The Midnight Mystery

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by Gertrude Chandler Warner


  “Just follow us to the house,” Benny told the crowd, then took off running. The confused bystanders followed behind.

  As everyone crammed into the entryway of the house, the clocks struck noon. A symphony of clock sounds surrounded them.

  Benny bent down and carefully pulled on the grandfather clock’s wooden panel. It sprang open immediately. Isabel gasped.

  Benny switched on his flashlight hat, then looked inside the clock. He pulled out a notebook with a black leather cover and handed it to Isabel. “This is where Brad got the idea for the clock.”

  “Grandma Alice’s plan book!” Isabel said. She opened the inside cover. “It’s number nine!” She turned to Brad. “How did you know my grandmother hid the plan book in there?”

  Everyone stared at Brad, waiting for his answer.

  He turned away from all the curious faces. “From Martha,” he mumbled. “I overheard her reading a riddle from a book. I’ve worked in this house for a few years now. Some of the old-timers who did work around here, too, told me stories about finding all kinds of crazy things hidden behind paintings, inside statues. One worker discovered a riddle under a windowsill he was painting. When he figured it out, it led him to a toy fire truck hidden in the broom closet.”

  “That sounds exactly like something Grandma Alice would do,” Isabel said with a faint smile on her face. “And probably Martha’s grandfather, too. I remember so many times the two of them sent us off on treasure hunts with just a riddle or puzzle to go by.”

  Martha stepped forward. “Take a look at it, Mr. Marshall.”

  Mr. Marshall took the plan book. No one spoke while he slowly flipped through the pages. At last, he shut the book. “This is Alice Putter’s plan book all right,” he finally declared. “But it’s not hers alone. Many of the inventions in this plan book, including Brad’s birdhouse clock and this grandfather clock, were planned by Alice Putter with Otis Carver. That’s his handwriting detailing all the colors to use on nearly every single object. It looks like Alice designed the clocks and Otis painted them. The silly riddles written in the margins appear to have been invented by both of them. Of course, most of the clocks in this plan book were never actually made. I guess that’s why you thought you could get away with this, Brad.”

  Brad looked away.

  “So Grandma Alice and Otis created the inventions and artworks together,” Isabel said, letting out a deep breath. She turned to Martha. “Is that what you were trying to prove?”

  “Not exactly” Martha said. “I heard my grandfather tell stories about all the fantastic clocks and other inventions he came up with in this house. I just thought Alice Putter took credit for them. And I thought you hid the missing plan book so there would be no proof. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you, Isabel.” Martha looked sad. “We used to be such good friends and here I’ve been, sneaking around and trying to prove you had something to hide. I’m sorry.”

  “No, I’m sorry, Martha,” Isabel said, hugging her. “If we had worked together like the Aldens did, we might have solved the clues our grandparents left us and discovered the plan book long ago. Grandma Alice and Granddad Otis would want us to be friends again.”

  “And we are,” said Martha, hugging Isabel back.

  Isabel went over to Brad. “But I don’t think you and I can be friends any longer, Brad. You tried to pass off Grandma Alice’s and Otis’s invention as your own. I’m afraid I can no longer trust you to work here.”

  Brad looked embarrassed. “I’m really sorry. I know what I did was wrong.” He looked at the two judges. “I guess I’m disqualified from the competition, huh?”

  Mr. Marshall nodded sternly.

  As Brad walked out of the house, the grandfather clock chimed the half hour. Mr. Marshall smiled at the sound of it. “I guess it’s time to begin the judging,” he said. “I haven’t looked at all the other Junior Division entries yet, but I’d like to award Benny a special prize right now.”

  Benny looked up at Mr. Marshall and practically blinded him with the flashlight. “For what?”

  “For solving the mystery of the grandfather clock — and looking inside it with your very useful hat.”

  “Here, here!” someone cried.

  Benny took off his flashlight hat and waved it over his head. “Hats off!” he shouted. Then he walked over to Henry and put his hat on his older brother’s head.

  “Finally!” Henry said.

  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.

  Miss 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 MYST
ERY 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

  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 © 2003 by Albert Whitman & Company

  978-1-4532-2152-5

  This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

  180 Varick Street

  New York, NY 10014

  www.openroadmedia.com

 

 

 


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