“Faster!” shouted six-year-old Benny Alden. “I’ll race you to the bottom of the hill!” He leaned over and started pedaling his bicycle as fast as his short legs could go down the long hill at the end of Wildwood Road.
“Hey,” said Jessie, Benny’s older sister, who was twelve. “You have a head start.” She pedaled after Benny. A moment later Benny’s older brother, fourteen-year-old Henry, and his other sister, Violet, who was ten, were racing after Benny, too.
“It’s a tie, it’s a tie!” shouted Jessie as the four Alden children coasted to a stop at the bottom of the hill.
“No, it’s not,” said Benny.
“What do you mean, Benny?” asked Violet. “We all got to the bottom of the hill at exactly the same time.”
Benny shook his head and pointed. “You forgot Watch. He got here before all of us!”
The four Alden children all looked at the happy, panting dog. He had come to live with them when they first became orphans and were living in an old abandoned boxcar in the woods. They’d been on their own, trying to take care of themselves. When a dog had limped into their lives with a thorn in his paw, it had seemed only right to take care of him, too. So Jessie had taken the thorn out and Benny had named the brave little dog Watch. He had been a good friend and watchdog, too, ever since.
Now the Boxcar Children no longer had to live in the boxcar in the woods. They hadn’t known it then, but they had a grandfather who had been searching and searching for them. He’d found them at last and brought them all to live in his big, wonderful old house in Greenfield. And he had even had their boxcar moved to the backyard behind the house, so they could visit it whenever they wanted.
“Arf!” said Watch.
“Look at Watch.” Henry laughed. “He knows he won!”
Watch ran around them in a big circle, wagging his tail so hard it looked like he was about to fall over.
“Okay, Watch,” said Jessie, laughing too. She threw up her hands. “I give up. You’re right, Benny. Watch is the winner!”
“Good boy, Watch,” said Benny. “Hooray for you!”
“Arra-arrf!” answered Watch, making them all laugh harder.
At last Henry took a deep breath and managed to stop laughing. “Hey, we’d better be getting back home! It’s almost dinnertime.”
The four Alden children and Watch turned toward home. They’d been at the Greenfield Park all afternoon. It had been a wonderful day.
They were almost home when Jessie suddenly put her brakes on and coasted to a stop.
The others stopped, too.
“What is it, Jessie?” asked Violet.
“Look. There’s Dr. Scott’s office. Isn’t it time for Watch to have his annual shots for rabies and distemper and everything?”
“You’re right,” said Henry. “Let’s go in and make an appointment right now.”
They walked their bikes over to the side of the veterinarian’s office building and parked them. But when they got to the front door, Benny said, “I’m not going in.”
“Oh, Benny,” said Violet. “Why not? You like Dr. Scott.”
It was true. Benny did like Dr. Scott. They all did, ever since they’d helped out at the Greenfield Animal Shelter, where Dr. Scott sometimes worked.
“Yes, I like Dr. Scott,” agreed Benny. “But Watch doesn’t like to go to the veterinarian’s office. He doesn’t like to get shots! So I’ll stay out here with Watch.”
Henry smiled. “You’re right Benny,” he said. “I don’t think anybody likes to get shots, even though they are for your own good. You can wait here with Watch and we’ll be right back.”
Henry, Jessie, and Violet went inside. Benny sat down on the steps next to Watch and put his arm around the dog.
“Don’t worry,” said Benny. “I’ll go in with you when you have to get your shots.”
Watch wagged his tail and put his paw on Benny’s arm.
Inside the veterinarian’s office, the receptionist looked at the three Alden children over the top of his glasses and smiled. “Hello,” he said. “What can I do for you?”
“We’d like to make an appointment with Dr. Scott for our dog, Watch,” explained Jessie.
“I’m sorry. Dr. Scott is away on vacation. Another veterinarian is handling her patients if there’s an emergency,” the receptionist told them.
“No, it isn’t an emergency,” said Henry. “Could we make an appointment now to see Dr. Scott when she gets back? Our dog Watch needs his annual shots.”
“Certainly,” said the receptionist. He ran his finger down the page of the appointment book. “I have an appointment right after lunch the first day Dr. Scott’s back in the office.”
“Great,” said Henry.
“Please make it in the name of Watch Alden,” Violet said.
With a smile, the receptionist wrote Watch Alden down in the appointment book, then wrote the time and date on a card and gave it to the Aldens.
After thanking the receptionist, Henry, Jessie, and Violet went outside to join Benny and Watch. They rode quickly home to join Grandfather Alden for dinner.
As always, Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens’ housekeeper, had made a wonderful dinner. And as always, Benny had seconds of everything and still had plenty of room for dessert.
“Ummm,” said Benny, starting to eat the warm apple pie with ice cream that Mrs. McGregor had made for them.
Henry shook his head. “You have a big appetite, Benny.”
“I’m still a growing boy,” said Benny. “That’s what Grandfather says, isn’t it, Grandfather?”
Grandfather Alden chuckled. “It certainly is,” he told his youngest grandchild. Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a letter. “Before I start my dessert, I want to share some good news with you all.”
“What is it, Grandfather?” asked Violet.
“This is a letter from my old friend Mrs. Annabel Teague. She and her daughter will be in town next week for the first annual Greenfield Dog Show at the Greenfield Center.”
“Neat,” said Jessie. Then she smiled. “I can solve the mystery of why she’s coming, too!”
Grandfather’s eyes twinkled. He knew his grandchildren loved mysteries and that they were very good at solving them, too. “What is the answer, Jessie?” he asked.
“She’s going to be in the dog show,” guessed Jessie.
His eyes still twinkling, Grandfather said, “Well, not exactly. She’s not going to be in the dog show — but her golden retriever, Sunny, is!”
“Oh, Grandfather,” laughed Jessie, and the others joined in, enjoying his little joke.
Then Violet asked, “What are the Teagues like, Grandfather?”
“Well, Mrs. Teague is a kind, generous person. I haven’t seen her daughter, Caryn, since she was a little girl, but I remember she was a smart, active child. She’s sixteen now, and it’s no surprise to me that she’s the one who will actually be showing Sunny in the dog show.”
“How exciting,” exclaimed Jessie.
“Yes it is,” said Grandfather. “Caryn has had plenty of practice, it seems. Sunny has won lots and lots of prizes with Caryn showing her.”
“Oh, may we go to the dog show?” asked Benny. “Please Grandfather? And see Sunny?”
“Of course, Benny. We’ll all go.” Grandfather paused and looked solemnly around the table. “But … how would you like for the Teagues and Sunny to stay with us while they’re here for the show?”
“That would be great!” exclaimed Benny.
“Yes,” said Jessie.
Henry and Violet agreed, too.
“Good,” said Grandfather. “I’ll get in touch with Annabel right away to make arrangements.”
“Maybe we can help Caryn get Sunny ready for the show. We can help give Sunny a bath and brush her and take her for walks,” said Violet.
“I wonder what else you have to do to get ready for a dog show,” said Jessie thoughtfully. “I bet we’ll learn a lot. I can hardly wait!”
“Can we enter Watch in the show?” asked Benny. “He could win lots and lots of prizes, too!”
Grandfather hid a smile. “I don’t think so, Benny. You have to be a certain kind of dog.”
“Watch is very brave and smart,” said Benny.
“But he’s not a particular breed of dog,” said Henry. “I think only special breeds of dogs can be in a dog show.”
“Yes,” said Grandfather. “For this dog show, your dog must be registered with the American Kennel Club. The dog’s mother and father have to be registered, too.”
“Oh,” said Benny. He looked at Watch, who was sitting by the dining room door. “Well, that’s okay, Watch. You don’t mind, do you?”
Watch tilted his head. “Arrf,” he said, and they all laughed. |