Mystery of the Spider's Clue Read Online Free PDF Page B

break.
    Henry stepped down from the ladder. “I guess we’re done here anyway,” he said. The Aldens stood back to admire their work.
    â€œWe did a good job,” Benny said proudly, and the others agreed.
    Inside, Mrs. Spencer poured apple cider into tall glasses while Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny sat around the table in her cheery little kitchen.
    â€œWhat dear children you are!” said Mrs. Spencer, smiling over at them. As she sat down, she reached into her pocket and pulled out some dollar bills. “I want to give you a little something for—”
    Jessie shook her head firmly. “Please put your money away, Mrs. Spencer.”
    â€œYou deserve a reward for your hard work,” insisted Mrs. Spencer.
    â€œGrandfather says hard work is its own reward,” Violet told her quietly.
    Mrs. Spencer hesitated for a moment. Then she tucked the money into her pocket again. “Your grandfather is a wise man,” she said. “And a lucky one, too.”
    Benny looked puzzled. “Lucky?”
    â€œHe’s very lucky indeed to have such wonderful grandchildren.” Mrs. Spencer gave them a happy smile. “Just look at how the sun comes shining through those clean windows! Oh, I shall enjoy watching the birds even more now.”
    The children chatted happily with the elderly woman. She talked for a while about Sam and how good he’d always been to her. Later, when she got up to answer the phone, the Aldens cleared away the empty glasses, waved good-bye, and walked back outside.
    â€œMrs. Spencer is such a sweet lady, isn’t she?” Violet said.
    â€œYou know what I think?” Benny piped up as he helped give the rags a good wringing-out. “I think this is why Sam washes windows.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, Benny?” asked Henry.
    â€œI think he does it because he likes making people happy.”
    Jessie nodded. “Sam’s always thinking of others.” She hung the buckets over the handlebars of her bike. “I just hope we can solve the mystery for him.”
    â€œOh, if only we could figure out that Little Boy Blue clue!” cried Violet. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”
    â€œAnd we won’t stop,” Henry said firmly. “Not until we come up with an answer.”
    Everybody nodded except Benny.
    â€œI’m too hungry to think,” he said.
    Henry laughed. “We get the hint, Benny. Let’s go home and get something to eat.”
    It wasn’t long before the Aldens were enjoying a delicious lunch of cheese sandwiches, Mrs. McGregor’s homemade potato chips, and crisp apples.
    â€œIf we can’t figure it out,” Henry said, “we’ll have to ride up and down the streets again.” The children were still talking about the Little Boy Blue clue as they sat in the kitchen of their grandfather’s big white house.
    â€œYou’re right, Henry.” Jessie poured Benny another glass of milk. “And that means going back to the Morningside neighborhood to hunt for the hollow tree. We didn’t quite finish checking out all the streets.”
    Benny swallowed a bite of his sandwich. “We searched most of them, though,” he reminded them. “We went all the way up Ice Pond Road almost as far as—” Benny stopped talking. He was suddenly staring wide-eyed at his brother and sisters.
    â€œWhat is it?” asked Henry.
    â€œWe . . . we got almost as far as Blue Street!”
    Henry, Jessie, and Violet looked at Benny in amazement. “Of course!” cried Jessie.
    â€œThe Little Boy Blue nursery rhyme’s telling us to go to Blue Street!”
    Henry gave his younger brother a big smile. “Great thinking, Benny!”
    After they finished lunch, the children went out to the boxcar to study the map again.
    â€œIt’s a very long street,” observed Violet, pointing on the map to where Blue Street started and where it ended.