Benny Uncovers a Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

Alden answered when Henry looked at him. And that ended the talk about Miss Douglas, at least for the day.
    Benny and Henry were kept busy at the department store. There was a big back-to-school sale, and so Henry was working upstairs in the boys’ clothing department.
    Benny carried up boxes of sweaters, T-shirts, and socks. He began to think every boy in town was going to have new clothes for school.
    On the first floor Benny overheard Mr. Fogg talking to a customer. She had twin boys and wanted to buy them school outfits.
    “Try to get Henry Alden to help you,” Mr. Fogg said. “He’s just working for us this month. But he tries to please his customers.”
    “Well!” Benny thought to himself. “That doesn’t sound like Mr. Fogg at all. Maybe Miss Douglas is right. He growls like a bear, but he isn’t so bad when you get to know him.”
    But Mr. Fogg sounded more like his old self when Benny asked, “Are you coming to the picnic?”
    “What makes you ask?” Mr. Fogg answered gruffly. “Who cares if I come? But I guess I’ll have to go.”
    On Tuesday evening, Benny and Henry were talking together about working at the store. Benny was thinking about the picnic. “You know what?” he asked. “I think I know why the picnic is being given. I think the new owner wants to meet all the store people.”
    “What makes you think that?” asked Henry. “The new owner is in New York. Why would the owner want to come to Greenfield to meet people?”
    “The owner is supposed to be in New York,” Benny said. “ Supposed to be. That’s the part to remember. But we’ll soon see.”
    When the buzzer sounded for closing time at noon on Wednesday, everyone at Furman’s hurried. Soon the dust covers were in place over the counters. Toni closed out her cash register. Salespeople made sure their sales books were in order.
    This was the last day of work for Henry and Benny. August was over. It made the boys feel good when some of their new friends said, “See you next summer. We hope you’ll be working with us again.”
    “I hope so, too,” said Benny.
    Most of the workers drove or rode with friends, but Benny and Henry rode their bikes to Woodland Path.
    It was a beautiful summer afternoon. The first thing the guests saw on arriving was a long picnic table covered with a red-and-white paper cloth. There were paper plates stacked at one end. There were platters with sliced ham and roast beef. There was chicken, too, and cheese and salads. Baskets were filled with rolls and whole wheat bread. It was a feast!
    Standing behind the table, ready to help her guests, was Miss Douglas. But she was not the Miss Douglas most of the store people knew. Her hair was fluffy and no longer done up in a tight bun. She wore a red shirt and a denim skirt. Her new earrings looked fine.
    “Help yourselves, everyone,” she called out happily. “I’m so pleased you could all come!”
    Jessie and Violet served iced tea and coffee. They ran back and forth to the house to get more platters of meat and fresh salads. Ted Evans passed the baskets of rolls.

    Mr. Furman and Mr. Alden found a shady place to sit. Doris and Toni sat nearby.
    “Is Mr. Fogg coming?” Doris asked.
    “There he is now,” Toni said. “But what’s he bringing with him?”
    Mr. Fogg looked around at the guests and the food set out on the picnic table. He frowned, then a smile slowly spread over his face. “I thought this was a picnic where every guest brings something,” he said, holding out his paper bag.
    “Oh, no,” laughed Miss Douglas. “I’m giving this picnic. But if you brought something, that’s fine.” She opened the bag and took out a huge jar of pickles, the largest anyone had ever seen.
    “They’re sweet pickles,” Mr. Fogg explained.
    Miss Douglas laughed, and so did the others. Maybe Mr. Fogg wasn’t exactly sweet, but he was trying hard not to be the sour pickle he’d often been called behind his back.
    People laughed and talked. Miss