“What are you two doing, Benny?” asked ten-year-old Violet Alden. She stood on the front steps of the old white house, watching her five-year-old brother Benny and her seven-year-old cousin, Soo Lee Alden.
Benny laughed. “We’re practicing walking backward,” he explained.
Soo Lee nodded and added, “When we get good enough, we’re going to have a walking-backward race!”
“Benny, look out!” cried Violet. But it was too late. Benny had walked backward right into a pile of leaves.
“Oh!” said Benny, falling down. Leaves flew up and scattered everywhere. Watch, the Aldens’ dog, who had been lying on the grass, gave an excited bark and raced over to the pile of leaves. He jumped in, too.
“Look, Benny,” said Soo Lee. “Watch thinks you’re playing a game!” She picked up a handful of leaves and threw them in the air. Watch leaped up and tried to catch them, barking the whole time.
Violet smiled as she watched Benny and Soo Lee. Then Benny stopped. He looked down at the scattered leaves. “Uh-oh!” he said. “These are the leaves that Henry and Jessie raked up this morning.” Henry, who was fourteen, and Jessie, who was twelve, were the oldest of the four Alden children.
“Don’t worry,” called Henry. A moment later he and Jessie came outside to join the others. “We can rake those up again in no time.”
“Yes, if we all do it together,” said Violet.
Benny jumped out of the leaves. “I’ll get the rakes,” he said.
Benny hurried away and soon returned with the rakes. The five children set to work and soon had all the leaves in a big pile again.
“Whew,” said Benny. “Jumping in the leaves was fun. But raking them up is hard work!”
“Are you hungry, Benny?” Jessie teased her brother. The others all laughed when Benny nodded. Benny was always hungry.
Benny laughed, too. “Yes,” he answered. “I’m very hungry.”
“I think it’s time for a snack,” said Henry. “Come on!” He led the way through the house to the big kitchen in the back. Mrs. McGregor, the housekeeper, was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea with a curly-haired woman wearing a dark blue dress with a white collar.
“Hello, children,” said Mrs. McGregor, her cheerful face breaking into a broad smile. “This is a friend of mine, Mrs. Valentine. She’s just come over to tell me the good news. Her niece, Whitney, is coming to visit!”
“She’s a first-year student at college,” said Mrs. Valentine. “I hope you’ll all be able to meet her.”
Mrs. McGregor introduced the Aldens.
“And Watch,” added Benny quickly, pointing to the small terrier who was sitting at his feet.
“And, of course, Watch,” agreed Mrs. McGregor.
Mrs. Valentine said hello to everyone and leaned over to pat the dog’s head. “How do you do, Watch?” she asked. Watch wagged his tail happily.
“He’s a wonderful dog,” said Mrs. Valentine. “Does he belong to you, Benny?”
“No, we belong to him,” said Benny.
Violet nodded shyly. “It’s true. He found us.”
As the Aldens got out cookies and milk, Soo Lee told how she had lived in Korea before Joe and Alice Alden, who were cousins of James Alden, had adopted her. Then Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny told the story of how the little dog had come limping into their lives when they first became orphans and were living in an old abandoned boxcar in the woods. Jessie had pulled the thorn from the little dog’s paw, and Benny had named him Watch, and he had been a good friend and watchdog ever since.
Now the old boxcar was in the yard behind the big white house where the Aldens lived with their grandfather, James Alden. They hadn’t known it when they were living in the boxcar, but he had been searching and searching for them. When he’d found them at last, he had brought them all to Greenfield to live with him. He’d even brought the boxcar, too, so they could visit it whenever they wanted.
“What an amazing story,” said Mrs. Valentine. “You know, it’s funny, but I know a cat who found someone, too, sort of the way Watch found you.”
“Really?” said Violet, forgetting her shyness. “What happened?”
“I’m the housekeeper for Mr. Woods. He lives in the big stone house at the end of Tucker Lane. He lives all alone. He never visits friends. Friends never visit him. He never goes anywhere except for walks. He just doesn’t seem to like anyone.”
“Doesn’t he have a family?” asked Soo Lee.
“No, no one,” said Mrs. Valentine. “But one day just a few months ago, he came home from one of his long walks carrying a tiny little calico kitten — white with orange and black spots. She was skinny and starving, with funny, crinkled, dirty spotted fur. Why, she was so young her eyes were still blue — kittens’ eyes usually change to green or yellow when they’re five or six weeks old.”
“I didn’t know that,” said Benny.
“Poor kitten,” said softhearted Violet.
“But she was a lucky kitten after all,” Mrs. Valentine went on. “Because Mr. Woods kept her and fed her and nursed her back to health. He named her Spotzie, and now wherever he goes, she goes.”
“That’s a very nice story,” said Mrs. McGregor.
Mrs. Valentine shook her head sadly. “It was a nice story. But a few days ago, Mr. Woods and Spotzie were sitting on the porch the way they always do in the afternoon. Mr. Woods went inside for a minute. And when he came back outside, Spotzie was gone!”
“Did she run away?” asked Jessie.
“I don’t think so. Mr. Woods was only gone a minute. And he came back out and called and called for Spotzie. She always comes when she’s called. But she didn’t this time.”
“Did Mr. Woods call the Greenfield Animal Shelter?” asked Jessie.
“He did. And he goes out every day, looking for her and calling for her. But she’s just disappeared!” Mrs. Valentine frowned.
“Maybe we could help,” said Henry. “Maybe we could find Spotzie for Mr. Woods.”
Mrs. Valentine took a last sip of tea and stood up. “It would be a wonderful thing if you could,” she told the five children. “It’s upset Mr. Woods terribly. I feel sorry for that man.”
“Could we come over tomorrow?” asked Jessie.
Mrs. Valentine thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. Mr. Woods or I could show you where Spotzie was when she disappeared. My niece is coming tomorrow, so if she’s arrived, you can meet her, too.”
“We’d like that,” said Henry. Everyone agreed that they would.
Mrs. Valentine thanked Mrs. McGregor for the tea, and left, telling the children she’d look forward to seeing them the following day.
Benny said, “Maybe Watch can use his nose and find Spotzie.”
“Maybe,” said Jessie.
“Oh, Benny,” said Violet. “You have a milk mustache!”
Benny put his cup of milk down. Sure enough, he had milk across his upper lip.
Benny looked down at Watch, who had been drinking milk from his bowl on the floor beside the door.
“Look,” he said, pointing. “Watch has a milk mustache, too!” |