“Well,” said Grandfather Alden, patting his stomach, “I couldn’t eat another bite if you paid me!” They were sitting in a booth at Joe’s Restaurant.
“Nor could I!” agreed Mrs. McGregor.
“I think I have room for more,” Benny piped up. There was one slice of pizza left. It was Benny’s favorite kind—topped with special tomato sauce, extra cheese, and pepperoni. “Unless somebody else wants it,” he added politely.
Jessie shook her head. “Go ahead, Benny,” she said. “I’m stuffed!”
Benny used both hands to pick up the pizza. “I eat like a bird!” he said. Then he added with a grin, “But just remember, even a hummingbird eats every ten minutes!”
Everyone laughed at Benny’s joke. Then Mrs. McGregor took a sip of her tea. “That pizza really did hit the spot. And not a single mushroom in sight!” she said with a laugh.
“It’s good to see you in better spirits, Mrs. McGregor,” Grandfather said.
“How could anyone not be in good spirits around the Aldens? But I really must leave for Riddle Lake tomorrow,” Mrs. McGregor added as she grew serious again. “Oh, dear! I really will miss my family home when it’s sold!”
“We missed our old home, too,” admitted Jessie, “until Grandfather surprised us one day!”
The Alden children looked gratefully at their grandfather, remembering the day he had moved the boxcar all the way from the woods to the backyard of their Greenfield home.
Mrs. McGregor nodded. “Any place that has been a home will always be very dear to the heart,” she said. “But I’m afraid my sister is right. We just can’t afford to keep the Crooked House now that the resort has opened.”
Grandfather was thumping a finger against his chin. He put down his coffee cup and said, “It seems to me that if you were to advertise, business just might pick up. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would prefer the peace and quiet of the Crooked House to the hustle and bustle of a big resort.”
Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny all leaned forward when their grandfather spoke. James Alden knew all there was to know about business.
“Yes,” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “Advertising would help. But it takes money to advertise. And money is the one thing we don’t have.”
“If I knew what the Crooked House looked like,” Violet said in her gentle voice, “I’d draw a picture of it for you, Mrs. McGregor. Then you could see it whenever you wanted.”
Mrs. McGregor drew in her breath as a sudden thought came to her. “Why don’t you come along?” she suggested. Then, turning to James Alden, she added, “Do you think you could spare your grandchildren for a few days? I know they’d have a wonderful time at Riddle Lake.”
“We would miss you, Grandfather,” said Jessie, “but we would like to see Mrs. McGregor’s family home!”
“May we go, Grandfather?” asked Violet. “Then I really could draw that picture for Mrs. McGregor!”
“Plus there’s tobogganing!” Benny managed to say as he took the last bite of his pizza.
“And skating!” added Henry, who sounded very excited.
“Well, now,” said Grandfather Alden, his eyes twinkling, “perhaps I could make do on my own for a few days—if Watch stays behind and keeps me company.”
“Hooray!” cried Benny. “Riddle Lake, here we come!”
“As a matter of fact,” Grandfather went on, “I have business not far from there. I’d be happy to drive you up to Riddle Lake tomorrow. That is, if you don’t mind leaving after lunch. I’m afraid I have a meeting to attend in the morning.”
“That’s very kind of you.” Mrs. McGregor sounded very pleased.
“I’ve been wondering about something,” said Jessie. “Why do they call it Riddle Lake?”
“Nobody knows how the lake got its name,” replied Mrs. McGregor. “I suppose that’s a riddle in itself.”
“And a riddle is a kind of question, isn’t it?” asked Benny.
“Yes, it is!” said Mrs. McGregor. “You find the answer by trying to figure out the clues.”
“Just like a mystery!” observed Violet.
“Right!” agreed Mrs. McGregor. “A riddle is exactly like a mystery.”
“I know a riddle!” piped up Benny.
Grandfather laughed. “Tell us, Benny! I like a good riddle.”
“What’s black and white and red all over?”
“That’s easy,” said Henry. “The answer is a newspaper! It’s black and white—and it gets read all over!”
Benny shook his head. “Nope! The answer is a sunburned zebra!”
Everybody laughed. Then Mrs. McGregor said, “When we get to the Crooked House, I will tell you a riddle that I have never been able to solve! When I was your age, I spent hours and hours trying to guess the answer.”
“Won’t you tell us now?” pleaded Benny.
Mrs. McGregor laughed. “I’ll tell you when we get to the Crooked House,” she promised. Then she added in a hushed voice, “But I will say this much: The answer is supposed to lead to a hidden treasure!”
The Alden children were staring wide-eyed at their housekeeper. The thought of a mystery waiting to be solved had them very excited.
How could anyone sell a house with a treasure inside? thought Violet.
Once again the Aldens were about to embark on an adventure! |