captain Snow. “I’ll leave the crackers and get them on the way home.” All this time he had his hand on Watch’s head.

“Watch likes you,” said Violet.

“I like dogs,” said Captain Snow.

“Let’s go,” said Benny. “We have five chairs and a table made of rocks.”

“I’ll sit on the table,” said the captain.

“No, Henry will sit on the table,” said Jessie. “His chair will fit you.”

Soon they were sitting on the rocks, talking.

“You see that little house?” said Jessie, pointing to the little white house. “It was a summer kitchen for the lighthouse.”

Henry added, “Mr. Cook, Larry’s father, owns it now. That’s what Mr. Hall told us.”

“I see that it’s empty,” said the Captain.

“But it isn’t empty,” said Benny. “That’s where Larry does his experiments—at least we think so. He stays up most of the night. We don’t know how he gets in—he can’t have a key.”

“I always wondered where he worked,” said Captain Snow. “He doesn’t tell me much, but I know he’s trying to study by himself.”

“He wants to go to college this fall,” said Jessie.

“Everyone in town knows that,” said the captain, laughing. “His father didn’t catch on that Larry was so smart and let him write letters to two colleges.”

“Did they want him?” asked Benny.

“Yes, they both wanted him,” said the captain. “They wanted a young man who has tried to carry on experiments in science by himself.”

Then Grandfather said, “I think he can get the work he wants at Henry’s college. I might talk to the teachers there about him.”

“Both colleges he wrote to wanted him. He chose Adams,” said the captain.

“That’s Henry’s very college,” shouted Benny.

“What do you know about that!” said Henry.

“If he went there, you could take care of him, Henry,” said Benny.

Henry laughed. “He won’t need anybody to take care of him,” he said.

“But you could be his friend,” said Violet.

“He’ll need a friend,” said Captain Snow. “So far his father has said
no.”