The Mystery of the Screech Owl Read Online Free PDF Page B

through the woods the way they had come. This time they were more aware of the birds and the animals around them.
    â€œYou know,” Benny said thoughtfully, “you think you’re all alone in the woods, but you really aren’t. You’ve always got company. Like that bug.”
    â€œAre you afraid of bugs, Benny?” asked Jacob.
    â€œI’m not afraid of anything,” Benny declared. Then he added, “Except maybe ghosts.”
    â€œYou know there are no ghosts,” Henry said to him. “You’ve never even seen one.”
    â€œI might,” Benny said mysteriously. “If we stay here.”
    â€œWhere?” asked Aaron.
    They stopped at Broken Moon Pond. The setting sun cast long shadows over the dark water. Fish jumped, breaking the stillness.
    â€œHere,” Benny said dramatically. “The waitress at the café told us Broken Moon Pond is haunted.”
    â€œReally?” Aaron looked excited. “Now I hope we buy this place more than ever!”
    Violet glanced across the pond. “Your dad and our grandfather are on the dock. Maybe they know something.”
    The kids ran around the shoreline and dashed onto the dock.
    â€œDid we buy the camp?” Patty asked her father.
    Mr. Anderson shook his head sadly. “Not yet. One of the heirs is out of the country. He can’t be contacted.”
    â€œWhere is he?” asked Jacob.
    â€œNobody knows,” said Mr. Anderson. “Mr. Cartier says he moves around a lot in his job. It could be weeks before he can be located.”
    The kids left the grown-ups talking and walked up the hill to the main house. They sat down on the porch steps.
    â€œWeeks!” Patty said gloomily. “We’ll never buy the camp now.”
    Henry looked thoughtful. “You know what?”
    â€œWhat?” Aaron asked.
    Henry picked up a pebble and rolled it in his palm. “I think somebody is trying to block the sale of Broken Moon Pond.”
    â€œSomeone — or something ,” Benny added ominously.

CHAPTER 6
    The Unwelcome Mat
    â€œS ome thing ?” Patty echoed. “What do you mean?”
    â€œWhat about the boat that was there one minute and gone the next?” Benny insisted. “The waitress said funny things happen here. She’s right.”
    â€œI doubt there is a ghost,” Henry said. “But we’ve noticed funny things besides the mysterious boat.”
    Aaron stared at him. “Are you guys some kind of detectives?”
    â€œYes,” Benny answered proudly. “We’ve solved lots of mysteries, all over the country.”
    Jessie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We’re not real detectives,” she said modestly.
    â€œBut we have solved some mystery cases,” Violet said. “Would you like us to try to solve yours?”
    â€œYes!” Patty said emphatically. “We need help.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do first?” Jacob wanted to know.
    â€œLook for clues,” said Jessie.
    â€œWe’ll start when we go to Nibelle tomorrow,” Henry said.
    Although their cabin had a refrigerator and other modern appliances, Grandfather liked to buy fresh produce every day. Nibelle had a greengrocer, a store that sold nothing but fruits and vegetables.
    When they went to the village the next day, Grandfather went into the greengrocer, while the children wandered around the square.
    â€œThere’s a general store,” said Violet. “Let’s go inside. It probably has everything.”
    The shelves were stacked with canned goods, long underwear, mousetraps, lanterns, flyswatters, maple candy, shower caps, and jars of baby food.
    Benny was fascinated by a tiny leather box. When he pulled off the lid, a thimble, needle, miniature scissors, and a coil of thread rolled out.
    â€œI wonder how much this is,” he said, checking the box for a price sticker.
    â€œAsk the clerk,” Jessie told