The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery (5 page)

The next night, the kids lined up on Mr. Tressler's porch. Candles burned in the window.
No one moved. Eric took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.

When the porch light came on, the kids started to sing “Joy to the World.” Eric whistled along.

Slowly the door opened.

There stood the old man without a smile. He reached for his cane!

Eric froze.

Mr. Tressler raised his cane in the air.

He's gonna chase us away!
thought Eric.

Instead, the cane began to wave in time to the music. Mr. Tressler kept it up through “Silent Night” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

But then, Mr. Tressler left.

What should they do?

Eric started whistling “Jingle Bells” as loud as he could.

The old man came back with his flute. He began to play along, with his eyes closed.

Eric felt a lump in his throat. The old man wasn't scary. Not one bit!

At the end, the kids clapped.

Mr. Tressler bowed low. “Thank you kindly,” he said. “And you—what voices! You sound like the angels.”

Angels! Eric peeked around the corner. He didn't see any angels. Had the batteries run down?

Abby pointed to Eric. It was time for him to talk. He introduced Stacy Henry first.

Stacy gave Mr. Tressler an angel Christmas card made from white construction paper. Glittery gold.

“Welcome to our cul-de-sac,” she said.

“Thank you, dear” said Mr. Tressler.

Eric pointed to Dee Dee Winters and said her name.

She handed him a basket of Christmas cookies. “I hope you like angel cookies.”

Carly stood beside her. “She made them and I sprinkled them.” The girls giggled.

The old man nodded. “Thank you, indeed.”

Eric said, “Now Shawn and Jimmy Hunter want to teach you a Korean folksong.”

The boys started to sing. The rest of the kids tried to join in on the chorus. Everyone clapped at the end. Even Mr. Tressler.

Dunkum seemed shy when his turn came. “I made up a poem for you.”

Eric could see the words
angel
and
mystery
on the paper. They were spelled right. Good for Dunkum!

Abby Hunter smiled when Eric introduced her. “I have a gift for you, but you must come to my church on Christmas Eve to get it. It's the Christmas play. I'm going to be Mary.”

Mr. Tressler smiled for the first time. “Why thank you, I'd be delighted.”

Jason Birchall was next. He couldn't stand still. “Want a fast dance or a slow one?” he asked.

“As you wish,” Mr. Tressler said.

Jason began his jig. It looked like he was making it up as he went.

Then Mr. Tressler began to play his flute. It was “Jingle Bells” with lots of extra notes.

Jason's jig got better and better.

At the end, Mr. Tressler said, “Now I have a surprise for all of you.”

Eric peeked through the storm door. He could see Mr. Tressler heading for the kitchen. But he didn't see any angels.

What was going on?

ELEVEN

Eric heard a soft cooing sound.

Mr. Tressler was coming through the living room. Eric leaned forward to see.

What was that on his shoulders?

Eric couldn't help it. He stared.

Mr. Tressler stood in the doorway. He was covered with white doves! They perched on his shoulders. And on his head. When he cupped his hands, three flew into them.

So these are the angels!
thought Eric.

The birds seemed so comfortable around the old man. It was like he was their trusted friend.

Dee Dee's eyes grew wide.

Carly giggled.

Abby's jaw dropped two feet.

Stacy whispered, “Wow!”

Dunkum scratched his head and stared.

Shawn and Jimmy watched silently.

Jason blinked his eyes faster than ever.

Softly, Mr. Tressler began to whistle. The doves cooed along. Eric could see their short legs under their round bodies. What a strange sight.

Doves do look like tiny angels
, thought Eric.
All in white with big wings
.

Eric felt good inside. Mr. Tressler wasn't like anyone he'd ever met. Except maybe for Grandpa.

Grandpa loved birds, that was no secret. And sometimes he did strange things, too. Like tramping around in the spring, spying on birds with his field glasses.

Mr. Tressler stopped whistling. “Merry Christmas, kids,” he said, waving his arms. The doves flew to the Christmas tree. They perched on the branches.

The kids shouted, “Merry Christmas Mr. Tressler!”

The new neighbor wore the widest grin on Blossom Hill Lane.

Eric whispered to him, “You whistle good.”

The old man winked at him. “So do you.”

“Want to come caroling, uh, whistling with us?” Eric asked.

Mr. Tressler reached for his cane. And his long brown coat. It looked just fine. Not creepy at all.

First stop, Eric's house.

Eric pressed the doorbell. He stood beside Mr. Tressler. They whistled while the others sang “Silent Night.” They sounded good.

Grandpa came to the door. Eric introduced him to Mr. Tressler. Grandpa gave Eric a big hug, then he grabbed his coat and hat. He joined the group as they caroled around the cul-de-sac.

Eric was so happy he stopped whistling and tried to sing. It sounded flat, but it didn't matter. Mr. Tressler would never have to be
alone again. The Cul-de-sac Kids could be the old man's family!

Mr. Tressler's cane danced in the air as the carolers went from house to house.

Soon, they were back at the old man's house. He invited Eric's grandfather inside for coffee.

The Cul-de-sac Kids waved goodbye to them. “Merry Christmas!” they shouted.

“And a Merry Christmas to all of you,” Mr. Tressler said, waving his cane. He was out of breath, but a smile burst across his long face.

Before the two men reached the porch, Eric was whistling again. It was time for his favorite carol—“Angels We Have Heard on High.”

THE CUL-DE-SAC KIDS SERIES
Don't miss
#4!

NO GROWN-UPS
ALLOWED!

Jason Birchall can't wait for Valentine's Day! His parents are going away for the weekend and Grandma is coming! Jason has big plans! Can he trick his grandmother into allowing him to change his bedtime? Or his eating habits?

Strange things happen when Jason pigs out on chocolate and stays up late for a scary show!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beverly Lewis plays Christmas music in August. In December she helps her kids make Snow Creatures. Dressing them up in “people” clothes is giggle-time.

Beverly's never seen a flying angel. But she has heard the silvery full-moon sound of a flute, played by her sister, Barbara Birch—who designs the pictures in these books.

Other chapter books you'll enjoy by Beverly: MOUNTAIN BIKES AND GARBANZO BEANS and THE SIX-HOUR MYSTERY.

Also by Beverly Lewis

Amish Prayers
The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook

G
IRLS
O
NLY
(GO!)†
Youth Fiction
Girls Only! Volume One
  •  
Girls Only! Volume Two

S
UMMER
H
ILL
S
ECRETS
‡
Youth Fiction
SummerHill Secrets: Volume One
  •  
SummerHill Secrets: Volume Two

H
OLLY'S
H
EART
Youth Fiction
Holly's Heart: Collection One
‡  •  
Holly's Heart: Collection Two
‡
Holly's Heart: Collection Three
†

S
EASONS OF
G
RACE
Adult Fiction
The Secret
  •  
The Missing
  •  
The Telling

A
BRAM'S
D
AUGHTERS
Adult Fiction
The Covenant
  •  
The Betrayal
  •  
The Sacrifice
The Prodigal
  •  
The Revelation

A
NNIE'S
P
EOPLE
Adult Fiction
The Preacher's Daughter
  •  
The Englisher
  •  
The Brethren

T
HE
R
OSE
T
RILOGY
Adult Fiction
The Thorn
  •  
The Judgment
  •  
The Mercy

C
OURTSHIP OF
N
ELLIE
F
ISHER
Adult Fiction
The Parting
  •  
The Forbidden
  •  
The Longing

T
HE
H
ERITAGE OF
L
ANCASTER
C
OUNTY
Adult Fiction
The Shunning
  •  
The Confession
  •  
The Reckoning

O
THER
A
DULT
F
ICTION

The Postcard
  •  
The Crossroad
  •  
The Redemption of Sarah Cain
October Song
  •  
Sanctuary
(with David Lewis)  •  
The Sunroom

www.BeverlyLewis.com

†4 books in each volume       ‡5 books in each volume

From Bethany House Publishers

Fiction for Young Readers

(ages 7-10)

A
STRO
K
IDS
by Robert Elmer

Space scooters? Floating robots? Jupiter ice cream? Blast into the future for out-of-this-world, zero-gravity fun with the AstroKids on space station
CLEO-7
.

T
HE
C
UL-DE-SAC
K
IDS
by Beverly Lewis

Each story in this lighthearted series features the hilarious antics and predicaments of nine endearing boys and girls who live on Blossom Hill Lane.