Mystery of the Orphan Train Read Online Free PDF Page B

log.
    “Sure looks that way, Violet,” agreed Henry.

    “I don’t get it.” Benny held out his pink cup as Jessie poured the lemonade. “This is where Thane’s rhyme was leading us. I’m sure of it.”
    “Maybe the clue disappeared a long time ago,” suggested Jessie, pulling a twig from her hair. “Just like Henry said.”
    The four Aldens were deep in thought when a familiar voice caught their attention. They didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But from where they were sitting, the children couldn’t help overhearing.
    “I’m telling you, it’s not as easy as that … No, no … this place is always filled to the rafters.”
    “Isn’t that Lindsay?” Benny asked.
    Violet nodded. “I wonder why she sounds so upset.”
    “Look, I just don’t think I can pull it off.” Lindsay was talking loudly now. “I told you, I’ll do my best to get it to you. That’s right … old and blue.”
    “Did you hear that?” Jessie whispered.
    Henry nodded. None of them liked the sound of this.
    Just then, Lindsay stepped into the clearing. When she spotted the Aldens, she quickly pocketed her cell phone. “Oh, hi, kids!” she said. “I, um… was just out for a breath of fresh air.” She bit her lip nervously. “Guess I’d better … get back to work.” Before the children could say a word, she hurried away.
    “That was a bit strange, don’t you think?” remarked Jessie.
    “She said she didn’t think she could pull it off,” put in Benny. “I wonder what she meant by that.”
    Henry shrugged. “There’s no way of knowing.”
    “Do you think she’s up to something?” Benny wanted to know.
    “I hope not.” Violet didn’t like to suspect Lindsay of doing anything wrong. Still, it did sound suspicious.
    The four children fell silent for a while. Then Benny spoke up.
    “I vote we take another look through the woods after lunch,” he said, still thinking about Thane’s rhyme.
    Henry nodded. “I guess it’s possible we overlooked some kind of clue.”
    “Let’s not say anything to Kate,” suggested Violet. “We don’t want to get her hopes up for nothing.”
    “Good idea, Violet,” Jessie said, as they headed to the house for lunch. “We’ll try to figure things out first.”
    They refused to give up. After toasted tomato sandwiches, fruit salad, and peanut-butter cookies, they went back to the woods. They looked for anything unusual as they made their way along every path. Once, twice, three times. But it was no use. By the end of the afternoon, they were still no closer to solving the mystery.
    “Did you enjoy your safari through the jungle?” Kate wanted to know, as they relaxed in the front room after dinner.
    “We didn’t have any luck,” Benny told her. “We tried to spot a leopard like the rhyme said, but—”
    Henry poked him, then Benny remembered they weren’t supposed to talk about the mystery.
    Kate’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, are you trying to figure out Thane’s rhyme?”
    The children looked at one another. They didn’t want to lie, but they also knew it was best not to get Kate’s hopes up yet.
    Henry quickly changed the subject. “Is that your family album, Kate?”
    “Why, yes, Henry!” Kate reached for her family album from the coffee table. “Would you care to take a look?” As the children nodded eagerly, she turned to the professor sitting nearby. “How about you, Professor Brewer? Will you join us?”
    The professor slowly lowered his newspaper. “I’m busy at the moment.”
    “Maybe later, then,” Kate said with a little smile.
    As Kate turned the pages of the album, Jessie couldn’t help noticing that the professor was staring at the photograph above the fireplace. Now and again, his lips would curl up into a smile. It seemed rather odd to Jessie.
    “Here’s one of Sally. It was taken in 1904, just a few days after she fell through the ice.” Kate was tapping a finger under a faded old photograph.
    Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny gathered round. A