One day she said, "Oh, Grandfather, I'd like to cook something once more in the dear old kettle in the woods."
"Go out in the kitchen, my dear," said her grandfather. "The maids will help you. You can cook all you want to."
Jessie liked this, but it was not like the old days in the boxcar.
Then one day Benny said, "Grandfather, I wish I could drink my milk out of my dear old pink cup."
His grandfather began to think. He had some pink cups, but they were not so dear to Benny as his old cracked one.
At last Mr. Alden said, "I am going to give you children a surprise."
"Is it very nice?" asked Benny.
"No, not very," laughed his grandfather. "It is not pretty at all."
"When will it come?" asked Benny-
"It will come today. You children must all go over to Dr. Moore's and stay, until the surprise comes."
"What can it be?" wondered Violet.
Her grandfather laughed. "I hope you will like it," he said. "It is very heavy."
The children were glad to see sweet Mrs. Moore and the kind doctor again. They stayed until Mr. Alden said the surprise was ready. Then Dr. Moore and his mother went back with them in the big car.
Mr. Alden was as happy as a boy. He took them by the garage and through the big gardens. At last they came to a garden with a fountain in the middle and trees around it. Near the fountain was the surprise. it was the old boxcar!
The children ran over to it with cries of delight, opened the door, and climbed in. All the things were in place. Even the old dead stump was there to step on.
Here was the old knife which had cut butter and bread and vegetables and firewood and string. Here was Benny s pink cup, and here was his bed. Here were the big, kettle and the blue tablecloth. Here were the pitcher and the old teapot. And here was the dinner bell which the children had made from an old tin can and Benny hung it on a tree with a string and rang it over and over again with a spoon. Watch rolled on the floor of the car and barked and barked. Then he began to sniff at everything.
"He's looking for the bone he buried," laughed Benny.
"How they love the old boxcar!" said Mrs. Moore. "I like to see them so happy."
"Thank you for the surprise, Grandfather," said Violet. "We'll never go away from you again."
"I hope not, my dear," said Mr. Alden. "We'll all live happily ever after."
And so they did.
Boxcar Children Page 6