The Sleepy Hollow Mystery Read Online Free PDF

scared can carry one of these.
I want you to have fun.” All the younger
children asked for lanterns, including Benny
and Violet.
    As they walked into the woods, Annika told
them stories from the town’s history. “People
used to think there was a witch who lived
in the forest,” she said. “But she turned out
to be something very different.” Before she
could finish the story, a loud cracking noise
came from the trees on the side of the path.
The group stopped.
    “I think I saw something in the trees,” one
of the twins said. “Something big.”
    “Sometimes it’s easy to imagine you see
something when it’s just the trees,” Jessie told
him. “It could be just a clump of bushes.”
    “Jessie is right,” Annika said. “Let’s keep
going.” She smiled, but the Aldens knew
she was worried. They walked on, though
everyone seemed a little nervous. Annika
started her story again when another cracking
noise came from behind them.
    A sudden shriek startled them all. Everyone
spun around, trying to see what had made the
awful noise.
    “That might have been an animal,” Henry
said.
    Far down the path, a large, dark shape burst
out of the woods. It made a loud snorting sound.
    Everyone all stood very still.
    Two red circles of light appeared, glowing
in the dark.
    “Are those eyes?” Violet whispered.
    “I think so,” Benny said. “But what has red
eyes?”
    “If those are eyes, that thing would have to
be about ten feet tall,” Henry said.
    The lights disappeared, but the shape
moved toward them. It came slowly at first
and then faster and faster. It shrieked again.
    “We should get off the path,” Jessie yelled.
    They all rushed into the woods just as the
creature thundered past them. They could
see it was a horse with a rider who wore a
cape. In the light of Annika’s lantern, they
could see that the rider didn’t seem to have
a head.
    The youngest girl in the group screamed
and ran to her mother. One of the twins
burst into tears. The parents of the twins
each rushed to pick up one of the little boys.
    “Pick me up too, Daddy!” the older girl
said as she held up her arms to him.
    “Please calm down,” Annika said. “I’m
sorry, but that was someone playing a trick.”
She sounded like she was going to cry too.
    “We know that was just a horse,” Henry
said, stepping back out onto the path. “Horses
don’t have glowing red eyes. We should see if
we can find any clues about who is playing
these tricks.” He started to jog toward where
the horse and its rider had first appeared on
the path.
    “Henry, I can’t let you do that,” Annika
called after him.
    “I’ll just be a minute,” Henry replied over
his shoulder.
    “No!” Annika yelled. She ran after him
and grabbed his sleeve when she caught up.
“I’m responsible for you. Let’s just stay calm
and meet Isiah. The wagon will be waiting
for us.”
    Henry could tell she was very upset. “All
right, but I’m sure there is nothing dangerous
back there.”
    Violet turned and looked in the other
direction. “I hope Isiah is okay,” she said.
“The horse and rider will be riding right past
where he’s waiting with the wagon.”
    Annika tried to smile at the parents and
children. “I’m…I’m sure he’s fine. Jessie,
would you and Benny walk with the group
while Violet and Henry and I go ahead to
make sure Isiah is…is ready for us?”
    Jessie nodded. She was frightened but she
knew Annika wanted her to be brave.
    Henry and Violet followed Annika down
the path, scared at what they might find.
When they came to the wagon, they didn’t
see Isiah.
    “What if the headless rider got him?”
Violet asked.
    Annika called out, “Isiah, where are you?”

CHAPTER 6
Costumes and More Clues
    “I ’m right here,” Isiah called, sounding out
of breath. He came around from the front of
the wagon. “I was adjusting Ghost’s harness.”
    “Did you see the horse run by?” Henry
asked.
    “What horse?” Isiah looked very