Mike's Mystery Read Online Free PDF

bowls and dishes, first.”
    “What lovely colors!” said Jessie.
    There were plates and cups of all colors, pink, blue, yellow, green, violet and light orange.
    “Why don’t you have one plate of each color?” asked Benny. “That would make six.”
    “I must have seven,” said Mrs. Wood with a laugh. “Because you must all come to supper sometime.”
    Jessie said firmly, “I think you need a dozen, Mrs. Wood. That would be two of each color.”
    “Yes,” said Benny. “And then I could use the pink cup—I mean if I ever came to supper.”
    Jessie laughed. “Benny has a pink cup at home,” she told Mrs. Wood. “He loves it because he had it in the Boxcar. I certainly would not like to break that pink cup.”
    “We must have knives and forks, spoons, and pans, too,” said Mrs. Wood.
    The storekeeper seemed to be thinking. At last he said, “Mrs. Wood, may I say something? I wouldn’t buy too many things if I were you.”
    “Why on earth not?” cried Mike.
    “Well, I can’t say too much,” said the man. “But I know your friends are going to give you some things.”
    “Oh, how kind they are!” cried Mrs. Wood. “I never thought of such a thing!”
    “Don’t tell I told you,” said the man.
    “We won’t tell, any of us,” said Benny. “It would be awful if you bought things, and then people gave you the same things.”
    “Really, I think you have bought enough, now,” said the storekeeper. “Let’s leave it. You can ride in the truck if you want to. You children ride in the back with the stove, and Mrs. Wood can sit with the driver.”
    “I want to sit with the driver, too,” said Mike.
    “All right,” said the storekeeper. “Get in.”
    The two dogs were waiting outside the store. At last, all the things, children and dogs were in the truck. Everyone laughed as the truck went by.
    They waved to the children. The children waved back. The dogs barked and barked.
    Mike said, “How are you going to get that heavy stove into the room at the mine, Mister?”
    The driver smiled. “I’ll have plenty of help,” he said. “You wait and see.”
    “I suppose you telephoned,” said Mike.
    “No, but the storekeeper did,” said the driver. “We all have some secrets, don’t we? Just look over there, right by the mine office!”
    The truck slowly came to a stop. The children stared at the crowd, and then they all laughed and laughed.

CHAPTER 9
    Quick Work
    W hen the truck stopped at the mine office, a crowd of workmen stood waiting. The men were all smiling. Henry, Benny and Mike jumped out of the truck and helped Jessie and Violet out.
    The driver helped Mrs. Wood down from the high seat. “We’ll help you move these things into the building,” said one man. “You tell us where you want them to go.”
    Mrs. Wood and the children and the driver went in. They looked around. The dogs ran around barking. Just then Mr. Carter came out of the office.
    “Oh, Mr. Carter, hello!” said Henry. “You are just the man we want.”
    “I want to see him too,” said Mrs. Wood. “I want to ask him something.”
    “Ask away, my lady,” said Mr. Carter with a smile.
    “Well,” said Mrs. Wood slowly, “I can hardly wait to make a pie. And I’d love to live right here in this room with my two boys.”
    “That’s just what I said!” shouted Benny. “I said you’ve got to live somewhere, and why not here?”
    “Yes, you did, Benny,” agreed Mrs. Wood. “That is what gave me the idea. You see, Mr. Carter, the boys say there are watchmen up here all night. They would help me if I needed anything. And it wouldn’t take long to put up some rough boards and make two rooms, would it? It would be so handy for me to start my pies early in the morning.”
    “Oh, what a wonderful idea!” cried Jessie. “We can help Mrs. Wood, too, Mr. Carter.”
    “Yes, I think it could be done,” said Mr. Carter. “I have talked with Mr. Gardner, the big boss, Mrs. Wood. He says if I say O.K., he says