Look at what I found!” cried six-year-old Benny Alden, running into the old boxcar. It was a chilly Saturday afternoon, and his sisters and brother were sitting around a card table working on a jigsaw puzzle. They looked up and smiled at Benny, who was carrying a toy fire truck and wearing a firefighter’s hat on his head.
“Hey, Benny,” said twelve-year-old Jessie, “where’d you get that hat?”
“I was looking around in the attic, and I found it in an old trunk,” Benny said. “You wouldn’t believe how heavy it is!” He pulled the leather hat off his head and handed it to her.
“Wow, it really is heavy, Benny,” Jessie agreed. “I think it’s a real firefighter’s hat, not just a play hat.”
As his sister turned the hat over in her hands, fourteen-year-old Henry spotted something. “What’s that written on the inside?”
Jessie looked where he was pointing. “It says James Henry Alden!”she announced with surprise. That was their grandfather’s name.
“Was Grandfather a firefighter?” ten-year-old Violet asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s go ask him,” Henry suggested, walking quickly back to the house. The others followed close behind.
The children found James Alden sitting in his favorite chair in the living room, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. They had lived with their grandfather since shortly after their parents died. At first, before the children had met him, they’d been afraid he was mean. So they’d run away and lived in an old boxcar they found in the woods. When Mr. Alden finally found them, they learned that he was kind and loving. He took them to live in his big, comfortable house. He even had their boxcar brought to the backyard so the children could play in it.
“Grandfather! Grandfather!” Benny cried, running ahead of the others and climbing onto Mr. Alden’s lap. “Were you a firefighter?”
“Now, where did that question come from?” Grandfather asked, smiling.“Benny found this in the attic,” Jessie explained, holding up the hat.
“Well, would you look at that,” Mr. Alden said, taking the hat from his granddaughter. “I haven’t seen this in a long time.”
“So it is yours! You were a firefighter!” Benny said with excitement.
“Yes, many years ago I was a volunteer firefighter,” Grandfather said.
“What does that mean?” Violet wanted to know.
“I had my regular job during the day, running the mill. But at night and on weekends, I helped the full-time firefighters,” Grandfather explained.
“Did you really fight fires?” asked Benny.
“A few,” Grandfather said. “I did whatever they needed me to do.”
“Wow,” said Benny. The children looked at their grandfather with proud smiles. It was amazing all the things he’d done!
Grandfather placed the hat on Benny’s head. “I have an idea. How would you like to go visit the firehouse where I worked? I’m sure Mike Reynolds — the fire chief — would give us a tour if he’s not too busy.”
“That sounds great!” said Henry.
“Hooray!” the other three shouted.
A few minutes later, the Aldens piled out of their car in front of the Greenfield Firehouse. It was an old red-brick building, covered with ivy. A garage on the side held the fire trucks. Inside, a man with silvery gray hair greeted them. He was wearing dark pants and a starched white shirt with a dark tie and a gold badge.
“Well, if it isn’t James Alden!” the man said, taking Grandfather’s outstretched hand and shaking it firmly.
“Good to see you, Mike,” Grandfather replied, smiling broadly. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long!” Mike said. Then he saw the four children standing behind Mr. Alden. “Are these your grandchildren?”
“Yes, they are,” Grandfather said, turning to introduce them. “This is Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny.”
“I’ve heard so much about the Alden family. It’s nice to finally meet you!” said Mike.
Everyone smiled and shook hands with him.
Benny looked up at Mike, his eyes wide. “Are you a real fire chief, Mr. Reynolds?” he asked.
Mike smiled. “I am. And please, call me Mike.”
“Neat!” said Benny. Then he frowned. “Why aren’t you wearing a big hat and coat?”
“We only wear our gear when we’re out fighting fires,” Mike said. Just then a white dog with black spots came running up and put its paws up on Mike’s leg. “Sparky!” Mike said, bending over to rub the dog’s head.
“I knew there had to be a dalmatian here!” Jessie cried, leaning over to pat him. Sparky sniffed her hand eagerly and then licked it.
Mike turned to Grandfather. “So, James, what brings you by the old firehouse?”
“I was just telling the children about my days as a volunteer here,” Grandfather said. “I thought that perhaps if you weren’t too busy, you could give them a little tour and tell them what it’s like to be a firefighter.”
“I’d love to,” said Mike. “How about if we go look at the fire trucks first?”
“All right!” cried Benny.
But as they were turning to go out to the garage, a man in a wheelchair came up and said, “Chief?” The man had reddish blond curly hair and a mustache, and was wearing the navy blue pants and T-shirt of a firefighter. With him was a gray-haired woman in a business suit. She had an angry frown on her face.
“Yes, Steve?” said Mike.
“This is Janet Lerner from the Greenfield town council. She needs to speak to you about something,” Steve said.
Suddenly the smile disappeared from Mike’s face. “Yes, Ms. Lerner, you called this morning. We’ll talk in my office.” Mike turned to Steve and the Aldens. All his cheerfulness was gone and his face looked gray. “I’m sorry, but this is something very . . .” he paused as if looking for the right word. “Serious,” he said at last. “Steve, would you mind taking over for me?” Mike quickly introduced the Aldens.
“My pleasure,” Steve said, as Mike led Ms. Lerner into his office and shut the door.
Jessie whispered to Henry, “That was certainly mysterious.”
Henry nodded. He, too, had noticed that Janet Lerner looked angry, and that Mike had seemed upset to see her. What was going on?
But before Henry could say anything, Benny called out, “Come on! Let’s go see the fire trucks!”
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