Superstar Watch

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by Gertrude Chandler Warner


  “I like it, too,” Jessie said. “But it makes Benny sneeze.” And just to prove her point, Benny sneezed again.

  Mr. Lillipool chuckled. Then said, “Why would Ms. Werner put Get Away Spray on the dog food bowls? On everyone else’s except Buffalo’s?”

  “I have the answer,” Jessie said. She ran over to the office area and got Ms. Werner’s coffee cup, which was full of water. “Yesterday Violet noticed that Ms. Werner’s coffee cup had a picture of a fluffy, white dog on it,” Jessie said.

  “There was a heart around the photo and some writing on the other side. I didn’t have time to read the words yesterday,” Violet said.

  Jessie turned the cup so everyone could see. On the other side was the dog’s name: Bandit.

  “Bandit,” Henry said. “That’s what Dante called Buffalo that one time.”

  To everyone’s surprise, Jessie poured the water from the coffee cup onto Buffalo. Buffalo shook. His black spots began to disappear.

  “Oh, I get it, Jessie!” Benny said. He looked at the dog. “Hello, Bandit.”

  “Ms. Werner wanted her dog to win so she had Dante draw spots on him. And they called him Buffalo,” Henry said. “That must be why Dante isn’t going to Hollywood. It’s not really his dog.”

  “You have it all figured out,” Dante said. He spoke quietly, looking only at his feet. “Ms. Werner sprayed the Get Away Spray on all the other dogs’ bowls so they wouldn’t eat the Wundermutt food. She did everything so that Bandit would win,” Dante added.

  Mr. Lillipool was surprised. “Ms. Werner, we talked about this already. People who work for the company are not allowed to audition their pets. It’s a rule,” Mr. Lillipool said.

  “It’s a bad rule. Completely unfair,” Ms. Werner complained. “Bandit is the best dog for the commercial. I had my neighbor, Dante, bring Bandit to show you just how great he is.”

  “Just because you think something is unfair doesn’t mean you can cheat,” Jessie told her.

  “Cheating isn’t nice,” Benny said. “Not nice at all.”

  “You’re right, Benny,” Dante said. Looking up at Mr. Lillipool, Dante continued. “Ms. Werner and I had a deal that if I helped her, I’d get the prize money. But I now see that it was a wrong thing to do. Watch deserved to win. I feel bad that he didn’t.”

  “Young man, at least you now understand that you did wrong,” Mr. Lillipool said. “You know that cheating is not okay and that rules are meant to be followed. I’m not so sure Ms. Werner understands that.” Mr. Lillipool pointed at Ms. Werner. “You will come to my office on Monday at eight o’clock sharp. We will then discuss whether or not you still have a job at Wundermutt!”

  “My dog deserved to win,” Ms. Werner said. “I’ll show you how good he is. He’ll get a different commercial! For another kind of dog food! He’ll be famous!” Then, she marched out of the room with Bandit.

  Mr. Lillipool ran his hand over his head. “This audition is a mess,” he said.

  “There was one good thing that came out of all this,” Henry said. “We have proven that Lisa’s citronella Get Away Spray works really, really well.”

  Mr. Lillipool stepped up next to Lisa. “We should talk,” he said. “You have a bright future as a pet product inventor. When we get back to Hollywood I want to make a big batch of your Get Away Spray.”

  Lisa smiled.

  Mr. Lillipool turned to look at the Alden children. “You’ve solved two mysteries today. Amazing!” he said.

  Watch nudged Mr. Lillipool in the leg.

  “You’re amazing too, Watch,” Mr. Lillipool told the dog. “And because you are such a good dog, and so well trained—you are going to be in our new Wundermutt commercial. Welcome to Hollywood!”

  “Congratulations,” Dante said with a big smile. “You all deserve it.”

  “I knew it!” Benny shouted. He held up his lucky penny for everyone to see. “Watch is going to be a superstar!”

  “And Josh will get his bike fixed with the prize money,” Henry said.

  “Fame and fortune,” Jessie said with a smile.

  “And a chauffeur’s hat for Grandfather,” Violet said with a laugh.

  “Woof!” said Watch.

  “Hurry up,” Jessie said. “It’s almost time!”

  Henry brought Watch into the room and sat down.

  Grandfather was already in his favorite chair. Violet and Jessie were waiting by the TV

  “I’ve got snacks!” Benny said. He carried in a bowl of pretzels. “I even brought dog treats for the TV star.”

  After the auditions, the Aldens and Watch had gone to Hollywood. There, in a real TV studio, Watch performed his tricks. They filmed the Wundermutt Commercial with Timmy Moore.

  “Am I late?” Josh Green asked as he rushed into the room. He took off his bike helmet.

  “It’s on after this,” Jessie said.

  “Great. I didn’t want to miss Watch’s big commercial!” Josh said. He leaned over and scratched Watch’s head. “Thanks so much for fixing my bike,” he told the dog.

  “I brought you a thank-you present.” Josh handed Watch a new chew toy

  “Shhh,” Jessie said. “This is it.”

  The music began. It was upbeat and snappy.

  In the commercial, Watch came running through a field of flowers. He jumped over a log and under a bench. Then, Timmy Moore opened the kitchen door and Watch bounded inside.

  “Dinner!” Timmy called. Watch leapt up, higher than ever before, straight into Timmy’s open arms.

  “Good boy,” Timmy said. “Here’s a yummy Wundermutt meal for you.” Then Watch gobbled up the whole bowl.

  Everyone applauded as soon as the commercial was over.

  “Watch should be in more commercials!” Josh said.

  “Well, after the commercial was done, we all decided that we’d had enough Hollywood excitement,” Violet explained. “We wanted to come home.”

  “I got a great Hollywood souvenir,” Grandfather said. “Want to see it?”

  “Is it another dog food bowl that smells like citronella?” Josh asked. Henry had told him the whole story of the audition and the two solved mysteries.

  “No,” Grandfather said with a big grin. “This.” He reached beneath his chair and pulled out a chauffeur’s hat. Grandfather slipped the hat on. “I’m the official driver for Superstar Watch and his crew.”

  “Sir, can you please drive us out for ice cream?” Benny asked.

  “It would be my pleasure, young Master Benny,” Grandfather said, tipping his hat. “Shall we bring the Superstar along for a ride?”

  “No,” Benny said. “He’s busy.”

  The Alden children looked at their dog.

  Superstar Watch was in the kitchen, eating a bowl of his favorite Wundermutt dog food.

  About the Author

  GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.

  Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

  When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

  While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

  M
iss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

  The Boxcar Children Mysteries

  THE BOXCAR CHILDREN

  SURPRISE ISLAND

  THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY RANCH

  MIKE’S MYSTERY

  BLUE BAY MYSTERY

  THE WOODSHED MYSTERY

  THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY

  MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY

  SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY

  CABOOSE MYSTERY

  HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY

  SNOWBOUND MYSTERY

  TREE HOUSE MYSTERY

  BICYCLE MYSTERY

  MYSTERY IN THE SAND

  MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL

  BUS STATION MYSTERY

  BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY

  THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY

  THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY

  THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING

  THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO

  THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY GIRL

  THE MYSTERY CRUISE

  THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST

  MYSTERY IN THE SNOW

  THE PIZZA MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY HORSE

  THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW

  THE CASTLE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL

  THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC

  THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT

  THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN

  THE MYSTERY ON STAGE

  THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC

  THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK

  THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON

  THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE

  THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR

  THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE

  THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN

  THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE

  THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY

  THE HURRICANE MYSTERY

  THE PET SHOP MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE

  THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO

  THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO

  THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY

  THE SOCCER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC

  THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER

  THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL

  THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY

  THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY

  THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY

  THE PANTHER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS

  THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY

  THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY

  THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP

  THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN

  THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL

  THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK

  THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY

  THE POISON FROG MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE

  THE HOME RUN MYSTERY

  THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES

  THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME

  THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE

  THE HOCKEY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL

  THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY

  THE COPYCAT MYSTERY

  THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE

  THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN

  THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE

  THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY

  THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP

  THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT

  THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY

  THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY

  THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY

  THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY

  THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE

  THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY

  THE RADIO MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST

  THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR

  THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE

  THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES

  THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT

  THE GAME STORE MYSTERY

  THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN

  THE VANISHING PASSENGER

  THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY

  THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE

  THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY

  THE SECRET OF THE MASK

  THE SEATTLE PUZZLE

  THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW

  THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND

  A HORSE NAMED DRAGON

  THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE

  THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE

  THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES

  THE SPY GAME

  THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY

  THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY

  SUPERSTAR WATCH

  THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS

  THE AMAZING MYSTERY SHOW

  THE PUMPKIN HEAD MYSTERY

  THE CUPCAKE CAPER

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  copyright © 2009 by Albert Whitman & Company

  978-1-4532-2910-1

  This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

  180 Varick Street

  New York, NY 10014

  www.openroadmedia.com

  EBOOKS BY GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER

  FROM OPEN ROAD MEDIA

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