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The second day the four Aldens scraped and scraped the green moss¹ from the bottom of the pool. Fortunately, it wasn’t a very large area. Kay was pleased at how clean the empty pool looked. So pleased that she promised to have it filled with water the next day, and to call the painters.

After cleaning the pool, the children biked to the small supermarket several blocks away. Grandfather had given them enough money to buy whatever they might need on their trip. Jessie took out the list which they’d all helped to write, and they went down the store aisles², filling the basket with green beans, peas, lettuce³, tomatoes, fresh fruit, hamburger, chicken, ice cream, chocolate sauce, salad dressing⁴, bread, butter, and milk. They also bought things for their breakfasts.

That evening, Jessie and Henry baked chicken for supper while Violet and Benny shelled peas and set the table.

After they had eaten fruit for dessert, they sat back and relaxed.

Benny asked, “Do you remember when we lived in the boxcar?”

“Do I!” Jessie exclaimed. “It was hard, but we had such good times, too.”

Benny leaped up and ran to the cupboard. “Here’s my pink cup that I found in the dump. It’s all chipped and cracked, but I’ll never throw it away!”

“Violet,” Henry chimed in, taking his sister’s hand, “if you hadn’t become sick, Grandfather never would have found us.”

“We ran away because we expected Grandfather to be a mean old man,” Jessie said.

“And he was just the opposite,” Henry said with a chuckle⁵.

“We didn’t have a mother or father,” Benny said. “I’m glad Grandfather found us.”

“Me, too,” Henry replied. “I wonder how Grandfather is getting along without us.”

“Oh, fine, I’m sure,” Jessie said. “Mrs. McGregor will take good care of him!”

“And Watch will take care of himself,” Violet said with a laugh. “Our dog is smart.”

“I miss Watch,” Jessie said.

Just then a loud “meow” was heard.

“It’s Willie,” Benny yelled, looking out the window. “He can take Watch’s place while we’re in Florida.” He hurried to fling open the door.

Jessie found a string and played with Willie, but soon the cat went to the door. Henry let Willie out into the warm night and watched as the cat dashed up the hill to Kay’s house.

Weary but happy, the Aldens undressed for bed. The next morning, while they were eating a big breakfast of cereal, scrambled⁶ eggs, toast with grape jelly, and milk, someone tapped on the door.

Benny cracked open the door. A short plump woman peeked⁷ in. Her gray hair curled about her round face.

“Hello.” She smiled sweetly. “I’m Millicent Fair. Call me Millicent,” she said, stepping inside. “I want to say welcome.”

“Hello,” Jessie said pleasantly, “come in.”

“Looks like I am in,” Millicent said, hiding a giggle⁸ behind her hand. She bustled⁹ forward and dropped into a chair. “I heard you were visiting Kay.” Her bright blue eyes darted¹⁰ from one Alden to the other. “How long are you staying?”

“We’re not sure,” Henry answered.

“I see you cleaned the swimming pool,” she said happily.

“Yes,” Jessie said. “We hope Rolf Jensen will fill it.”

“It was a big job,” Benny said, holding his palms outward. “See how red my hands are?”

“Why in the world are you doing all this?” Millicent Fair asked.

“We want to go swimming,” Benny said.

“All this work.” Millicent sighed. “Don’t you know Kay plans to sell this place?”

“Kay’s not going to sell,” Jessie said, shaking her head hard.

“She’s not?” Millicent said with surprise, leaning forward. “You mean she’s staying?”

“We hope she will,” Violet said softly. “And we’re going to help all we can.”

“With a little repair we’ll make the motel look like new,” Henry said. “Then Kay will stay for sure.”

Millicent sank back in her chair. “I declare,” she said. “And the Adventure Hotel chain made her such a splendid offer, too!”

“She told us,” Jessie said, smiling. “But this is such a lovely spot, surrounded by cypress¹¹ trees. Compared to the tall hotels, this motel has a cozy¹² warm feeling.”

“Wait until you see it when the painters are finished,” Violet said.

“Painters?” Millicent’s small mouth formed a big O.

“Yes, they’ll be here today,” Henry said. “Kay arranged for them last night.”

“Soon this ugly brown paint will be painted over,” Violet said.

“What color?” Millicent asked with interest.

“A glistening¹³ white,” Violet responded.

“Won’t the motel be beautiful set against the green grass and trees?” Jessie said.

Millicent blew out a breath of air, then she stood up. “Yes, it will be beautiful,” she said. “I’m so glad!” Then she added, “I must go, but I’ll see you soon.”

When the two painters arrived, they began removing all the old paint. They appeared to be brothers, for they were both tall, though one was skinnier than the other. Each of them wore loose-fitting white overalls¹⁴ and white-billed caps from which a fringe of yellow hair stuck out from all angles.

At the end of the day they lined up six cans of white paint against the motel’s outside wall.

“Won’t the motel look nice and clean?”

Benny asked, his brown eyes twinkling with excitement.

“Yes, it will once the paint is on,” Henry said.

Then Benny, his lower lip sticking out, said, “I’m hungry.”

Jessie laughed. “I’m hungry, too, Benny.”

They headed back to the motel, but this time they didn’t hurry. They were too tired and their feet dragged.

That night they slept so deeply that they didn’t hear a sound, not even the prowler outside their window.

In the morning, after breakfast, when Violet opened the door, her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, no,” she whispered.

“What is it?” Jessie asked, hurrying to her sister’s side. She, too, stopped and stared. Benny and Henry joined them. They were speechless.

Someone had taken the paint. The painters hadn’t arrived yet, so they hadn’t done it. In the grass were circles where the six cans of paint had been. Not one can remained.